About this episode
A recent report from the Minnesota Chamber Foundation found the state’s economy is slipping in national rankings. The state ranks near the bottom in terms of workforce growth and net migration — which means more people are leaving the state than moving here. Much of the growth that is happening in the state’s labor force is made up of foreign-born workers. They’ve driven 60 percent of workforce growth in recent years, according to the Chamber Foundation. These numbers point to a different conclusion from the one President Donald Trump made recently in a dehumanizing tirade about Somali Minnesotans, when he said they “contribute nothing.” Concordia University Economics Professor Bruce Corrie has done a lot of thinking and writing about the contributions of immigrants to the state’s economy, including as a response to the President’s comments. He joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about his analysis.