Protecting immigrants is a moral imperative and economic necessity for Michigan

Protecting immigrants is a moral imperative and economic necessity for Michigan
Scott Preston


(Michigan Advance) Michigan’s human capital, its people, are the heart of its economy. They underwrite almost every aspect of life, from the ability to plan for retirement to visiting family over publicly funded roads. But since 1960, the people who fuel the state’s economic engine have been leaving in droves.

In terms of population growth in the U.S., Michigan has consistently come in 49th over a 30-year period. Making matters worse, the state faces a severe demographic crisis with birth rates projected to decrease through at least 2050 — a crisis now compounded by threats to the immigrant communities helping to fill the gap.

Immigrants, documented or undocumented, are essential to Michigan’s future, already representing roughly 60% of the state’s population growth over the last decade.

But the current administration’s campaign of mass deportation represents a direct threat to Michigan’s immigrants, who are our neighbors, co-workers and business owners. The campaign not only threatens these people in our communities but is also a direct threat to Michigan’s fiscal sustainability, potentially removing a significant portion of the workforce and taxpayer base that the state’s economy depends on for continued growth and demographic stability. .................(more)

https://michiganadvance.com/2025/07/29/protecting-immigrants-is-a-moral-imperative-and-economic-necessity-for-michigan/