Reimagining the Midwest: Immigration Initiatives and the Capacity of Local Leadership
Reimagining the Midwest: Immigration Initiatives and the Capacity of Local Leadership September 23, 2014 Washington D.C.– Despite the absence of federal action on immigration, local government initiatives across the Midwest are encouraging new growth, building community and harnessing the contributions of immigrants, according to a new report released today by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the American Immigration Council. The report comes at the close of National Welcoming Week (September 13-21), a series of events across the country that highlight contributions of immigrants to American communities and brings together immigrants and native-born community members. “Reimagining the Midwest: Immigration Initiatives and the Capacity of Local Leadership,” is the first report of its kind to focus exclusively on the Midwest region and represents an extensive review of the vast array of immigrant integration initiatives at the state, municipal, metropolitan, and civic levels. The report highlights initiatives that are fostering immigrant entrepreneurs, passing integration ordinances, promoting civic engagement, evaluating economic impact, providing education resources, and celebrating cultural diversity, among other efforts. It urges leaders to:
1. Think creatively about opportunities for local action despite federal inaction around immigration reform.
2. Leverage community institutions and the private sector to maximize resources.
3. Foster inclusive metro-wide and regional collaboration, recognizing that communities and neighborhoods are interconnected.
KJ