John Keller presenting at the 2016 MACE Annual Conference

1. Mid America Chamber of Commerce Executives
Immigration, Refugees and Workforce & Business Community’s Role
May 4-6, 2016
John Keller, Executive Director
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
St. Paul -- Worthington -- Moorhead
(651) 641-1011 or (800) 223-1368
www.ilcm.org

2. Agenda
• Immigration Background
• Lessons Learned from DACA
• Future Immigration Issues

3. 2015 Legal, Education & Policy
• 4,415 immigration cases benefitting 11,538.
• 800 Public defender-immigration consults.
• 104 nationalities residing in 85% of MN counties.
• 22 staff and 238 trained pro bono attorneys.
• 6 offices (full & part-time) across MN.
• 180 education, training, outreach and advocacy
events, reaching 7,200 individuals.
• Leader in MNBIC for last 9 years.

4. Why talk about immigration?
US Demographics: Between 2000 and 2050,
new immigrants and their children will
account for 83 % of the growth in the working-
age population. Without immigrants, U.S.
population cannot replace a generation of
retiring workers from 2010-2030.
Workforce Demand – immigration is key to
keeping MN (others’) workforces from
shrinking.
1920 1/5, Today: 1/14 MN’s = immigrants

5. Economics: MN Chamber report 2013
WORKERS -- Immigrants comprise 37.2% of lower-skilled
workers and 8.5% of college-educated workers in
Minnesota.
CONSUMERS--Immigrant households have an estimated
buying power of more than $5 billion on an annual basis.
TAXPAYERS--Immigrants pay an estimated $793 million
per year in state and local taxes.
ENTREPRENEURS--An estimated 44,500 Minnesota
businesses are immigrant-owned.
5

6. Immigration Statuses & Transitions
• Temporary legal immigration status,
– Visas (professionals, U-visa, student, tourist, employment)
– DACA
– Temporary Protected Status (Syria, Haiti, El Salvador, etc.)
• Refugee or Asylee (asylum seeker),
• Legal Permanent Resident,
• Naturalized U.S. citizen,
– 2nd
Generation – born to immigrant parents in the U.S.
• No current status: undocumented, overstayed a visa, or
awaiting legal status. MN 95,000; US 11.4M
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7. Today -Three Avenues to Immigrate
U.S immigration policy is mainly based on three
things:
1. Family (65%) immigrants applying based on
close family relationship (USC or LPR)
2. Freedom (16%)
Asylee (in U.S.)/Refugee (outside of U.S.)
1. Work (13%) immigrants invited by US
employers to fill positions where there is a
shortage
(USCIS Office of Immigration Statistics, 2011 Immigration Yearbook)

8. Since 2007 -Broad Business Support

9. MNBIC Members
• Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
• Minnesota Agri-Growth Council
• Midwest Food Processors Association
• Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Ass’n
• Minnesota Milk Producers Association
• Minnesota Lodging Association
• Minnesota Restaurant Association
+ Non-business partners
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10. Compromise bipartisan bill S.744
(2013)
1. Earned Legalization - citizenship,
2. DREAM Act,
3. Agricultural Workers,
4. Workplace enforcement (e-verify); fraud-proof
documents,
5. Future-flow essential and high-skilled workers,
6. Smarter/greater enforcement (border and
visas).

11. Executive Action - Background
• Not permanent – but important first
protection for millions
• Executive defines law enforcement priorities
• Cannot deport 11.5 million (e.g.,13 year avg.
residency; 4-5 million US citizen children);
• Legislation was not going to move
• Clear history of presidents use of executive
action in immigration.

12. 2 Executive Actions- Workforce
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, DACA / DREAMers
– 2012 (first announced in June 2012,
• renewed June 2014; expanded 11/20/2014 (litigation)
• 1.5 Million est.
Deferred Action for Parental Accountability, DAPA
• 11/20/2014 (litigation – Supreme Court)
– 4.4 Million estimated nationwide

13. DACA 2012

14. DAPA- Parents (on hold)*

15. DACA/DAPA – MIDWEST VIEW
State Total Est. DACA 2012
(2014 expansion)
Individuals
Approved
-12/31/15
Renewals
(every 2 yrs)
Estimate DAPA
WI 14,000 (18,000) 7,100 4,700 24,000
MN 16,000 (20,000) 5,700 3,900 27,000
NE 7,000 (9,000) 3,100 2,000 14,000
IA 6,000 (8,000) 2,600 1,900 13,000
SD n/a 200 150 n/a
ND 400* (n/a) 60 80 1,400*

16. Observations on DACA - Future
• Very positive effect on DACA recipients
– First or Better job,
– Opened bank accounts,
– Reduction in Truancy – Rochester
– Driver’s License
– Dramatic drop in fear of deportation – seeing U.S. and MN as
welcoming
– Dramatic increase in civic participation – much higher than native
born citizens
• MN DREAM Act
• Future
– Unlikely Congress will act,
– Positions of Candidates on Immigration and DACA/DAPA,
– Health Insurance MN and U.S.

17. DACA – Positive Change

18. What’s Next - Immigration
• U.S. Supreme Court will likely decide DAPA by end of
June 2016,
• If in President’s favor – thousands will be looking for legal
assistance. Employers will need workshops too.
• Presidential elections will again likely be determined
by positions on immigration and voting by Latino and
Asian citizens,
• Post election – two different visions for immigration
and immigration reform depending on who wins.
• Regardless of winner, states, cities, employers and
employees, families will continue to wrestle with
complex, interrelated challenges.

19. Map the Impact of Immigration
Across the Nation
• http://www.maptheimpact.org/

20. Resources
• Check out our resources and workshops at www.ilcm.org
• For more information from the government go to
www.uscis.gov
• DACA Page: http://
www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/consideration-deferred-action-childhoo
• DAPA update: https://www.uscis.gov/immigrationaction
• Partnership for New American Economy (Bloomberg’s)
http://www.renewoureconomy.org/
• Map The Impact – Immigration in Each State
http://www.maptheimpact.org/
• Midwest preparedness for Executive Action:
http://www.thechicagocouncil.org/sites/default/files/Immi
gration%20Paper_v4-final.pdf

21. Contact INFO
How to Get Involved & Referrals
 GET INVOLVED – Sign up for communications via our
clipboard or at www.ilcm.org
 Facebook www.facebook.com/immigrantlawcenterMN
 Twitter https://twitter.com/ilcm_mn
 ILCM Annual Gala – September 9th
– sponsor and attend!
 John Keller, john.keller@ilcm.org
work: (651) 641-1011, ext. 203
Cell: (651) 428-1402
www.ilcm.org