TRAVERSE CITY -- A new anti-immigration legislation introduced into the Michigan House of Representatives last week could seriously impact the state of Michigan.
House Bill 4305 would require Michigan State Police to enforce federal immigration laws and request immigration documents from anyone they suspect are living in the U.S. illegally.
A recent report titled ‘Good for Business: Rolling out the Welcome Mat in Michigan,” released by the Michigan League for Human Services, highlights the benefits of welcoming immigrants to the state and the consequences of anti-immigration legislation.
-Immigrants are responsible for 33 percent of all high-tech startups, making Michigan third among all states in producing new high-tech business opportunities.
-Michigan stands to lose over $3.8 billion in economic activity, $1.7 billion in gross state product, and approximately 20,000 jobs with the removal of all unauthorized workers form the labor force.
-Unauthorized immigrants are subject to sales and property taxes and many pay into the Social Security system, but may not be able to collect the benefits.
Local leaders are meeting Monday afternoon in Traverse City to talk about the serious impact this bill would have on the economy in northern Michigan. We’ll have more reaction coming up at 7&4 News at 5:00pm and 6:00pm.
