Articles on Immigration

Includes attraction, high-skilled labor, integration, low-skilled labor, policy, reform, and undocumented immigrants.

Kansas Agriculture Secretary Seeks Waiver For Illegal Immigrants
Associated Press, January 29, 2012
Facing pressure from large dairies and feedlots desperate for workers, Kansas Agriculture Secretary Dale Rodman is seeking a federal waiver that would allow companies to hire illegal immigrants.

For Kurds, Fargo-Moorhead Becomes A Refuge
Star Tribune, January 28, 2012
Although exact numbers may be in dispute, the 1,100 or so Kurds in the Fargo-Moorhead area are by far the greatest number in the Upper Midwest.

Kansas Slashes Food Aid for Children of Illegal Immigrants
Kansas City Star, January 22, 2012

At a time when Gov. Sam Brownback has vowed to reduce child poverty, the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services — a state agency the governor controls — made a policy change that eliminated food stamps for hundreds of low-income U.S. children whose parents are illegal immigrants.

Proposal Would Require Missouri Schools to Verify Students' Immigration Status
Kansas City Star, January 12, 2012
State Sen. Will Kraus, a Lee’s Summit Republican, is sponsoring a bill that would mandate that all public schools verify the immigration status of enrollees. It also would require law enforcement officers to check immigration status on all stops when they have reasonable cause, and create a state misdemeanor for not carrying proper citizenship documentation.

December 2011

'Little Tokyo' Thrives in Novi as Japanese Population Expands
Detroit News, December 19, 2011
Michigan now has more than 10,000 Japanese residents, up 38 percent from 10 years ago, and has more than 475 businesses that are wholly or partially Japanese owned, and the facilities provide nearly 32,000 jobs, according to the consulate general.

Billboard Campaign Geared Toward Immigration Debate
Quad-City Times, December 17, 2011

Catholic sisters discouraged by immigration policies that they believe violate human rights have launched a billboard campaign in Davenport and Bettendorf to draw attention to the need for comprehensive immigration reform.

Study Finds Latino Workers Trapped Under 'Blue-Collar Ceiling'
Chicago Tribune, December 15, 2011
A new study of the Chicago area's Latino workers shows that they are trapped in low-paying, low-skill industries and could pass this "blue-collar ceiling" to future generations unless educational gaps are addressed.

Mexican-Americans Aren't Moving Up, Study Finds
Chicago Business, December 15, 2011
Roughly half of the Mexican immigrants working in the six-county region have jobs in the food service, construction and manufacturing industries.

Lowe's Decision to Pull Ads from 'All-American Muslim' Sets Off Firestorm of Criticism
Detroit Free Press, December 13, 2011
A decision by the home-improvement chain Lowe's to pull its ads from a TV show based on Dearborn's Muslim community has sparked an outcry from Muslim Americans and their supporters.

As NATO/G8 Nears, Adolfo Hernandez Hopes to Put Chicago in Good Light
Chicago Business, Decmeber 8, 2011
His new job isn't just about helping immigrant entrepreneurs fill out forms or connect with government agencies — although that's part of the job. Mr. Hernandez also will be working with World Business Chicago, the organization that's putting on the international summits.

Beardstown, Small Midwestern Meatpacking Town, Wrestles With Immigration Issue
Huffington Post, December 8, 2011
While immigration is often thought of as a border-state issue, employment opportunities in agriculture and manufacturing are increasingly drawing Latin American immigrants to small towns in middle America, once typically a stronghold for Republican voters. Beardstown has experienced an amplified version of this trend.

November 2011

Chiquita Departs; Hispanic Leaders Urge City to Welcome Diversity
Fox 19 Cincinnati, November 30, 2011
As Cincinnati digests the news that global company Chiquita is leaving the Queen City for Charlotte, North Carolina, local leaders are taking a moment to look at what compelled the move.

US Shifts Deportation Policy; Non-Criminal Cases in Question
MPR, November 18, 2011
The Department of Homeland Security has begun reviewing cases to speed up deportation of illegal immigrants who are criminals while also clearing the backlog of cases of people in the country illegally who are not criminals.

Opinion: Immigrants Can Save Your Community
Kokomo Perspective, November 14, 2011
Small towns through the Midwest and the Plains are facing an existential challenge. What defines our community after the vast majority of our residents leave? For many communities facing the exodus of residents the answer is easy and yet very complicated: immigrants.

Hispanics Reviving Faded Towns on the Plains
New York Times, November 13, 2011
For generations, the story of the small rural town of the Great Plains, including the dusty tabletop landscape of western Kansas, has been one of exodus — of businesses closing, classrooms shrinking and, year after year, communities withering as fewer people arrive than leave and as fewer are born than are buried. That flight continues, but another demographic trend has breathed new life into the region.

TLC's 'All-American Muslim' Spotlights Dearborn Families
Detroit Free Press, November 12, 2011
When TLC's new docu-series "All-American Muslim" debuts tonight, the members of five different Dearborn families will share the highs and lows of their personal and professional lives with hopes that their stories connect with viewers all across the country.

Immigrants' Successes in Business to be Highlighted
Des Moines Register, November 2, 2011
On Nov. 12, the fourth annual Immigrant Entrepreneurs Summit will be held in Des Moines. The gathering of more than 700 participants from 40 countries will celebrate the successes of Iowa immigrant and minority business owners, as well as attend seminars on 15 topics ranging from starting a nonprofit to discussions of immigration issues.