In Colorado, one in 10 residents, or just under 533,000 people, were born in another country, making them a vital part of the state’s economy.
AsThe Denver Post reports, according to a recent report from the immigrant reform coalition New American Economy, a coalition of political and business leaders from across the U.S., those immigrants represented $10.8 billion in spending power, paid $3.3 billion in taxes, and owned more than 32,000 businesses employing more than 83,000 people in Colorado in 2015.
At current rates of immigration, the Pew Research Center estimates the number of working-age adults will increase by 10 million between 2015 and 2035.
And as baby boomers retire from the workforce, immigrants will become increasingly more important to the state and national economy.
For this and other reasons, the New American Economy supports creating a path for undocumented immigrants who obey the law, pay taxes and learn English to achieve legal status. The group also supports more secure borders and a reduction in illegal immigration.