Immigrants by the numbers

Part 2 in a series

By DEBORAH E. LANS

GHENT–In 1958, in “A Nation of Immigrants,” John F. Kennedy wrote: “Since 1607, when the first English settlers reached the New World, over 42 million people have migrated to the United States.” That number has substantially increased now, and, as many point out, the only groups in the nation who were not at one time immigrants are Native Americans.

Estimates from the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) are that the country is currently home to 46 million people not born here – in other words, who are first generation on American soil – of which some 11 million are unauthorized, meaning in general that they have entered the country without inspection (i.e. legal permission) or overstayed a visa. Of the 46 million, some 49% have become naturalized citizens, and another 28% have some form of temporary or permanent legal status. The unauthorized immigrants live in 6.3 million households and about 70% of those households are considered of “mixed status,” meaning that at least one household member is a citizen – often a U.S.-born child. Put differently, 4.4 million minors in the country live with at least one parent who is unauthorized.

Contrary to some political messaging, recent migrants are generally better educated than the American-born population. Between 2020 and 2022, at least 48% of immigrants held bachelor’s degrees. More than half are employed in service occupations (food, retail, healthcare) and, sadly, MPI estimates that at least 20% of the foreign-born population is underemployed here, constituting a needless “brain waste.”

New York is believed to have about 4.46 million foreign-born residents, more than half of whom have been naturalized as citizens, and, according to MPI, some 835,000 unauthorized residents (the fourth largest number in the country). More than 75% of those who are unauthorized have lived in the U.S. more than 5 years, and more than half have lived here more than 10 years. Those figures tell us that most of our undocumented population are well-settled in the country. More than half are employed in service occupations.

Again, contrary to political rhetoric, the foreign-born contribute $362.9 billion in federal taxes annually and $96.3 billion in state and local taxes, according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). Immigrants start more new businesses than the American-born and through their labor support many aspects of the economy. Before the advent of Trump Administration policies, the Congressional Budget Office projected that between 2024 and 2034, the foreign-born would increase the country’s gross domestic product by $8.9 trillion.

‘Whether you grew up here or just moved here, everyone should have the opportunity to build a good life in Columbia County.’
– County Board of Supervisors’ resolution

While slightly more of New York’s foreign-born population than of its U.S.-born residents lives below 200% of the poverty level, virtually all of those who were born elsewhere lived in poverty in their nation of origin. MPI has estimated that undocumented entrepreneurs in New York State enjoy $1.3 billion annually in business income. The New York Department of State says that 29.4% of all business owners here are immigrants. Given that New York State, and Columbia County, are losing population, the in-migration of the foreign-born constitutes a much-needed boost that supports our economy.

Data for Columbia County is hard to come by but in 2022 ACS reported that 7% of the county’s population (or about 4,100 people) – authorized and unauthorized – were born outside the U.S. In the City of Hudson, the percentage was 12% in 2022. The percentage in our towns ranged from a high of 13% in Hillsdale to a low of 2% in Canaan and Stuyvesant. The Villages of Chatham and Valatie each had 4%, Philmont had 5% and Kinderhook 7%.

In 2022 the Healthcare Consortium surveyed 14 governmental and non-profit entities serving the immigrant communities in the county. The survey found that our immigrants primarily come from Latin America, South America, the Caribbean and South Asia (Bangladesh, Pakistan, India). As the Consortium put it in their summary: “The migrant/immigrant population is not monolithic – their experiences are as varied as their backgrounds.” Likewise, they are employed across a broad spectrum of sectors: agriculture, food service, cleaning, landscaping, construction, manufacturing and healthcare.

Even in 2022, the Healthcare Consortium found that our immigrants are fearful: afraid of sharing identifying information lest it could lead to deportation.

Recognizing the importance of the immigrant population to the county, in the spring of 2024 the Board of Supervisors issued a resolution titled “Columbia County’s View on Asylum Seekers.” Some of the board’s statements bear repeating:

Many immigrants contribute to our community serving in local government, starting businesses, and strengthening the culture of Columbia County. Our county continues to have large numbers of immigrants who work in agriculture, healthcare, and construction. Whether you grew up here or just moved here, everyone should have the opportunity to build a good life in Columbia County.

To contact reporter Deborah Lans, email deborahlans@icloud.com

THROUGH THE WOODS: Will they survive?

In Communities - Columbia, The Columbia Paper

February 28, 2025

By NANCY JANE KERN

IN 1942 COLUMBIA naturalist Alan Devoe gave a grim description of this month of winter in his book “Lives Around Us.” He wrote, “February, none but the hardiest and most watchful creatures of outdoors can survive this season. This time of snows and winds and icy coldness, when, as the north-woods Indians like to put it, there is Death, the dark mother, always gliding near on soft feet.”

This a tough time of year for our wildlife who search for the basic necessities of food and shelter. The ones who hibernate (like bears) or those who go into a similar state fare better if they choose a good burrow, hollow tree, or cave. We help our birds with suet, seed, and corn, and by law are unable to help our poor deer who must glean cornfields or browse on grass and tips of brush.

Last week a friend watched a very small young deer struggle through the deep snow with a coyote following behind. They went through a field to a wood and out of sight, giving indication of a poor outcome for the deer. Sad for one, and good for the survival of the coyote and for others dependent on meat.

So far the young deer are looking good at my house. Coyotes come back as hunger returns and in desperation will chew hide and bones as well. The chicken-like ruffed gouse (locally called partridge) and squirrels are eating the emerging buds of some trees. They particularly like poplars. Bittersweet vines may still have berries and are readily sought by many birds including the wild turkey. I help by keeping my bird feeders filled so my usual birds are fine. Wild geese are large birds who will hang around the area if there are bodies of open water and corn left on fields. Harvesters vary in efficiency and geese will find the fields with corn, and feed until it is gone. Another food that geese seek is grass and it is interesting to observe several fields just west of Kinderhook.

Wheat is often planted on the fields in the fall which can grow, even under the snow, to a brilliant and succulent green. On occasional trips over that way, there have been amazing numbers of Canada geese that fly in during the afternoon and stay until dark. The minute they land they start eating. What goes in eventually goes out, so they return some of what they have eaten as a rich fertilizer. Geese fly in and land in varying-sized groups of a few birds at a time, up to flocks of a hundred or more, with the cumulative total at possibly a thousand or more birds.

New arrivals cause loud exchanges of greetings. Rarely a squabble breaks out and someone is chased away. The snow does not stop them, and they plunge their bills down to reach their goal. At dusk, a Merlin hawk may watch from a nearby tree in the hope of a small bird or mouse to be flushed by the geese. Eventually, the geese fly off for the night. Spring, although months away, will bring warmth and more food. Death, the dark mother will come too, but fortunately, most will survive.

Immigrants by the numbers

Related Posts