Refugees Get the Job Done and Pay Lots of Taxes. Yet Trump Slashed Their Numbers

Refugees account for a small share of immigrants, just over 5% of those living in Dallas, but they have an outsized impact on the economy.Compared with other immigrants, refugees are more likely to start companies, buy homes and become naturalized citizens. They earn more, too, despite usually starting in entry-level jobs that pay less than $25,000 annually. After being in America for at least 25 years, the median household income of Dallas County refugees topped $68,000 in 2015, according to a report by New American Economy, a pro-immigration group. That was $15,000 higher than the median income for all U.S. households in the same year.“One particularly notable thing stands out about the refugee community: Their incredible degree of upward mobility,” said the 2017 report.While median income for non-refugee immigrants grew 30% over the period, the same metric for refugees more than tripled, the report found.  Continue reading...