Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians are a Political and Economic Powerhouse in Colorado
NEW AMERICANS IN THE CENTENNIAL STATE:
August 5, 2009
Washington D.C. - The Immigration Policy Center has
compiled research which shows that immigrants, Latinos, and Asians not only wield political power in Colorado, but are also an integral part of the state's economy and tax base. As workers, taxpayers, consumers, and entrepreneurs, immigrants and their children are an economic powerhouse. As voters, they are a growing political force. As Colorado's economy begins to recover, immigrants and their children will continue to play a key role in the shaping and growing the economic and political landscape of the Centennial State.
Highlights of the research include:
- Immigrants make up about 10% of Colorado's total population, and a third of them are naturalized citizens who are eligible to vote.
- The purchasing power of Colorado's Latinos and Asians totaled $26 billion in 2008.
- Businesses owned by Latinos and Asians had sales and receipts of $7.6 billion and employed more than 53,000 people in 2002 (the last year for which data is available).
- Unauthorized immigrants in Colorado paid between $159 million and $194 million in state and local taxes in 2005 and Colorado employers paid between $12 million and $15 million in unemployment insurance taxes, which unauthorized immigrants are prohibited from collecting per state law.
- If all unauthorized immigrants were removed from Colorado, the state would lose $8 billion in expenditures, $3.6 billion in economic output, and about 40,000 jobs.
There is no denying the contributions immigrants, Latinos, and Asians make and the important role they play in Colorado's political and economic future. Colorado's budget deficit was not created by immigrants and it won't be filled by attacking them. For more data on the contributions of immigrants, Latinos, and Asians to Colorado's economy, view the
IPC fact sheet in its entirety.
Read more about immigrant contributions in other states:
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For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at 202-507-7524 orwsefsaf@ailf.org
