Detroit Evening Report: Detroit’s efforts to attract immigrants contributed to population growth, report finds

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FILE - Protesters rally in Detroit against the Department of Homeland Security's order to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

FILE - Protesters rally in Detroit against the Department of Homeland Security's order to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Efforts to attract and settle immigrants in Detroit may have been a contributing factor in the city’s recent population growth, according to recent reporting from The Conversation.

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Research shows that Immigration has a positive impact on the economy through a larger employee talent pool, increased social and civic engagement, and offsetting the decrease of Detroit native born children.

Despite a national shift in tone towards immigrants, cities like Detroit are prepping for a globalized future by investing in programs that encourage and support immigrants looking to start a life here.

Organizations like Global Detroit are encouraging entrepreneurship That includes programs like the Global Talent Retention InitiativeGlobal Talent Accelerator and Global Entrepreneur in Residence via Global Detroit, as well as community resources and education opportunities through Detroit’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.

The top five countries of origin for immigrants in metro Detroit include India, Iraq, Mexico, Yemen and Lebanon, according to U.S. Census Data.

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Author

  • WDET reporter and producer Hernz Laguerre Jr.
    Hernz Laguerre Jr. is a Multimedia Journalist at 101.9 WDET. He is one of the co-host for "Detroit Evening Report," one of the weekend anchors for "Weekend Edition," the producer for our political podcast, "MichMash," and reports on arts, culture and politics.