In a recent post, I commented that some US towns are recruiting immigrants to help restart economic progress. Here is an AI search summary which provides some examples:
“Several small to mid-sized U.S. towns and cities have actively recruited or welcomed immigrants and refugees to stabilize populations and revitalize local economies facing decline due to loss of manufacturing and agricultural jobs.
Towns and Cities with Recruitment Efforts
Utica, New York – Since the 1970s, Utica has resettled over 17,000 refugees through the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees (now The Center), which helped reverse a significant population decline after factories closed.
Topeka, Kansas – The city’s ‘Choose Topeka’ program provides financial incentives of up to $15,000 for remote workers and local business employees, including specific marketing campaigns targeting Hispanic workers to address labor shortages.
Galesburg, Illinois – Historically, Galesburg attracted European immigrants and Mexican railroad workers (known as ‘Boxcar People’) for labor. In recent years, local organizations and educational institutions have focused on supporting immigrant integration to foster economic revitalization.
Erie, Pennsylvania – This city actively participates in refugee resettlement programs, viewing the absorption of newcomers as crucial for its demographic and economic vitality.
Greenport, New York – In the 1990s, a revitalization effort led to an influx of Hispanic immigrants who filled blue-collar jobs in construction and landscaping, helping to transform a struggling ‘dead end’ town into a thriving village.
Rural Meatpacking Communities (e.g., Schuyler, Nebraska, and Worthington, Minnesota) – In the 1990s, these towns saw a large influx of immigrants drawn by job opportunities in the meatpacking industry, which helped sustain local workforces.
Clarkston, Georgia – Known as a major refugee resettlement area in the Deep South, Clarkston has welcomed thousands of refugees from various countries over the years, significantly changing the town’s demographics and supporting local businesses.
These communities often implement programs to help with integration, language barriers, and housing challenges, with the goal of leveraging the economic benefits that immigrants and refugees provide, such as starting businesses and filling labor demands.”
I mention this as we are a nation of immigrants. Immigrants of all types. Yet, being an immigrant has placed a target on people’s back under this administration. Legally documented and undocumented immigrants are getting corralled like cattle without due process. Yet, the above shows that more than a few communities see the economic benefit of immigrants. The US president should know this, but immigration is also accretive to GDP.
musingsofanoldfart 