Salt Lake City is the latest major U.S. city to announce an initiative focused on welcoming and encouraging foreign-born entrepreneurs.
The Deseret News recently reported that Salt Lake Chamber President Lane Beattie announced the formation of the New Americans Task Force, which “aims to develop government and local business policy recommendations to make Salt Lake even more attractive, welcoming and globally competitive for international talent and business.”
“Salt Lake City is yet another large American city to understand what so many Republican politicians are ignoring — that immigrant entrepreneurs are vibrant job creators and essential players in the continued revitalization of the American economy.” — Foulis Peacock
“Welcoming people here is not only the compassionate thing to do for our community, but it also brings resiliency and vibrancy to our economy,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. “We all know that our country, and especially our state, is growing rapidly. It turns out that much of that growth is due to a jump in the percentage of residents who were foreign-born. They are adding to our strong economy.”
McAdams added: “Foreign-born residents throughout Utah and the U.S. are also a key demographic behind innovation that is taking place here in the United States. More than one-third of U.S. innovators were born outside of the United States, even though that group makes up just 13 percent of all U.S. residents.”
More than 60 business, government and community leaders gathered on March 31 at the Salt Lake Chamber for the first of several meetings to brainstorm ways to improve international business opportunities in Utah. McAdams said the task force hopes to create specific policy recommendations for local and state government officials by mid-summer.
“Salt Lake City is yet another large American city to understand what so many Republican politicians are ignoring — that immigrant entrepreneurs are vibrant job creators and essential players in the continued revitalization of the American economy,” said Foulis Peacock, founder of Immigrant Business.
Between 2009 and 2014, Salt Lake County’s foreign-born population grew by nearly 20 percent, while overall population grew by 5.5 percent.
In 2014, immigrants contributed $8 billion to the county’s local economy.
Interesting, but How can the GOP have such a disparity with these cities when it comes to the value of immigrants in a community?
Guess when it comes to building businesses and paying taxes, immigrants aren’t so bad after all, right? never hear Trump talk about this side of immigration