The White House today launched the Building Welcoming Communities Campaign, accelerating the growing movement of communities that are becoming more prosperous by embracing immigrants and fostering opportunity for all. Launched during National Welcoming Week, the Campaign is part of a broader package of announcements made by the White House Task Force on New Americans.
Already, 40 early acceptor US cities and counties have already signed on to the campaign, from Pittsburgh to Boise, Atlanta to Detroit. The groups include cities and counties big and small from across the country.
Early Acceptor Cities and Counties
|
Allegheny County, PA |
Denver, CO |
Oakley, CA |
Atlanta, GA |
Detroit, MI |
Philadelphia, PA |
Austin, TX |
Dodge City, KS |
Pittsburgh, PA |
Baltimore, MD |
Grand Forks, ND |
San Francisco, CA |
Boise, ID |
High Point, NC |
San Francisco County, CA |
Boston, MA |
Houston, TX |
San Jose, CA |
Buffalo, NY |
Lincoln, NE |
Santa Fe, NM |
Charlotte, NC |
Los Angeles, CA |
Schuyler, NE |
Chicago, IL |
Louisville, KY |
Seattle, WA |
Clinton Township, MI |
Macomb County, MI |
St. Louis, MO |
Columbus, OH |
Montgomery County, MD |
St. Louis County, MO |
Crete, NE |
Nashville, TN |
Sterling Heights, MI |
Dayton, OH |
New Orleans, LA |
Toledo-Lucas County, OH |
Decatur, GA |
New York, NY |
York, PA |
The campaign will help better connect federal resources with local communities in order to expand immigrant integration efforts. It calls on local communities to commit to and act on a set of principles that focus on building inclusive communities that enable all residents to thrive, while advancing immigrant civic, linguistic and economic integration.
Said Welcoming America Executive Director David Lubell, “Communities across the country are already recognizing that they gain an economic edge and invigorate their communities when they create environments where everyone can participate and thrive. We applaud the White House and the New Americans Taskforce for this major boost to the movement of Welcoming communities during National Welcoming Week, and look forward to supporting the federal taskforce and communities in this effort because we know it will help jumpstart economic growth and vitality.”
In November 2014, President Obama created the White House Task Force on New Americans which in April released a federal strategic action plan, Strengthening Communities by Welcoming All Residents: A Federal Strategic Action Plan on Immigrant & Refugee Integration. The Building Welcoming Communities Campaign is a key element of this action plan and the federal government’s strategy to support immigrant integration. As part of this campaign, federal agencies will be leveraging their resources in support of communities to help foster greater civic, economic and linguistic participation.
Participating communities will also demonstrate their progress along a Welcoming Communities Roadmap, and depending on their level of commitment, will be assisted through a public private partnership which will offer technical assistance and support from federal agencies, as well as from national non-governmental partners led by Welcoming America. The initial national partners for the campaign include National Skills Coalition, NALEO, Cisneros Center for New Americans, World Education Services – Global Talent Bridge, IMPRINT, Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, Partnership for a New American Economy, World Education, YMCA of the USA, NCLR, and the National Partnership for New Americans.
Join
To join the campaign as a local government, please email [email protected] to express your interest. If your city or county is not already involved, talk with municipal leaders about joining.
White House Blog Highlights Campaign
A More Perfect Union — Building Welcoming Communities Campaign to Strengthen Immigration Integration
By Jerry Abramson, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and León Rodríguez, Director of USCIS
As President Obama has said, as a nation of immigrants, we are constantly being replenished with strivers who believe in the American Dream. It’s what makes us entrepreneurial. And today, more and more communities are recognizing the potential benefits for all their residents by pursuing a welcoming approach.
We were inspired by all the great work taking place and hope to encourage even more communities to become welcoming communities. Read more on the White House Blog >>
More Information
For more information, please see the White House fact sheet, or contact Welcoming America at [email protected].
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