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  1. #1
    Senior Member
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    Thumbs up Immigrants Could Fill Void in rural Neb

    Immigrants could fill voids in rural Neb.

    Posted: Saturday, September 14, 2013 6:00 am
    Hub Opinion

    We know that immigrants are filling many of the manual labor jobs that Americans don’t want to fill. We also know that some highly skilled immigrants are filling positions that require advanced knowledge of math, science and engineering.
    Those are two good economic reasons for U.S. lawmakers to proceed with immigration reform. Here is another.

    New research by a Duke University professor shows that immigrants are raising the value of housing stocks in some U.S. communities. The findings by Professor Jacob Vigdor, based on extensive study of census data, certainly are of interest to urban Americans, where the Great Recession left scores of vacant homes as owners walked away from upside down mortgages. The vacancies eroded the value of whole neighborhoods, invited crime and caused urban decay.

    Vigdor’s study concludes that an influx of immigrants can resurrect such urban neighborhoods, but could the same effect not be expected in Nebraska, where rural population decline has become a serious concern?

    If we believe that immigrants could help reinvigorate rural Nebraska, the key is allowing them a path to citizenship so they can settle down. Until Congress resolves the legality issue, undocumented immigrants will continue to live in the shadows. They’ll hesitate to become permanent residents because their illegal status poses the threat of deportation.

    That’s why allowing a path to citizenship makes sense. Citizenship would aid immigrants, but it also would aid communities by filling vacant homes and giving businesses a more stable workforce.

    According to Vigdor, naturalized immigrants are more productive employees. With experience, they win promotions and contribute more to their companies’ success. As a result, they out-earn undocumented immigrants by 16 percent.

    Think of the implications in rural Nebraska, where reform could open the door for new residents to reverse the population decline and provide employers a stable workforce that reinvigorates main streets as these new residents put down roots. The new home owners would patronize grocery stores, appliance dealerships and purchase other goods and services.

    Evidence favoring immigration reform continues to grow, yet too many lawmakers in Washington — including most of Nebraska’s delegation — are dragging their feet. Why?

    http://www.kearneyhub.com/news/opini...a4bcf887a.html


    I bet the writer of this opinion piece is living in a nice Kearney neighborhood in his recently built house and has rose colored glasses on. He is so full of it I could scream! If he lived in my old neighborhood and saw and heard the changes that come with illegal immigration he would change his mind quickly.

    Last edited by Mayday; 09-15-2013 at 02:12 PM.

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