Integration
U.S. Ranks 9th out of 38 Countries in Migrant Integration Policy Index Results
Immigration policy analysts released the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) results for the United States recently, including the survey’s implications for immigration and integration policy in the U.S. MIPEX is a tool which measures the immigration and integration policies of 38 countries across 167 indicators in eight policy… Read More
White House Task Force Unveils Federal Immigrant Integration Recommendations
In cities and states across the country, there has been growing momentum towards building better immigrant and refugee integration programs . Yet there hasn’t been an official federal immigrant integration strategy until now. Last week, the White House Task Force on New Americans—an interagency effort… Read More
Charlotte, NC Capitalizing on the Benefits of Immigrant Entrepreneurs
Charlotte, North Carolina, like many southern metropolitan areas, has grown rapidly in recent decades. In 2013, when Charlotte declared itself a “welcoming city,” one in ten residents (10.1 percent) in the Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill metropolitan area were foreign-born, while one-third (32.6 percent) of “Main Street” business… Read More
Groups Recommend How the White House Could Boost Immigrant Entrepreneurs
Immigrant entrepreneurs and small business owners contribute to local economies, often forming the backbone of neighborhoods. As part of his November announcement on immigration executive action, President Obama signed a presidential memorandum that creates a White House Task Force on New Americans to explore ways to… Read More
Immigrant Entrepreneurs Bring Vitality to Main Street, Help Local Economies Grow
Midtown Global Market, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a place where vendors hawk fresh produce, baked goods, coffee and espressos, and arts and jewelry. And as its more than 40 different businesses represent people from five continents, the market is one example of how a city can cultivate the… Read More
The Cost of Citizenship is a Barrier for Some Immigrants
Of the 13.3 million legal permanent residents (LPRs) in the United States, 8.8 million are currently eligible for citizenship. Many, however, are not making the leap from legal permanent resident status to citizen. The number of those naturalizing has been less than 800,000 for the past five consecutive years,… Read More
How Mayors Are Supporting Obama’s Immigration Actions
Mayors around the country are voicing their support for executive action on immigration and are exploring how their cities can better align with the White House’s announced changes. At least 25 mayors from around the country have formed Cities United for Immigration Action, a… Read More
Immigrants Increasingly Moving to Suburbs Across the U.S.
Realtors and homebuilders in Houston’s sprawling suburbs are adapting to the metro area’s increasingly diverse immigrant population. That means local homebuilders are adding culturally nuanced features commonly found in Latin American and Mediterranean-style homes to new home plans, and realtors are taking classes in feng shui to appeal to… Read More
Could New Jersey Be the 12th State to Offer Driver’s Licenses to Undocumented Immigrants?
Driving is a key component of U.S. culture. People drive to work and school, to run errands and to pick up their kids. Part of being integrated in U.S. culture increasingly means having the ability to get to the grocery store, to church, to community functions, and to health clinics—and… Read More
How Investing in English Language Learning Can Boost Local Economies
As local leaders explore ways to grow their local and regional economies, one area to address is access to English language learning opportunities for all members of a community. A new report by the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, Investing in English Skills: The Limited English Proficient Workforce… Read More
America's story is an immigrant story.