Against the grain, Dayton, Ohio, embraces immigrants

The city of Dayton, Ohio, wants to become the friendliest place for immigrants and implemented"Welcome Dayton" this week.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Dayton wants to become a nationally recognized immigrant-friendly city

The initiative comes at a time when states are passing tough immigration laws

Immigrants are more likely to start businesses and create jobs, the city says

(CNN) -- At a time when the trend among state legislatures is to create tough immigration laws, oneOhio city is pinning its ambitions on an opposite track.

Dayton, with a population of about 140,000, wants to become the friendliest place for immigrants.

Immigrants, officials say, have opened businesses and created jobs in the city's economy, and theyhope to reverse the region's economic slowdown by betting on immigrants.

The Dayton City Commission this week accepted the so-called "Welcome Dayton" plan, a frameworkfor policies that could be implemented to make the city a more welcoming place.

The pro-immigrant sentiment in Dayton stands in contrast to a number of high profile laws at thestate level targeting illegal immigrants, but it is not a perfect comparison.

The state laws are focused on combating illegal immigration. The city plan has nothing to do withillegal immigration, officials say, but rather with welcoming immigrants and treating all residentswith respect.

"Critics conveniently connect the word 'immigrant' with the word 'illegal' when talking about theWelcome Dayton plan, but that's not what this initiative is all about," City Manager Tim Riordan saidin a news release. "We have many good people from all nationalities coming here to invest in thecommunity and to build a better life."

But at least a couple of the recommendations made in the Welcome Dayton plan appear to takeundocumented immigrants into consideration.

The plan suggests the creation of a municipal identification card for Dayton residents who don't haveany other form of ID. Such a card could presumably help undocumented residents who needidentification to open bank accounts or apply for driver's licenses and other services.

Another item that could have an impact on those who are in the country illegally is arecommendation that police emphasize immigration status checks only for suspects of seriouscrimes. Such a policy could protect undocumented immigrants stopped for minor offenses fromfearing deportation. It is an opposite approach from those states with laws that seek to have police

check the immigration status of everyone they stop.

Other Dayton recommendationsinclude improving the interpretercapabilities offered by the city andcreating hiring incentives forgovernment employees to learn aforeign language.

The Welcome Dayton plan alsoadvocates seeking federal grants forEnglish study for immigrants. It alsorecommends using city lobbyists toadvocate for pro-immigrant laws atthe state and federal level.

Many of these proposals would be controversial at the federal level, but opposition appeared to beminor in Dayton. At the public hearing where the plan was discussed, 10 members of the publicstood up to address the commissioners about it. Nine of the 10 spoke in support of the measure, andthe lone dissenter wasn't from Dayton, but from nearby Columbus.

The plan was approved unanimously.

Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell declined to speak to CNN Saturday, and referred to a statement postedon his blog, which he read at the commission meeting.

"This plan is designed to enhance the potential of Dayton as a competitor in the global economy byattracting immigrants who bring new ideas, new perspective, and new talent to our work force,"Leitzell said in the statement. "In order to reverse the decades-long trend of economic decline in thiscity, we need to think globally and recruit the very best from around the world."

Welcome Dayton was hatched from a study of housing conditions for Hispanic residents, whichultimately led to a multiagency, communitywide effort to draft the plan.

When the city asked its residents about the impact of immigrants, they learned that businesses hadbeen started by immigrants. Houses were rehabilitated and underused buildings were reused andrejuvenated, the report found.

According to the city, immigrants are two times more likely than others to become entrepreneurs.

"History proves that closed minds and resistance to change only results in failure," Leitzell said. "Tothose citizens who are against the Welcome Dayton plan -- instead of condemning something thatyou didn't participate in, volunteer to help us make it better."