| Katherine Fennelly released new study on “Immigration in Minnesota”
Minnesota is a low immigration state, but exaggerated perceptions of the size
of the immigrant population have kept it in the news, as has a political divide
on the topic among state politicians and residents, according to a new state
study written by Professor Katherine
Fennelly for a Century Foundation report.
In, “Immigration's
New Frontiers: Experiences from the Emerging Gateway States,” Minnesota
is featured as one of five state case studies that look at how, in the absence
of federal immigration policy, “new destination” states have tried
to address a range of challenges posed by both documented and undocumented immigrants,
many of whom have limited English and low incomes The studies particularly focus
on such policies as law enforcement, health care, housing, education, and workers
rights.
The report shows that Minnesota's immigrant population differs markedly from
many of the other states in that a large number of its new citizens are refugees,
particularly from Asia and Africa. In 2005 only 4 percent of Minnesotans were
Latinos, and this included citizens and legal residents, as well as some undocumented
individuals. However, Fennelly notes that the recent national furor over the
size of the population of undocumented immigrants has reached Minnesota. She
says that the political debate is having a significant effect on policymaking
in the state. She provides details on initiatives related to public schools,
higher education, health care, social service, racial profiling, labor force,
security, and housing policies.
The findings in the report included:
- Although Minnesota has many innovative programs for immigrant youth, budget
cutbacks, rapid diversification and concentrations of low-income youth in
inner city schools have led to poor outcomes for many foreign-born students.
Minnesota ranked seventh out of the fifty states in high school graduation
rates for white students in 2000, while recording one of the lowest graduation
raters in the country for Latinos (53 percent).
- Minnesota has had a very good record in providing high quality Adult Basic
Education (ABE) programs for immigrants. However, recent state funding cuts
in ABE programs have had a negative impact on services for immigrants seeking
to learn English.
- Despite a history of progressive health and human service programs, Minnesota
legislators have followed the U.S. Congress's lead by barring individuals
who are not documented from receiving any public assistance, including food
stamps and all but emergency health care.
- Concern over national security have been given as the reason for a number
of restrictive immigration measures in Minnesota, including color-coding immigrants'
drivers' licenses and denying licenses to undocumented residents.
- There is a severe shortage of affordable housing in Minnesota. Many immigrants
need to work eighty hours a week in order to pay the high rents. Limits to
the number of occupants in a unit also cause problems because it makes it
difficult for low-income workers to share the rent.
The study concludes that although Minnesota has done a good job of responding
to the changing demographics in the state, funding and support for programs
to benefit immigrants is dissipating. The changing public attitudes toward immigrants
reflect both national trends, and a shift by many voters away from the state's
traditionally progressive agenda.
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