The Economic Benefits of Immigration to Rhode Island and Connecticut

The Immigration Policy Center has compiled research which shows that immigrants, Latinos, and Asians are an important part of Rhode Island and Connecticut’s economies, labor force, and tax base. Immigrants and their children are a growing economic force as consumers, taxpayers, and entrepreneurs. With the nation working towards economic recovery, Latinos, Asians and immigrants will continue to play a key role in shaping the economic and political future of the Ocean and Constitution States.

Highlights from Rhode Island include:

• Immigrants made up 12.2% of Rhode Islanders (or 128,453 people) in 2008.
• The purchasing power of Latinos totaled $2.2 billion and Asian buying power totaled nearly $810.4 million in Rhode Island in 2009.
• If all unauthorized immigrants were removed from Rhode Island, the state could lose $698 million in economic activity and $310 million in gross state product.

Highlights from Connecticut include:

• Immigrants made up 13% of Connecticut’s population (or 454,002 people) in 2008.
• The purchasing power of Latinos totaled $9.9 billion and Asian buying power totaled $6.0 billion in Connecticut in 2009.
• If all unauthorized immigrants were removed from Connecticut, the state could lose $5.6 billion in economic activity and $2.5 million in gross state product.

There is no denying the contributions immigrants, Latinos, and Asians make in Rhode Island and Connecticut and the important role they will play in the states’ economic futures. For more data on their contributions to the Ocean and Constitution States, view the IPC fact sheets in their entirety:

* New Americans in the Ocean State (Rhode Island)
* New Americans in the Constitution State (Connecticut)

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