The News-Gazette: University Y’s new study shows immigrants have $1.4B impact here

Immigrants living in Champaign County contribute $1.4 billion to its economy and $57.2 million to the local tax base, according to a new, first-of-its kind study.

The Gateways for Growth Community Data Report — compiled by the University YMCA’s New American Welcome Center and data analysts from the New American Economy advocacy group — pulled together information from the Census Bureau, federal agencies and public economic data to measure the contributions of immigrants throughout the county.

The theme, its authors say, is “interdependence,” with immigrants making up 1 in 5 workers in the fields of education and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and 1 in 10 employees in manufacturing, hospitality, recreation and health care. The majority have been living here for at least seven years, a third are already U.S. citizens and another quarter are likely eligible for naturalization.

“Far from ‘aliens,’ immigrants are our neighbors, colleagues and friends, and as this report illustrates, what affects them will impact the entirety of our community — immigrant and U.S.-born,” the report said.

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