Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Immigrants help stabilize population in Upper Midwest

Immigrants are needed in this country, here is one community that is saying it. DP

Associated Press

GrandForksHerald.com: FARGO, N.D. - Foreign-born immigrants arrived in North Dakota and Minnesota at a faster pace than the national average in the past decade, helping to stabilize the population in the Upper Midwest, the U.S. Census Bureau says.

"From our standpoint, you can't have enough immigrants," said Susan Geib, executive director of the North Dakota Trade Office.

"We need their expertise and we need the population," she said.

Immigrants are coming to North Dakota and Minnesota for new jobs and schooling. In the case of refugees, immigrants are establishing new lives.

"These international folks represent an important human capital base for our area," said Richard Rathge, North Dakota's demographer.

Most immigrants in North Dakota come from Bosnia, Sudan, Germany, India, Canada and Vietnam.

North Dakota and Minnesota rely on immigrants for population - key in determining tax aid formulas for local governments and schools. Immigrants also supplement the pool of workers for employers struggling to find willing, able or qualified people.

Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.

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