Economic Impact of Refugees in Southeast Michigan

Research consistently shows that refugees in the U.S. are motivated, successful, and become fully integrated in their communities over time. Economic Impact of Refugees in Southeast Michigan suggests that the more than 21,000 refugees resettled into Southeast Michigan in the last decade contributed over $225 million to the regional economy in 2016. In 2015, the most recent year data is available, refugee resettlement accounted for 39% of Michigan’s population growth. While Michigan received a large number of refugees in 2015, their importance to population growth has been significant throughout the decade. Population growth helps rebound, stabilize, and grow local economies, and has been particularly important in peer Rust Belt metros.  Across the United States, dozens of city, state, and regional efforts have taken off to welcome, integrate, and embrace the economic potential of refugees. It is the authors' hope that quantifying the economic impact of refugees in Southeast Michigan will inform the conversation about refugee resettlement and integration policies in the region.

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