Michigan stands to lose more than $400 million in economic activity and $72 million in tax revenue over the next decade if federal refugee resettlements remain on hold, according to a new report.
The study, produced by Global Detroit and Businesses and People for Immigration in partnership with Public Policy Associates, warns of lasting economic damage after the Trump administration indefinitely suspended refugee settlements starting in January. The move abruptly halted plans to bring 2,265 refugees to Michigan by the end of the fiscal year in September.
The research estimates a net economic loss of up to $416 million over 10 years, along with $72 million in lost state and local tax revenue, if the refugee program is paused indefinitely or resumed at a smaller scale.
“U.S. immigration and refugee policies are humanitarian and civil rights issues that intersect with America’s foreign affairs,” said Steve Tobocman, executive director of Global Detroit, a regional economic development and community development organization focused on immigrants and global talent. “But immigration policy also is very much economic policy. Working with chambers, economic development organizations and businesses across the state, our Businesses and People for Immigration campaign seeks to highlight the economic impacts of changes in our immigration policies. Today’s report examines the pause in refugee resettlement through the same lens.”
The findings draw on three previous studies from Global Detroit and the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy, the American Immigration Council, and the Michigan League for Public Policy.
Daniel J. Quinn, chief strategy officer at Public Policy Associates, said the research shows the broader consequences of immigration policies often debated in national politics.
“It’s important when considering the kind of immigration and refugee policy that the economic impacts of such policy be taken into account,” Quinn said. “PPA has long been at the forefront of analyzing policy impacts, and as a supporter of the Businesses and People for Immigration campaign, we were eager to leverage our research skills to help develop this joint research brief.”
The Trump administration has not announced when, or if, refugee resettlements will resume.
The full research brief is available at Public Policy Associates.
