Changes in the Midwest Workforce Due to Immigration

The Midwest has always had a strong appeal for immigrants and even for Americans from other regions looking for a better life. From the early years of settlement through the end of the 19th Century, a large number of European immigrants made their homes in the region. Then, beginning in 1910, the combination of readily available jobs and increasing Jim Crow oppression motivated over 6 million African-Americans to move to northern cities. Milwaukee, Chicago, and Detroit were common destinations, and the Black populations of these cities increased 66%, 148% and 611%, respectively, in just the first decade.

But has more recent immigration helped or slowed growth in the Midwest? As in previous eras, the new arrivals have been a strong net benefit to the region’s economy and vitality.

Immigration has put the brakes on population decline and loss of manufacturing

Immigration has done more than backstop urban populations. The growth of immigrant employment in the agricultural and food sectors means legal immigrants are becoming more common in small towns. The meatpacking industry, for instance, has long had a negative reputation for hiring undocumented immigrants from Mexico and Central America at low pay; however, reform efforts have led to an increase in legal immigrant hires from Africa and increased wages.

Legal immigrants are also becoming a strong presence in healthcare. As of 2020, 27% of physicians, 28% of dentists, nearly 20% of registered nurses, and 38% of home health aides were foreign born, and four out of five new jobs created in the Great Lakes region in the past 20 years were in the healthcare sector. This is another trend that results in more legal immigration to smaller communities, as they join the staff of regional hospital networks and long-term care facilities.

Growth outside cities and outside manufacturing

Immigration has done more than backstop urban populations. The growth of immigrant employment in the agricultural and food sectors means legal immigrants are becoming more common in small towns. The meatpacking industry, for instance, has long had a negative reputation for hiring undocumented immigrants from Mexico and Central America at low pay; however, reform efforts have led to an increase in legal immigrant hires from Africa and increased wages.

Legal immigrants are also becoming a strong presence in healthcare. As of 2020, 27% of physicians, 28% of dentists, nearly 20% of registered nurses, and 38% of home health aides were foreign born, and four out of five new jobs created in the Great Lakes region in the past 20 years were in the healthcare sector. This is another trend that results in more legal immigration to smaller communities, as they join the staff of regional hospital networks and long-term care facilities.

How can communities benefit?

Immigration is a net positive, but how much individual areas benefit in the future depends on how they approach immigration today. Ensuring access to language services is a crucial component.

Provide language services and other assistance that helps immigrants fully participate in society

The sooner immigrants assimilate, the fewer government services they will need and the more they will be able to build wealth and provide other benefits to the community. Make sure that government, education, health care services, etc., are fully accessible to them, and that anyone who can legally vote is able to do so without obstacles.

Ensure good relations between police and immigrant populations

Fear of deportation may deter undocumented immigrant victims from reporting crimes, while many legal immigrants have left countries where police forces are corrupt. Ensuring all local law enforcement personnel have access to expert interpreters will not only lead to better community relations but help clear cases.

Account for a diverse range of languages

As legal immigrants make up more of our workforce, the languages spoken in a given area will tend to become more diverse, even if that area is relatively rural. The best way to address this change is to reach out to a highly qualified language services agency and put the pieces in place so you can provide quality interpreting and translation for any resident.

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