Immigrants Power Oregon’s Economy while Facing Obstacles

New research from the Immigration Research Initiative (IRI) shows that “immigrants are a vital part of the social, economic, and cultural life of all American communities.”

In Oregon, immigrants comprise approximately 10% of the population but account for 13% of the state’s economic output. Based on conservative estimates, immigrants produce $33 billion of Oregon’s annual economic output—and this continues to grow each year.

As this research shows, immigrants are the backbone of Oregon’s heavily agriculture-based economy, including harvesting, food production, food processing, and wineries. Yet, immigrants are isolated and often forgotten for their contributions. Fear of deportation inhibits immigrants from stable employment, fully participating in community life, and accessing the services, protections, and amenities to which they contribute and are entitled. These challenges are especially severe in rural areas.

“Immigrants are an important and growing part of Oregon’s economy,” said ICS Executive Director, Frank Garcia. “However, anti-immigrant policies directly oppose efforts to achieve a stable, productive workforce. Oregon must consider flexible immigration pathways that ensure immigrants have stability through permanent residency and/or citizenship.”

But you don’t need to wait for policymakers to improve immigration; take action today by supporting ICS’s statewide legal services that provide immigrants with work authorization and support their journeys toward citizenship. Learn more about IRI’s research here.