In a story this month from
The Economist
titled "A Warmer Welcome in a Colder State," the magazine
describes the receptive atmosphere for immigration in the Twin Cities, and beyond.
Despite a 130 percent increase in foreign-born people in the state
between 1990 and 2000--compared with the 57 percent national average for
the same period--"Minnesota has largely avoided the backlash seen in
states such as
Arizona," it reads.
The state is far removed from Latin America, and
unauthorized migration isn't a big concern here, the story says. However, the
state has been proactive in this area, with strong refugee resettlement
programs that go back to the 1980s.
The Twin Cities have also
established a number of related support initiatives for immigrants. For
starters, Minneapolis and St. Paul are "sanctuary cities," which
prevents police
from collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in their
regular
work.
Government money has also gone to help immigrant entrepreneurs.
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak acknowledges that while there have been
plenty of challenges, "it has an enormous upside in a global economy.".