Economic Competitiveness of the Midwest Relies on Immigration Reform

Cities like St. Louis, where the 44,000 native-born Americans that left in the last decade have been replaced by 31,000 immigrants, offer a case study for why comprehensive immigration reform has a good chance of passing in divided Washington.

1 minute read

April 9, 2013, 5:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Anna Fifield describes the economic and demographic trends driving Midwesterners from across the aisles to push for comprehensive immigration reform. Declining populations, shrinking tax bases, and jobs in need of skilled workers are among the elements changing the political prognosis for reform.  

"Although there are still many hurdles to be overcome – not least the question of whether the undocumented immigrants should be given a pathway to earning citizenship – analysts say the prospects are the best in years, driven by rapidly changing demographics that have seen Hispanics become the largest voting bloc," she explains.

"While much of the attention has been on states that border Mexico and have large illegal populations, the broken immigration system is hurting states as far north as the Canadian border because of their declining populace."

“'Midwest leaders want to ensure sustainable growth, jobs, population stability, and quality of life,' the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, a think-tank, wrote in its report, entitled US Economic Competitiveness at Risk: A Midwest Call to Action on Immigration Reform. 'Immigrants are an essential ingredient for this future. America’s heartland can wait no longer,' it said."

Friday, April 5, 2013 in The Financial Times

Sweeping view of Portland, Oregon with Mt. Hood in background against sunset sky.

Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary

Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.

March 12, 2024 - Housing Wire

Aerial view of green roofs with plants in Sydney, Australia.

Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024

A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.

March 10, 2024 - Daily Journal of Commerce

Cobblestone street with streetcar line, row of vintage streetlights on left, and colorful restaurant and shop awnings on right on River Street in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts

From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.

March 12, 2024 - Strong Towns

Hospital Signs

Healthcare Providers Get in the Housing Business

Some hospitals and healthcare providers are partnering with affordable housing developers to connect housing to health services and create more affordable housing for hospital workers.

17 seconds ago - The New York Times

View of empty zebra crosswalk at intersection in Orlando, Florida with glass towers in background.

Orlando Pledges to Improve Walkability

A city report highlights successes and failures in building safer transportation infrastructure and reducing VMT in 2023.

1 hour ago - Yahoo News

Group of cheery riders inside a CDTA public transit bus.

New York Transit Agency Launches Performance Dashboard

The tool increases transparency about the agency’s performance on a variety of metrics.

2 hours ago - Mass Transit

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.