For Immediate Release
June 23, 2022
Contact:
Alex Rossman
arossman@mlpp.org
517-775-9053
On Immigrant Heritage Month, new county data shows immigrant issues are Michigan issues
Immigrants are an important part of every community and policymakers should act on key priorities to support them
LANSING—Nearly 700,000 immigrants call Michigan home, and in honor of Immigrant Heritage Month, the Michigan League for Public Policy is urging policymakers to rely on data to make the state more welcoming for all. The League released today a new set of fact sheets on immigrants in Michigan’s 83 counties, as well as a statewide overview of Michigan’s immigrant population.
The statewide and county-specific data ranges from basic demographic information to trends over the last decade to information about business ownership and spending power.
“We’re all aware of the highly politicized rhetoric about immigrants, and these fact sheets are a way to cut through the noise and provide the facts about Michigan’s immigrant population. Part of the goal here is education, too. For example, it’s important for people to know that the term ‘noncitizen’ refers to a lot of different groups, including refugees, undocumented residents, green card holders, and other visa holders,” said Monique Stanton, president and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy. “We’re dedicated to using data to present the real picture of immigrants in Michigan. This is a population with the courage and tenacity to move here and make Michigan their new home, and they contribute so much to our state. It’s up to our leaders to better support this valuable part of our population.”
The fact sheets also make recommendations on immigrant-related policies for the state, including language access at key state agencies, restoring the ability for all residents to obtain a driver’s license and extending healthcare coverage to over 3,000 lawfully residing immigrant children. This last recommendation can be done in the 2023 budget process by appropriating matching state funds under the federal Immigrant Children’s Health Improvement Act.
“Using data like this is absolutely critical when we’re making policy decisions in Michigan, whether on the local county level or statewide. When this data is paired with what we’re hearing directly from immigrants and their families, we can really get a full sense of what communities need and what kinds of barriers are in place,” said Eva Alvarez, Public Policy Coordinator at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “We know based on these numbers and based on our relationships, for instance, that it’s absolutely key for immigrants to be able to drive to and from work, to the store, to see their families. It’s data like this that helped motivate the Drive SAFE Bills—we know that residents in both rural and urban counties are being deeply harmed by not being able to legally drive, and we were able to show lawmakers, through both numbers and testimony, just how important this issue is.”
Statewide data highlights:
-
The number of naturalized citizens has risen by 29% since 2010, while the number of noncitizens has risen by 4%.
-
The majority (51.5%) of Michigan’s immigrants were born in Asia. 18.9% were born in Europe, and 18.6% were born in Latin America.
-
11% of business owners in Michigan are immigrants, including 18% of Main Street business owners.
-
Combined, Michigan’s immigrants have a total household income of $28.1 billion and have a total spending power (after taxes paid) of $20.3 billion.
-
One in 10 Michiganders over age 5 speaks a language other than English
-
10.6% of Michigan immigrants were uninsured, compared with 5% of Michiganders born in the United States.
The counties with the highest population of immigrants, in order, are: Oakland County, Wayne County, Macomb County, Kent County, Washtenaw County, Ingham County, Ottawa County, Kalamazoo County, and Genesee County. Several Northern Michigan and Upper Peninsula counties are in or near the top third of counties with the most immigrant residents, including Grand Traverse, Houghton, Marquette and Chippewa counties.
###
The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on opportunity for all. Its mission is to advance economic security, racial equity, health and well-being for all people in Michigan through policy change. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
