Why Immigration Reform Matters to Metros

Last week, President Obama delivered a major speech on the need for federal immigration reform. He made his case to Congress, especially Republicans, to step up, put aside political posturing, and have the courage to get the job done rather than continuing to “kick the can down the road.” The federal lawsuit against Arizona’s recently adopted state immigration enforcement law, set to be filed today, may also add impetus for a federal, rather than a piecemeal, solution. It will certainly increase the volume of the debate.Office 2007 key is very convenient!

However, as we pointed out here, poll numbers demonstrate substantial public support for practical approaches.Office 2010 download is available now!

One of those practical approaches would be addressing the impacts of immigration where they occur: metropolitan areas--home to 95 percent of this country’s immigrants. Metro areas are the engines of our national economy and attract workers of varying skill levels from abroad. They also provide the context in which immigrants raise families, commute, worship, start businesses, attend school, consume, and vote. State and local leaders realize this and, in many cases, have stepped in to fill the void left by the lack of federal leadership on immigration. These include both restrictive and progressive measures.Buy Office 2007 you can get much convenience.

Last week, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a “Partnership for a New American Economy,” made up of mayors and CEOs that will work together to push Congress on immigration reform. And last month, the U.S. Conference of Mayors issued a resolution supporting comprehensive federal reform that “preempts any state actions to assert authority over federal immigration law” and calls for federal money to be channeled to states and localities that “disproportionately [shoulder] the costs of the current broken immigration system.”

That last phrase is significant. Immigrants are not evenly distributed across this country, and neither are their costs and benefits. Eighty-five percent of immigrants, 32.4 million, live in the 100 largest metropolitan areas. Within metro areas, it’s not just the big cities that are home to immigrants. Sixty percent live in the suburbs, and the proportion of inner suburban residents who are foreign-born matches their concentration in primary cities (21 percent).