Jim Hagedorn, Uplift District 1!

Dear Congressman Hagedorn,

In 2017, according to the New American Economy, District 1 was home to 42,000 immigrants or 6.3% of the population. District 1 immigrants paid $372.5 million in taxes and had a spending power of $1 billion. The average age of the immigrant population is 24; there were 15,326 eligible voters and 9,869 registered. Based on current trends, the 2020 Census will show steady growth in all the areas stated above.

While the wealth created by immigrant labor continuously increases, the U.S. Congress has not yet acted to protect the stability of those workers and their families. Undeniably, immigrants are valuable members of our community. A significant number of industries such as meat processing plants, agriculture, and others wouldn’t be able to open doors for business without immigrant labor. Protecting the well-being of immigrants and their families is also protecting our collective future as a society.

Congressman Hagedorn, Minnesota is changing and District 1 is reflecting those changes. In times of change, despair, and confusion, ill-minded people seek to plant seeds of hate to divide our communities and advance their agendas. While they momentarily succeed in some cases, history has demonstrated that worlds built on hate can’t be sustained. The current times require bold and unbiased leaders to see every person as a valuable member of the community. We need you, and you need us to build a place where our children can live in harmony.

Congressman Hagedorn, please support the immigration provisions included in the budget reconciliation bill that would provide a pathway to citizenship for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, essential workers, and agricultural workers. We look forward to your response and to building a more robust and healthier District 1.