Happy Immigrant Heritage Month to all U.S. Immigrants!

This national month aspires to give US immigrants the ability to celebrate their background, culture, and heritage. It also brings attention to how immigrants are intertwined in the fabric of this nation with immigrants making up 14% of the United States population in 2021.

But, this is not an ordinary Immigrant Heritage Month as the COVID-19 pandemic has been irrefutably hard-hitting for immigrants. As said by President Biden in his Proclamation on National Immigrant Heritage Month, 2021, “We recognize all of the workers, many of whom are immigrants, who have contributed to the food security, health, and safety of all Americans during this challenging year — and every year. And we honor the sacrifices made by immigrants who serve on the front lines of the pandemic as health care providers, first responders, teachers, grocers, farm workers, and other essential workers. It was these same immigrant families and communities of color who were disproportionately struck by the virus.”

To all immigrant readers, you have added value and culture to American society. This month we celebrate you and all you’ve done to make this country what it is. As stated by the President of the United States, “America is, always has been, and always will be a nation of immigrants.”

We’ve compiled some additional resources that highlight and celebrate immigrant stories: I Am An Immigrant/I Stand With Immigrants, Human Rights Campaign, Immigrant Stories, The Immigrant Story, Destination America.

Immigrant Contributions Are Not Limited to Our Economy

June is Immigrant Heritage Month in the United States. Immigrant Heritage Month is an occasion to acknowledge the achievements and extraordinary contributions to our economy, culture, and common identity by immigrants from all around the world.

This initiative is put forward by the I Am An Immigrant foundation to celebrate our shared heritage as an immigrant nation. The formal celebration started in 2014 and seeks to give immigrants and refugees in our country the opportunity to celebrate and explore their background as well as to create awareness on how immigration and diversity are both essential elements of our social fabric.

About 14% of the US population is currently of immigrant origin. Immigrants contribute in significant and vital ways to our society. This 14% segment added $2 trillion in 2016 to the United States GDP and $458.7 billion in 2018 to state, local, and federal taxes.

According to a recent report by New American Economy, 45% of companies founded by immigrants or their offspring generated $16.1 trillion in revenue in 2018.

The New American Economy 2020 Report reveals that around 44% of companies on the Forbes 500 list were opened by immigrants or the offspring of immigrants. Such companies as eBay (founded by Iranian/French entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar), Yahoo (founded by Jerry Yang from Taiwan), Google (founded by Sergei Bryn from Russia), and many more have made fundamental innovations to our way of life that couldn’t have been feasible without the immigrants that built them.

Valuable immigrant contributions are not limited to our economy. The cultural landscape of the United States has been shaped by immigrants for decades and they are beginning to be recognized. The last three consecutive winners of the Academy Award for Best Director have been Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro, and Alejandro González Iñárritu, three immigrants from Mexico. Kehinde Wiley, the son of a Nigerian immigrant, became the first African-American to create a presidential portrait. Many more celebrities are sharing their experiences of being an immigrant and of success as part of Immigrant Heritage Month, including Uzo Aduba, star of Orange Is the New Black and daughter of Nigerian refugees.

Companies have stepped up in recent years to show solidarity with refugees and immigrants. Airbnb launched a refugee housing program to which people can donate money or offer free housing to refugees or newcomers who move to the United States. Chobani founder and CEO, Hamdi Ulukaya, an immigrant from Turkey, stated a program to hire refugees that were settling near the Chobani facilities in Utica, New York.

Our Dedication to Immigration Justice in Every Venue

If you have any legal concerns regarding your immigration status, please contact Passage Immigration Law right away. Our work is not restricted to the administrative process of immigration. While we eagerly assist families and individuals understand the process of getting citizenship, residency, or a green card, we consider complex cases to be the strongpoint of our practice. Our attorneys have argued immigration appeals in federal appellate courts and have had a statute declared unconstitutional.

We are dedicated to comprehensive immigration reform and remain invested in the latest immigration rulemaking and legislation, including deferred action. This permits us to advise our clients across the globe of the full range of options available to them:

• Asylum
• Employment-based immigration
• Waivers
• Adjustment of status
• Available types of visas
• Removal defense
• Special programs and treaties
• Immigration consequences to criminal convictions

How Can Our Immigration Lawyers Help You?

We are a service-oriented law firm geared towards presenting our clientele with successful solutions to all their legal requirements. With our responsive and outstanding customer service, we always exceed our customers’ expectations by providing them with the finest legal services available. Our philosophy is to protect and advance the rights of clients to ensure that they obtain the best possible legal representation.

With offices in Portland, Oregon, Los Angeles, California, and Seattle, Washington, our immigration attorneys are dedicated to providing specialized legal services to the immigrant community. Contact us today at (503) 427-8243 , or you may schedule a consultation online by clicking here.