Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Development (LEO) is encouraging native Michiganders to “make Michigan the home for opportunity for our immigrant, refugee and ethnic communities” by “securing and preparing initial housing” and “enrolling children in school and helping adults find employment.”
The Office of Global Michigan, a part of the LEO which says it works on “fostering partnerships for immigrant inclusion in workforce development,” “encourages everyday Michiganders to take advantage of the new option to support a refugee family of their choosing.”
“The Office of Global Michigan’s goal is to make Michigan the home for opportunity for our immigrant, refugee and ethnic communities,” Poppy Hernandez, Michigan’s Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer and Director of the Office of Global Michigan, stated. “With expanded refugee resettlement pathways, everyday Michiganders can provide refuge and build a state where people are welcomed with open arms.”
“Programs like the Welcome Corps advance the Office of Global Michigan’s mission to make Michigan the home for opportunity for our immigrant, refugee and ethnic communities,” Hernandez added. “Expanded refugee resettlement pathways empower more Michiganders to support our state’s growing refugee population and build a more welcoming and inclusive Michigan for all.”
Private sponsorship groups can “sponsor refugees of Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan or Venezuelan nationality that had a Form I-134 or I-134A already filed on their behalf, prior to September 30th, 2023,” Global Michigan suggests.
The site also asserts, “Sponsors are expected to provide support to newly arrived refugees for 90 days …” before making its pitch for the advantages of additional migrants, as follows: “There is substantial evidence indicating that the foreign-born population significantly contributes to the Michigan economy, introducing valuable diversity to the political landscape and enriching our social fabric. Immigrant households in Michigan wield an impressive $18 billion in annual spending power, with approximately 15% of business owners in Southeast Michigan being immigrants.”
The team at Global Michigan also says it “actively supports the state’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts and collaborates with the state’s Equity and Inclusion Officers.”