Getting Opportunities in the Hands of New Americans Striving for the American Dream
Financial literacy and knowledge of basic legal rights could go a long way toward helping immigrants realize their full potential in the U.S for the benefit of all Americans. The National Immigration Forum's report, Getting Opportunities in the Hands of New Americans Striving for the American Dream, highlights the social and economic obstacles immigrants face when coming to the U.S.
The study also addresses ways in which government bodies and nonprofit organizations can provide practical knowledge, support and training to immigrants to enhance the integration process. Immigrants and their U.S.-born children account for 26 percent of the population and 40 percent of Fortune 500 company founders. While immigrants have higher rates of entrepreneurship, their companies have lower survival rates due to immigrants’ lack of familiarity with local markets and other disadvantages. The report describes how non-profits and state agencies are providing immigrant communities with financial literacy, entrepreneurship training, fraud protection and other services. The authors argue that the success of immigrants is crucial to the nation's success and recommend various ways to improve socioeconomic opportunities for immigrants. Some recommendations include the establishment of a White House Office for new Americans and expanding the services provided by the USCIS Office of Citizenship. (Sarah Purdy for The ILC Public Education Institute)
National Immigration Forum. (2016). Getting Opportunities in the Hands of New Americans Striving for the American Dream. National Immigration Forum. Washington: DC. Available at: https://immigrationforum.org/blog/new-paper-discusses-opportunities-in-the-hands-of-new-americans/