Twenty-First Century Gateways: Fastest Growing Immigrant Metros

During the 1990s, the U.S. saw more immigration than any other time in recorded history. The largest numbers of these immigrants may still reside in the traditional gateways of New York, Los Angeles and Miami, but the fastest growing immigrant populations among large metropolitan areas are in unexpected places such as Atlanta, Charlotte, and Dallas – Ft. Worth.

Twenty-First Century Gateways: Immigrant Incorporation in Suburban America
 is a new book from Brookings Press that offers a detailed look at the impact of current immigration on large metropolitan areas with little recent history of immigration. Through case examples of nine emerging immigrant gateways, Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Dallas, Minneapolis – St. Paul, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento and Washington, DC, an interdisciplinary group of experts explore the challenges of integrating newcomers into American life as well as immigration’s impact on suburban infrastructure such as housing, transportation, schools, health care, economic development, and public safety.

On Monday, March 17, Brookings Vice President Bruce Katz hosted a discussion on the twenty-first century gateways to discuss the trends and growth patterns that have been largely unexamined until now. The discussion featured the work of demographer and immigration expert Audrey Singer and others who highlighted the current context of immigration and local response.

Events Materials:
Twenty-First Century Gateways: Immigrant Incorporation in Suburban America, Audrey Singer, Susan W. Hardwick and Caroline B. Brettell