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Dear John,
Across the country, you’ll find countless stories of communities that have been revitalized by refugees. Everywhere from Minneapolis to Louisville, refugees have become integral parts of cities’ economic and cultural landscapes by buying vacant homes, starting businesses, and seeking employment in struggling industries.
In a new report from the American Immigration Council, “Starting Anew: The Economic Impact of Refugees in America,” we analyze how a pool of over 2 million recent refugees are contributing to the U.S. economy.
Some key findings of the report include:
- In 2019, the 2.4 million refugees in our analysis earned $93.6 billion in household income and contributed $25 billion in taxes. That left them with $68.6 billion in disposable income to use at U.S. businesses.
- The U.S. was home to nearly 188,000 refugee entrepreneurs in 2019, meaning that 13% of refugees were entrepreneurs. Refugee entrepreneurs also generated $5.1 billion in business income that year.
- Refugees have high rates of becoming U.S. citizens. For those that have been in the country for 20 years or more, 89.9% have become citizens.
- Over 78% percent of refugees are working age. They can help lessen the strain on workplace and entitlement programs as the U.S. population ages.
These statistics highlight the real—if underappreciated—way that refugees impact not only our society, but also the bottom lines of our main streets and local employers.
Analysis like this is only possible with your support. Please consider making a gift today.
Sincerely,
Nan Wu
Research Director
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