This column originally appeared in Michigan Advance on April 26, 2021
Despite rhetoric that attempts to divide us, no matter where we were born, what our color, or how we worship, most of us work hard for our families. It also shouldn’t matter how we got here, as many people with the courage and tenacity to move to a new country, in many cases to make a better life, are making significant contributions to their communities here in Michigan.
Hundreds of thousands of Michiganders were not born in the United States but live, study, work and raise families here. Policies that explicitly include immigrants and remove additional barriers they face have the potential to impact communities all across the state. And this is not just because of our shared humanity, with the health and well-being of each of us impacting the health and well-being of all of us. In fact, state and county numbers show that there are 684,000 immigrants in Michigan and immigrants living in every single county.
The Michigan League for Public Policy recently released updated fact sheets on immigrants in Michigan and each county. These snapshots include population data, breakdowns by immigration status and changes in these numbers across the last decade for each of the state’s 83 counties. In addition, the fact sheets provide a breakdown of region of origin (based on the place of birth for Michigan residents born outside of the U.S.), which demonstrates the breadth and diversity of the immigrant communities that exist not only across the state but also within each county.
Children of Immigrants in Michigan
Fourteen percent of all children in Michigan are a part of immigrant families. “First-generation” children either have at least one parent who was born outside of the U.S. or were themselves born outside of the country and immigrated with their parents. In Michigan, 9 in 10 children of immigrants are U.S.citizens.
Among Michigan’s immigrant families with citizen children, it is very common for at least one parent to be a U.S. citizen as well (79% of families). For a majority of immigrant families in the state (60%), at least one foreign-born parent has lived in the U.S. for 15 years or more. The number of children in Michigan living below the poverty threshold has decreased over the last few years, for both children in U.S.-born families and children in immigrant families. Still, children in immigrant families have also remained more likely to live in poverty than those without foreign-born parents.
Healthcare Access
In 2019, 11.6% of Michigan immigrants were uninsured, compared with only 5.3% of Michiganders born in the U.S. The majority of immigrants who are uninsured are noncitizens (68%), as “green card” holders can face long waiting periods and high costs for government health programs, and undocumented immigrants who do not qualify for certain emergency services must pay for coverage in full.
Economic Contributions
Just like other residents, immigrants in Michigan, including undocumented people, earn income and pay taxes. “Spending power” is the amount of disposable income left over after federal, state and local taxes (SALT) are paid. In 2019, immigrants in Michigan had approximately $20.3 billion in spending power—and $2.5 billion of this total was attributed to undocumented immigrants.
Policy Recommendations
The data in the League’s updated statewide and county-specific immigration fact sheets should help inform and generate action on positive state policies to remove barriers and allow immigrants and their families to more easily thrive in Michigan. Some of these recommendations include:
- Providing equal language access to state services (Michigan Senate Bill 66);
- Restructuring eligibility for public programs and tax credits; and
- Waiving the five-year waiting period for children or pregnant women who are “green card” holders and meet income requirements for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
The League is also working with key partners to help restore the ability for all Michigan residents to obtain a driver’s license, regardless of immigration status, as was state law until 2008. This change would contribute to a functioning labor market and safer roads, provide better access to healthcare like drive-thru COVID testing and increase the amount of money earned and spent across the state.
State policies that are welcoming and inclusive of immigrants not only help all Michigan families thrive but also can help provide an economic boost as immigrant families earn and spend money in their communities. By joining together to support and implement immigrant-inclusive solutions we can make our state a place that supports and values all families, no exceptions.
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.
