Lucas Hears Immigration Concerns From Enid Business Community

Congressman Frank Lucas met with the Enid Regional Development Alliance and the New American Economy to discuss the impact immigrants have on his congressional district. As immigration reform continues to develop in Washington, D.C., the organizations wanted to ensure Lucas knew the effect good, foreign-born workers have on the economy.

Among the findings by the New American Economy within the Third Congressional District are:

• Around 33,000 foreign-born residents make up more than four percent of the area’s population.
• Immigrants paid $148 million in local and state taxes and had $513 million in spending power in 2014.
• Immigrants are 28 percent more likely to be entrepreneurs and there are 1,200 immigrant entrepreneurs in the district
• Immigrants own 6,800 homes in the area
• Immigrants are 11.4 percent of the manufacturing industry, 8.6 percent of the agriculture industry and eight percent of the construction industry.

“I appreciate New American Economy’s research on this important issue and enjoyed the opportunity to sit down with Enid leaders to discuss the impact immigrant workers have on their industries. Their input is vital to my work representing Oklahoma’s Third District in Washington,” said Lucas.

“The Enid Regional Development Alliance has heard from area businesses for years that the process of bringing in good, quality workers from around the world needs to be improved,” said Brent Kisling, Executive Director of the Enid Regional Development Alliance.  “We are very thankful for Congressman Lucas’s willingness to discuss the issue of immigration with our local business leaders and continue taking a leadership role on this issue in Washington.”