A new report issued by the Maryland Council for New Americans recognizes that that the state “needs the contributions of immigrants.”

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited the Oval Office this week to talk security, trade, energy, and hockey. Ottawa's discomfort with "Buy American" provisions also caused Harper to make a rare trip to Capitol Hill, where he met with U.S. congressional leaders.

The State Department took new measures, including a cut of over $30 million in aid, to pressure the de facto government in Honduras toward resolving the political impasse stemming from the coup. The Central American country faces increasing economic isolation since the June overthrow of President Manuel Zelaya.

New data shows the global economic downturn has hurt trade in Latin America, with exports expected to decrease through 2009. Still, despite signs of the crisis, some bright spots shine.

"Now is the time to have an open and honest dialogue about the role of trade in the economy and the ways it influences economic growth, job creation, and wealth generation," writes AS/COA President and CEO Susan Segal in an op-ed for Poder on the sustainable benefits liberalized trade has for the global economy.

This new AS/COA working paper, the first in a three-part series focused on new immigrant gateway cities, documents how organizations are promoting immigrants’ socioeconomic integration and maximizing Hispanic immigrants’ contributions in Nashville.

ASCOA hosted a public luncheon to discuss the importance of workforce integration for business success. As immigration reform becomes a priority in the United States, the private sector, which employs a large number of Hispanic immigrants, will play a decisive role for policy development.