Greater Minnesota's Newest Immigrants
Recent Immigration Trends in Minnesota Increase the Urgent Need for Safe, Decent, Affordable Housing
Throughout the state recent trends in immigration have presented new challenges to communities and organizations fighting to provide affordable housing to all those who consider Minnesota their home. Over the past two decades new immigrants have increasingly come to Minnesota pursuing the same dreams as former immigrants including political and religious freedom, expanded economic opportunities and a better quality of life. Today, in-spite of these ambitions and high levels of employment, one-fifth of Minnesota's foreign-born residents have an income below the poverty level, and many more have difficulty finding affordable housing.
Minnesota's newest immigrants, many of whom have fled
violent wars, ethnic cleansing and famine in their birth countries, find
it difficult to obtain an adequate place to call home in Minnesota. Most
of the 13,522 who reported coming to Minnesota in 2002 were young, working
age people. This number is roughly equal to the population of a town the
size of Austin, White Bear Lake or Winona. Over 12-percent of these individuals
came to the state as political refugees, representing the largest share
of refugee immigrants in the US.
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Minnesota Facts (2002)12% :: Percentage
of immigrants in Minnesota who came as political refugees. |
Enlarge Chart of Minnesota's
Foreign born Population (2000)
Heritage of Minnesota's Newest ImmigrantsThe greatest percentage of Minnesota's foreign born population have come from Southeast Asia. Hmong, Laotian and Vietnamese have settled in rural Minnesota, making significant contributions to the state's rural economy. As a state, Minnesota has the largest population of Somali immigrants in the nation. Although a majority of the Somali population currently lives in the Twin Cities, recent trends indicate a growing movement towards smaller rural communities. Latino, Mexican and Russian peoples have a long tradition of immigrating to Minnesota. Members of these communities continue to be attracted to Minnesota because of the strong family ties that have been forged here over generations, and the availability of seasonal jobs. A Variety of NeedsThe housing needs of each new immigrant population is distinct, and varies from one rural community to the next. The related links in this section provide information on the Typical Living Conditions, and Barriers to Homeownership faced by new immigrants, and offers Recommendations, Contacts and Resources to make affordable housing options more accessible for this significantly under-served population.
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