Immigrants Fundamental to Main Street Business, Study Shows
Immigrants Fundamental to Main Street Business, Study Shows
The new AS/COA-Fiscal Policy Institute study reveals that while immigrants make up 16 percent of the U.S. workforce, 18 percent of them are business owners.
NEW BEDFORD — While immigrants make up 16 percent of the U.S. workforce, they make up 18 percent of business owners overall in the country, according to a study released this month which takes a deeper look at immigrant-owned properties.
The study, titled "Bringing Vitality to Main Street," was conducted by the Fiscal Policy Institute and the Americas Society/Council of the Americas; it finds that immigrants represent 28 percent of the country's "main street business" owners.
Using data from 2013, the authors show that immigrants make up 61 percent of all gas station owners, 58 percent of dry cleaners owners, 53 percent of grocery store owners, 45 percent of nail salon owners, 43 percent of liquor store owners, 38 percent of restaurant owners and 32 percent of both jewelry and clothing store owners.
For Gerard Bourassa of Bourassa Hardware on Acushnet Avenue, the immigrant's will to open a business is tied to hard working conditions....
