Upwardly Global and the American Immigration Council’s newest report featuring the economic contributions of immigrants in Ohio and the broader Great Lakes region was recently featured on Spectrum News 1. The article, “Study: Immigrants have contributed billions to Ohio’s economy,” highlighted several significant findings from the report, particularly noting the study’s insights about immigrant’s contributions to state and local taxes, as well as their contributions in multiple sectors, particularly healthcare, education and childcare, and rural development.
The article also emphasized the report’s findings about barriers that prevent immigrants from fully participating in the regional economies, including challenges with credential recognition and language barriers.
The immigrant households in Ohio in 2022 paid $7 billion in taxes — $2.4 billion in state and local tax contributions, the study stated. The spending power of those foreign-born households amounted to $18.6 billion, which allows them to help stimulate local economies.
For the Great Lakes, immigrant households generated more than $236 billion in income and also paid $23.9 billion in state and local taxes in 2022. The study also stated immigrants paid $41.8 billion in federal taxes. Researchers said these funds were crucial for supporting schools, hospitals, police forces and assisting essential social programs like Medicare.
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While the study concludes that immigrants have been vital assets to Ohio and the Great Lakes’ economies, they face challenges. The obstacles include language barriers and international degrees not being recognized by the U.S., which prevents them from being fully involved in their region’s economic and social life.
Overall, researchers state immigrants are helping revitalize neighborhoods, rebuild local economic downfalls and bring backgrounds that can help spark innovation and growth.
“These states, as well as Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, are investing in immigrants because they are thinking about the future as much as the present. To continue growing and innovating, the Great Lakes region needs the energy and talents of these newcomers,” the researchers state in the study.