What States Are Doing to Assist Immigrants With Integration

The National Governors Association has released a new issue brief called "Rising to the Immigration Integration Challenge: What States are Doing and Can Do". The brief highlights activities by states to globally address the issues related to integration such as improving data about immigrant populations, better information about the benefits of integration and public awareness campaigns to engage the broader community. States can facilitate successful integration by:

• Making sure that immigrants who work in highly skilled occupations, such as doctors, nurses, teachers, and researchers, can quickly obtain necessary U.S. licenses and credentials;
• Making sure that those with limited formal education have access to a combination of English instruction, adult education, and job training to improve their job prospects;
• Making sure that children of immigrants have access to, and use, programs that will help them be healthy and succeed in school;
• Making sure that immigrants know they are eligible for citizenship, understand how to apply, and know English well enough to qualify; and
• Helping immigrants understand the U.S. financial system and how banking and credit can help them.