Atlanta Makes “Immigrant-Friendly” Commitment
Atlanta Makes “Immigrant-Friendly” Commitment
Following cues from other southern cities, Atlanta’s Mayor Kasim Reed spoke yesterday at an AS/COA forum in Atlanta on his resolution to make Georgia’s capital more immigrant-friendly.
Yesterday, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, following cues from other southern cities, resolved to make Georgia’s capital more immigrant-friendly.
During the luncheon hosted by advocacy group the AmericasSociety and Council of the Americas, Mayor Reed expressed that while immigration policies are usually considered a federal issue, it is up to local governments to take the lead.
“Now everybody that knows me knows I’m a fan of cities,” Reed said, “While most people feel immigration is a federal issue, I think the lack of progress in Washington should energize us to do more in cities.”
Invoking the spirits of famous immigrants past, such as Albert Einstein and Madeleine Albright, Reed stated America has always been a nation of immigrants, and “We can no longer live in a world where certain communities are marginalized.”
“Atlanta ranks number two in job growth,” Reed reported, noting the city is second only to Houston. To keep that momentum going, Reed said Atlanta must be attractive to all, regardless of national background.
During a panel discussion, representatives from Nashville, Tenn., spoke about the lessons learned from their battle against immigrant-prohibitive legislation, and suggested measures other cities could take to become more immigrant-friendly....
