{"id":6826,"date":"2019-04-29T18:01:23","date_gmt":"2019-04-29T22:01:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latinamericasecurityreport.com\/?p=6826"},"modified":"2019-04-29T18:01:23","modified_gmt":"2019-04-29T22:01:23","slug":"the-benefits-that-places-like-dayton-ohio-reap-by-welcoming-immigrants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinamericasecurityreport.com\/?p=6826","title":{"rendered":"The Benefits That Places Like Dayton, Ohio, Reap by Welcoming Immigrants"},"content":{"rendered":"
One of the Ohio city\u2019s many immigrant-owned restaurants. AP Photo\/Al Behrman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Trump administration\u2019s emphasis on immigration<\/a> has often stoked partisan political battles<\/a>. Those debates, as loud as they are, sometimes obscure the fact that immigrants are about 14% of the U.S. population<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Immigrants are adjusting and adapting<\/a> to life throughout the country and most of them are legal residents<\/a> or naturalized citizens. As we have explored through our research, this includes newcomers settling in the South<\/a>, in rural areas<\/a> and all over the heartland<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The successful incorporation of immigrants into U.S. communities is important not only for newcomers themselves, but for everyone \u2013 in terms of avoiding the social and political conflict<\/a> that can accompany demographic changes.<\/p>\n

As scholars studying how immigrants<\/a> establish lives in these new destinations, our research<\/a> casts light on national and local policies that support this process<\/a>, and those that don\u2019t help<\/a> at all.<\/p>\n

A new destination<\/strong><\/p>\n

Consider what\u2019s happening in Dayton, Ohio, a city that, like many Midwestern towns, has struggled with population loss<\/a> in recent decades.<\/p>\n

Immigrants began settling there in the 1990s, with most coming from Latin America and Asia. Many of these newcomers, who now account for about 5% of the city\u2019s population<\/a>, are refugees<\/a> from places like Uzbekistan, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.<\/p>\n

The local government has embraced the immigrants and the demographic changes they bring through its Welcome Dayton<\/a> initiative that we have been following as it unfolds<\/a>. The municipal program, working with a staff of just three people, helps immigrants get jobs, learn to interact with community institutions, build trust with local police and get accustomed to life in a strange land. It even holds an annual soccer tournament<\/a> for immigrants.<\/p>\n

The initiative started with a small group of religious leaders, academics and government officials motivated by moral and humanitarian concerns to help immigrants successfully settle into Dayton.<\/p>\n

But there are also practical reasons for cities like Dayton to encourage immigrants to stay, be part of the community and put down roots.<\/p>\n