Metro areas most impacted by the new immigration ban

Source: cnn.com

Interesting data from the Brookings Institutionis provided below which is related to existing immigrant residents in the United States from the recently banned seven (7) Muslim nations.  The data in the first chart shows those cities where these immigrant populations constitute the largest percentage of the overall metropolitan population. A wide variety of communities situated in parts of 16 states are represented in the chart. These new neighbors from Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Yemen, Iran, Somalia, and Libya are and have been peacefully coexisting with their fellow metropolitan area residents.

METROPOLITAN AREAS WITH THE HIGHEST SHARES OF RESIDENTS FROM “BANNED COUNTRIES,” 2011-2015

Metro area	Total population	Total from banned countries	Number from banned countries per 1,000 population
Detroit, MI	4,296,400	64,300	15.0
Modesto, CA	527,400	7,800	14.9
Los Angeles, CA	13,154,500	160,800	12.2
San Diego, CA	3,223,100	38,900	12.1
Rochester, MN	211,300	2,400	11.4
St. Cloud, MN	191,800	1,800	9.6
San Jose, CA	1,925,700	16,600	8.6
Fargo, ND-MN	223,400	1,800	8.2
Harrisonburg, VA	129,200	900	7.2
Lincoln, NE	315,100	2,100	6.8
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI	3,458,800	23,500	6.8
Columbus, OH	1,972,400	12,200	6.2
Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV	5,949,400	36,000	6.0
Iowa City, IA	161,500	900	5.6
Portland, ME	520,900	2,900	5.6
Grand Island, NE	84,000	400	5.3
Nashville, TN	1,761,800	8,800	5.0
Seattle, WA	3,614,400	17,900	5.0
San Francisco-Oakland, CA	4,528,900	22,000	4.8
Ann Arbor, MI	354,100	1,700	4.8

Note: Data for Libya, one of the seven nations affected by the order, were not available.
Source: Brookings analysis of 2011-2015 5-year American Community Survey data. Observations rounded to nearest 100.

Similarly, this second chart from the Brookings Institution provides a breakdown showing the number of immigrants from each of the seven (7) banned nations for the 20 metropolitan areas  with the largest combined population of these immigrants. Twenty (20) states are represented in this chart. Nearly three-fourths (3/4’s) of all immigrants from these seven nations live in the 20 metropolitan areas listed below.

METROPOLITAN AREAS WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER OF RESIDENTS BORN IN “BANNED COUNTRIES,” 2011-2015

Metro area	Iran	Iraq	Somalia	Sudan	Syria	Yemen	Total
Los Angeles, CA	136,000	8,500	500	600	14,900	100	160,800
Detroit, MI	1,600	46,800	0	200	4,300	11,300	64,300
New York, NY-NJ-PA	21,700	3,300	300	1,900	10,900	11,100	49,100
San Diego, CA	10,700	24,400	2,400	300	1,100	100	38,900
Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV	21,500	5,600	2,900	3,500	2,000	500	36,000
Chicago, IL	6,700	13,100	900	700	5,700	1,400	28,400
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI	1,400	800	19,900	1,100	100	100	23,500
San Francisco-Oakland, CA	16,300	1,400	0	300	900	3,000	22,000
Houston, TX	10,300	4,700	900	900	1,700	100	18,500
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX	8,700	4,800	1,400	1,900	1,100	100	18,000
Seattle, WA	5,900	2,600	7,500	800	600	400	17,900
Phoenix, AZ	5,100	8,600	1,300	1,400	900	100	17,300
San Jose, CA	14,200	1,500	300	200	400	0	16,600
Atlanta, GA	5,300	1,900	2,600	1,300	900	100	12,200
Columbus, OH	1,100	1,400	8,900	200	500	0	12,200
Boston, MA-NH	4,200	1,500	2,200	600	1,900	0	10,400
Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	5,100	1,500	100	0	2,600	100	9,400
Nashville, TN	1,700	3,900	1,600	1,200	200	200	8,800
Sacramento, CA	6,100	1,400	200	100	500	100	8,400
Modesto, CA	4,300	3,100	0	0	100	300	7,800
Total for 20 metro areas	288,000	140,800	53,900	17,200	51,300	29,100	580,500
All other metro areas	76,900	49,400	25,500	22,000	23,800	10,300	208,000

Note: Data for Libya, one of the seven nations affected by the order, were not available.
Source: Brookings analysis of 2011-2015 5-year American Community Survey data. Observations rounded to nearest 100.

Just like all the immigrant populations that have preceded them, nearly all of the folks represented in the charts above are good, law-abiding residents (and/or citizens) who contribute daily to the diverse social, economic, religious, and cultural fabric of our nation. To categorize them otherwise, or to lump them all together is not only unfair, but does everyone, including ourselves, a great disservice.

I, for one, am truly grateful for my Muslim friends, and for those from all manner of beliefs and tenets. For our nation to truly thrive to its fullest and in the manner expressed in our founding documents, we must remain inclusive to all and turn our backs on those forces, both internal and external, that prey upon our fears and our differences.

Peace and Namaste!