Upwardly Global’s newest report with the American Immigration Council, “Building Community and Fueling Growth: The Role of Immigrants in Reviving the Great Lakes Region,” has been featured on the Ohio Capital Journal. Their article, “Immigrants contribute billions to Ohio economy, bolster workforce,” focuses on the contributions of immigrants to Ohio, emphasizing key statistics from the report on population growth, tax contributions and spending power, and workforce impact on key sectors such as healthcare. manufacturing, and agriculture.
Immigrants have contributed billions of dollars to the Ohio economy over the years, according to a new national study.
The study conducted by immigrant workforce development group Upwardly Global and the American Immigration Council, showed in taxes alone immigrant households in Ohio paid $7 billion in 2022, with $2.4 billion of those in state and local tax contributions. The research said the spending power of those foreign-born households was $18.6 billion in that year.
“By bolstering fast-growing industries like advanced manufacturing and health care, they are helping create more opportunities for communities and families that have lived in the area for generations,” according to the study.
The study comes amid an election cycle where immigrants have been used as a flashpoint, with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and vice presidential candidate (and U.S. Senator from Ohio) J.D. Vance using false information about Haitian residents in Springfield as a springboard to stoke anti-immigrant sentiment.