Our Basic Principles
2. We believe most U.S. residents are hospitable, welcoming and inclusive of diversity and agree we have a shared responsibility to treat all our neighbors with respect and decency;
4. We recognize that immigrants are fellow human beings and reject the use of
dehumanizing language;
5. We are committed to raising the level of public discourse concerning immig-rants and immigration and;
7. We believe that Welcoming campaigns are an ideal vehicle for changing the public discourse on immigrants and immigration in our communities.
Challenging Times
In a uniquely challenged state it’s hard for some to imagine how we can welcome newcomers into this environment. But when it comes to the role of immigrants in our economy, it’s clear that the dynamic entrepreneurial energy immigrants bring means it’s not an “I win, you lose” proposition. When our children learn the history of Michigan, they learn a lot about the people who came to this state long ago looking for a new home. As much as we cherish our immigrant past and the story of the African-American great migration, we know that those immigrants and migrants weren’t always made to feel welcome when they a rrived. But now we have the advantage of hindsight, and we can get it right this time in a way that will benefit us all. Part of it is competitive advantage: the most energetic and capable people will choose the places where they feel most welcome. Part of it is common sense: Being hostile to newcomers is a waste of our time and energy. And part of it is simple right and wrong: how would we want our children treated if they had to move away to find Read More
The Economic Facts
The 2014 purchasing power of Michigan's Latinos totaled $9.8 billion—an increase of 354% since 1990. Asian buying power totaled $11.8 billion—an increase of 540% since 1990, according to the Seig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia.
Billion Arab American employment accounted for $7.7 billion in total earnings in the four counties of the Detroit metropolitan area in southeast Michigan, generating an estimated $544 million in state tax revenue in 2005, according to the Center for Urban Studies at Wayne State University.
Immigrants accounted for 11% of total economic output in the Detroit metropolitan area as of 2007, according to a study by the Fiscal Policy Institute.
In Michigan, 38.1% of foreign-born persons who were naturalized U.S. citizens in 2011 had a bachelor's or higher degree, compared to 34.8% of noncitizens.
foreign students contributed $927 million to the state's economy in tuition, fees, and living expenses for the 2013-2014 academic year, according to the NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
Immigrants comprised 7.2% of the state's workforce in 2013 (or 349,138 workers), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
