Grand Junction Daily Sentinel: Study highlights contributions made by Colo. Immigrants

Colorado has more than half a million foreign-born residents who contribute billions of dollars to the economy, according to a new study to be released today on the impact immigrants have on the state.

The New American Economy, a national bipartisan group of elected officials and business leaders, is trying to show just what impacts immigrants — here legally or not — have on the nation.

The study is intended to be used as part of a national debate about immigration reform that has become increasingly controversial under President Donald Trump.

“Our immigration system is broken and we need national policies that protect national security, stimulate the domestic economy and enhance our nation’s image around the world,” Christian Reece, executive director of Club 20, said of the study. “Fixing our immigration problem with researched and thought-out solutions will reduce our federal deficit and increase our gross domestic product.”

In Colorado, the study is designed to demonstrate that foreign-born residents, who make up about 10 percent of the state’s population, are huge contributors to the economy specifically and society as a whole.

Using U.S. Census figures, the study said that as of 2014 there were 532,903 immigrants in the state, about 189,130 of which are in the nation illegally.

Read the full story from the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel: “Study highlights contributions made by Colo. Immigrants“