Immigration came up a few times in last night's debate between Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minnesota), including Walz’s quoting of a Bible verse, reports Anthony Robledo of USA Today.
"I don't talk about my faith a lot, but Matthew 25:40 talks about, 'To the least amongst us, you do unto me,’" Walz said.
Elsewhere, a new series of reports from our friends at the American Immigration Council shows that immigrants in South Texas are helping expand the local economy, reports Sandra Sanchez of Border Report.
The reports pull data from the U.S. Census Bureau over the course of several years to study the economies of McAllen, Laredo, Brownsville and the mid-Valley of the Rio Grande Valley. "[I]mmigrants are having a great impact on the economy and are really contributing well to the region," said Juan Avilez, state policy associate at the American Immigration Council.
In Iowa, business executives are concerned about workforce shortages and are looking to immigration to help, reports Kevin Baskins of the Des Moines Register. Immigration has an "important positive aspect ... on our on our workforce, our communities and our business climate," said Iowa Business Council President Joe Murphy.
And in his column for The Wall Street Journal, William A. Galston analyzes how economic concerns and the increase in migrant arrivals have shifted the immigration debate to the right in many Western democracies. But voters across party lines generally agree on immigration reforms, he writes: "Despite the bitterness of this debate, there is a way forward." (We, and our data, couldn’t agree more.)
Welcome to Wednesday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Soledad Gassó Parker, Camilla Luong, Ally Villarreal and Clara Villatoro. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected].
FILLED — In Massachusetts, Haitian migrants have been a godsend for a local nonprofit that assists people with developmental or intellectual disabilities, reports Katie Johnston of The Boston Globe. Over the past 10 months, Thrive Support hired 41 newcomers from the Haitian migrant community. For the first time in decades, all of Thrive’s full-time direct-care positions are filled.
MEXICO — Claudia Sheinbaum, sworn in yesterday as Mexico’s president, inherits migration challenges, reports Anabel Munoz of ABC 7 in Los Angeles. "We have all the phases of migration," said Eunice Rendón of Agenda Migrante, a nonprofit community advocacy and outreach organization. " ... We are a receptor. We are a country for transit and also for displacement."
MENTAL HEALTH — The surge in migrant deaths along the U.S.-Mexico border has a hidden impact when it comes to the mental health of border patrol agents, reports Lauren Villagran of USA Today. Agents continue to witness migrants’ deaths or find bodies. In 2022, 15 border patrol agents died by suicide. The challenges have led U.S. Customs and Border Protection to expand support for agents.
SUPPORT — In a community still unsettled by the political spotlight and threats of violence toward the immigrant community, Springfield, Ohio faith leaders continue to show support, reports Kathryn Mobley of WYSO. Additionally, the state is allocating $1.35 million to Springfield schools as they welcome immigrant students, reports Jeremy P. Kelley of Springfield News-Sun. "We want all students across Ohio to have the resources they need to reach their full, God-given potential," said Gov. Mike DeWine (R).
