Mark Finney: Welcoming immigrants is a win-win for Spokane

I have the privilege of saying “welcome to Spokane” or “welcome to America” to hundreds of new neighbors who arrive annually as refugees or other kinds of immigrants.

I do this work because of a deep sense of compassion. I’ve heard more stories than I can count of people who’ve run from explosions, left behind loved ones in bombed-out towns, and made impossible decisions to risk their children’s lives in desperate journeys to safety.

I believe every person should have the opportunity to raise their kids with enough food, sleep at night without fear of being attacked or bombed, and be able to learn to read and write. These convictions inspired me to launch Thrive International in 2022. Since then, we’ve served thousands of refugees in Spokane. It’s deeply meaningful to be able to help folks start new lives here and go on to thrive, and rewarding to see how grateful they are to pursue the American dream.

There is another side to the story of immigrants in Spokane: the economics. A year ago we worried about recession. Inflation was rocketing skyward and stores all over town displayed “help wanted” signs next to notes reading “drive through only” or “closed Mondays.” Most people wouldn’t think to connect our economic rebound (nationally or locally) with immigration, but recent studies from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office show one of the key factors which staved off recession is increased immigration in the past two years. Put simply, low birth rates in America combined with an overall population that is living longer and aging out of the workforce means more demand for jobs with fewer American-born workers available. The solution: foreign-born workers. Immigrants (who usually arrive in the first half of their working years) fill jobs, increase economic activity, and expand the tax base by paying income, property and sales taxes. In short, we have our immigrant neighbors to thank for boosting our economy when it was hanging in the balance.

For some this might be surprising, but not for me. Over the past eight years I’ve seen thousands of families from Iraq, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Venezuela, Ukraine, Russia, Syria, South Sudan, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and elsewhere settle in Spokane and enter our workforce. Many work in manufacturing, hospitality and transportation/ logistics. Even more work in health care at our hospitals, clinics and care facilities – a sector that just a few years ago nearly collapsed as the pandemic drove high numbers of workers out of the field. A significant number of immigrants also work in construction, where long-term shortages of labor have contributed to our local housing crisis. Our newest neighbors are essential for creating more housing we so desperately need.

Immigration is going to be central to our national and local political discourse in 2024. The conversation too often pits compassion for immigrants on one side of the political spectrum against fear of immigrants “costing taxpayers” or “taking away jobs” on the other side. We need our national leaders as well as state and local policy makers from all political camps to recognize both the humanity of immigrants arriving at our shores and their economic value.

Locally, I’m proud to say that I have worked with state, county and city leaders from across the political spectrum very effectively on these issues. Nationally, it’s more difficult, but still vitally important.

We can start by streamlining the asylum process where millions of people wait years to see an immigration judge while also being denied work permits. Thousands in our state are living homeless or in shelters when they would gladly be filling vacant jobs, earning a living and paying taxes. Another simple but impactful step would be to grant a pathway to permanent residency for hundreds of thousands of Afghans and Ukrainians already living and working here, but whose legal status is only temporary and for many set to expire in 2024.

The next time you hear someone speaking with an accent that belies a birthplace far away, consider that they may have a story of suffering and sacrifice far beyond what you have experienced. They deserve some compassion. They also deserve our appreciation for their contributions to our economy.

Take a moment today to call Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray. Ask for their support for bipartisan legislation that welcomes refugees and immigrants in our community and our workforce.

Mark Finney is executive director at Thrive International in Spokane.