Cleveland Plain Dealer: “U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan hears immigration panel at International Institute of Akron”

Those immigrants paid $126 million in taxes and had a spending power of $342 million in 2014, the latest year for which figures are available, says the research, conducted by the International Institute of Akron in partnership with the New American Economy.

With immigration threatened by President Donald Trump, the institute on Tuesday presented the research to Ryan, a Democrat from the Niles area, and stressed the importance of immigration to Northeast Ohio.

“The idea that immigrants and refuges aren’t contributing is put to rest by the actual research,” said Elaine Woloshyn, the institute’s executive director.

The International Institute provides services that help about 8,500 foreign-born people resettle in the Akron area and integrate into American society each year.

Locally, the benefits of welcoming foreign-born residents is obvious on Main Street in North Hill, which hosts a burgeoning Bhutanese population, Woloshyn said. Many Bhutanese have bought homes in a once declining neighborhood, schools in the North Hill cluster are full and new shops and grocery stores have opened.

Read the full story from Cleveland Plain Dealer: “U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan hears immigration panel at International Institute of Akron”