Politics takes a backseat to welcoming immigrants to America | News, Sports, Vacancies

Submitted photo In 2023, North Dakota created a new Office of Legal Immigration to help state businesses overcome labor shortages and recruit and retain foreign workers. (Photo by Adobe Stock)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump held a rally on Sunday that his critics said intensified the tone of hatred felt by Puerto Ricans and the foreign-born population.

Those helping new Americans move into rural North Dakota hope politics don’t get in the way.

Trump’s positions on immigration often focus on undocumented people and the southern border. But while in power, he also introduced tighter restrictions on refugee admissions.

Derrick Gross is the executive director of Communities Acting Together for Change and Hope (CATCH ND), a new nonprofit that helps non-English speakers adjust to rural North Dakota after receiving permission to relocate.

Despite the national tone, Gross said he’s seeing more positive examples of hospitality at the local level.

“One of the families had several small children,” – said Gross. “They didn’t have a driver’s license yet, so they needed a stroller and a van so they could walk to the store and buy groceries and goods. Neighbors provided them with these items when they posted a request on Facebook.”

But if a resident in one of these communities is influenced by misinformation during the campaign, Gross encourages them to educate themselves about key programs while sharing their concerns.

As for the rally, the Trump campaign attempted to distance itself from the vulgar comments made by speakers who took the podium in front of the former president, saying they did not reflect Trump’s views.

A study was released this year showing that undocumented immigrants paid nearly $100 billion in federal, state and local taxes in 2022, even though they are often denied access to social service programs.

As for his group’s involvement in refugee work, Gross said it’s important to understand that they are trying to help rural communities struggling with population loss thrive.

“We are not trying to create sanctuary cities,” – said Gross. “We strive to create situations so that people who come here legally and legitimately, who want to be here, have the opportunity to settle in a welcoming place.”

Gross said these are people with a path to citizenship who can fill the jobs that rural businesses are trying to fill.

He said CATCH ND differs from traditional, larger resettlement efforts in that it focuses on small towns, where building local connections can facilitate a community-wide response to relief efforts.

The American Immigration Council reports that approximately 5% of North Dakota’s population was born in another country, more than double the number reported 25 years ago.