Tag: immigrants and the economy

In Minnesota and Elsewhere, Catholic Leaders Push For Legalization For Undocumented Immigrants

Virgin of Guadalupe, by Rick/Flickr

Virgin of Guadalupe (Photo: Rick/Flickr)

Catholic leaders around the country continue to take the lead on legalization for undocumented immigrants.

We recently reported on the Bishop of Little Rock, Arkansas, Anthony B. Taylor asking Arkansas Catholics to welcome immigrants rather than reject them. Now, Minnesota’s Catholic leaders have declared Jan. 4 “Immigration Sunday,” and will use the occasion to transmit the same message to the state’s faithful.

“We, the Roman Catholic Bishops of Minnesota, want to share our hope for: newcomers journeying in search of greater opportunities for themselves and their families; communities enriched by the many contributions of newcomers; and advocates working for justice and reform,” the six bishops in the Minnesota Catholic Conference said in a statement released on Dec. 12, the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron, and the second anniversary of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid on a meatpacking plant in Worthington, Minn.

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Housing Situation Getting Worse For Immigrants, Study Finds

By Diego Graglia, FI2W web editor

Washington Heights

Washington Heights, a traditionally immigrant neighborhood in Upper Manhattan.

Immigrants are finding it “harder than ever” to access safe and affordable housing in New York City, says a recent study published by a group of pro-immigrant organizations.

For the study, “Confronting the Housing Squeeze: Challenges Facing Immigrant Tenants, and What New York Can Do,” researchers surveyed 541 immigrant New Yorkers to talk about affordability, housing conditions, access to subsidized housing, and other indicators. The study was conducted by the Pratt Center for Community Development, with the New York Immigrant Housing Collaborative, which includes seven pro-immigrant groups. [You can download a pdf of the report clicking here.]

“Immigrant renters in New York City confront severe challenges finding safe, decent, and affordable housing,” the report said. “…(B)y almost every measure, immigrant tenants face housing problems to a degree much greater than native-born New Yorkers.” According to the report, 37 percent of the city’s population is foreign born.

“… (E)ven as they have brought new energy and investment to neighborhoods, many of these newcomers have ended up in overcrowded, illegal, expensive, or unhealthy living conditions.”

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Feet in Two Worlds on The Brian Lehrer Show and Marketplace

Pilar Marrero and Aswini Anburajan joined Brian Lehrer on Thursday (9/25/08) on WNYC, New York Public Radio to talk about the impact of mortgage foreclosures and the financial crisis on immigrants in the US. They also discussed how economic concerns may affect the election in battleground states like Nevada and Florida, which have large numbers of Latino voters.

Click here to listen to the segment.

In a piece that aired on Marketplace on Friday (9/26/08), Aswini Anburajan reports on the rising political influence of Indian Americans. During the presidential primaries, Indian American donors gave $5 million each to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and half a million dollars to John McCain. Now some of these Democratic voters are seeking to expand their national presence with a political action committee, the Indian American Leadership Initiative.

Listen to the full story on the Marketplace Web site.