L. Brooks Patterson once said that Detroit should be
walled in and filled with Indians. Based on what she said the other day, right-wing
commentator Laura Ingraham agrees with him. Except Patterson was referring to
Native Americans; Ingraham was talking about immigrants from India (and other
places).
walled in and filled with Indians. Based on what she said the other day, right-wing
commentator Laura Ingraham agrees with him. Except Patterson was referring to
Native Americans; Ingraham was talking about immigrants from India (and other
places).
When Gov. Rick Snyder announced last week a plan to issue
50,000 work visas for skilled immigrants to live and work in Detroit, Ingraham pounced. She
said the plan was ludicrous except for one aspect – if the 50,000 arrived, “we
can then wall off Detroit” to keep them from moving to other parts of the
country.
50,000 work visas for skilled immigrants to live and work in Detroit, Ingraham pounced. She
said the plan was ludicrous except for one aspect – if the 50,000 arrived, “we
can then wall off Detroit” to keep them from moving to other parts of the
country.
According to Media Matters, on her radio show Ingraham asked,
if immigrants move into the city, “is there going to be finally a border
enforced in our country? Except it’s going to be around Detroit?” Here’s
more:
if immigrants move into the city, “is there going to be finally a border
enforced in our country? Except it’s going to be around Detroit?” Here’s
more:
“The people of this country,
they’re smart enough to know that they don’t want to go anywhere near Detroit.
Right? But we need to get these people from other countries to live and work in
Detroit to save us because we can then wall off Detroit, apparently, so they
can’t then move to other parts of the country. Is that what Rick Snyder is
gonna do? Is there gonna be, you know, is there gonna be finally a border
enforced in our country? Except it’s going to be around Detroit. This is the
craziest thing I’ve ever heard of.”
they’re smart enough to know that they don’t want to go anywhere near Detroit.
Right? But we need to get these people from other countries to live and work in
Detroit to save us because we can then wall off Detroit, apparently, so they
can’t then move to other parts of the country. Is that what Rick Snyder is
gonna do? Is there gonna be, you know, is there gonna be finally a border
enforced in our country? Except it’s going to be around Detroit. This is the
craziest thing I’ve ever heard of.”
What Ingraham apparently doesn’t know about — and
apparently is not interested in — is the 2013 Global Detroit study on southeast
Michigan’s foreign-born immigrant population, which found that “[f]ar
from being a drag on the local economy, the region’s foreign-born residents
have been a source of economic prosperity and are statistically more affluent
and prosperous than native-born residents in the region.”
apparently is not interested in — is the 2013 Global Detroit study on southeast
Michigan’s foreign-born immigrant population, which found that “[f]ar
from being a drag on the local economy, the region’s foreign-born residents
have been a source of economic prosperity and are statistically more affluent
and prosperous than native-born residents in the region.”
The Global Detroit research, conducted in conjunction
with Digitally Driven Detroit, shattered several myths about the Detroit area immigrant
populace:
with Digitally Driven Detroit, shattered several myths about the Detroit area immigrant
populace:
* Some 40 percent of the first-generation immigrants have
a bachelor’s or graduate-level college degree, significantly above the educational
attainment of local residents who were born in the U.S.
a bachelor’s or graduate-level college degree, significantly above the educational
attainment of local residents who were born in the U.S.
* Two-thirds of foreign-born immigrants own their homes,
and 52 percent have become naturalized citizens.
and 52 percent have become naturalized citizens.
* The average income for this first-generation group is
$61,000 for males and $41,000 for females.
$61,000 for males and $41,000 for females.
* Foreign-born residents have a higher rate of employment
– 90 percent vs. 84 percent for American-born workers – and only 7 percent work
in the public sector.
– 90 percent vs. 84 percent for American-born workers – and only 7 percent work
in the public sector.
* Immigrants have a much higher percentage of workers in
four categories – management, business, science and the arts – than U.S.-born citizens.
four categories – management, business, science and the arts – than U.S.-born citizens.
* The foreign-born are much more likely to be married
than American-born residents, and half as likely to be divorced.
than American-born residents, and half as likely to be divorced.
