As a Somali who made Minnesota home years ago, I’ve seen how immigrants like us have helped build this state — not just with our labor, but with our families, our businesses, and our dreams. Now, experts say what many of us already knew: Minnesota needs immigrants more than ever.
In just a few years, deaths will begin to outnumber births in Minnesota, according to Susan Brower, the state’s top demographer. This means natural population growth — more babies being born than people dying — will no longer be enough to keep Minnesota thriving.
Instead, the state’s growth will rely heavily on immigrants, like the thousands of Somali, Latino, Hmong, and African families who have made Minnesota their home.
From 2020 to 2024, immigrants made up 94% of Minnesota’s population growth, according to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. That’s nearly all of it.
For many of us, this doesn’t come as a surprise. We know the jobs we do — in hospitals, schools, trucking companies, home care, and restaurants — are vital to the state’s economy. We’ve seen firsthand how our children fill classrooms, how our elders build mosques and cultural centers, and how our communities keep growing while others shrink.
But here’s the problem: Federal immigration policies aren’t supporting this growth.
In recent years, immigration has been under attack. From limits on asylum seekers to tighter visa rules, and threats to deport even legal residents, Washington has sent a message that immigrants aren’t welcome — even as Minnesota’s future depends on us.
“It’s frustrating,” said Brower. “You would expect federal policy to adapt to the reality we’re facing — that we need immigrants. But it hasn’t.”
The result? Worker shortages, especially in places like hospitals and nursing homes, where many of us care for the elderly. Public services strained, because fewer people means less tax money. Slow economic growth, because businesses can’t find enough workers.
Even though Minnesota has welcomed us, the rules set in Washington make it harder to stay, to reunite with family, or to bring new talent to the state.
But there is hope. A recent Gallup poll found that 79% of Americans now believe immigration is a good thing, the highest in nearly 25 years. That shift in public opinion could eventually push lawmakers to make more welcoming policies.
As immigrants, we’re not just numbers in a report. We’re parents, workers, business owners, students — and we’re essential to Minnesota’s future. It’s time for policies to recognize that truth.
Let’s continue to share our stories, raise our voices, and remind our leaders that Minnesota grows when immigrants thrive.
