The state of Maine suffers demographic challenges, ranking annually as having one of the oldest populations in the nation. As our population ages, our work force is expected to decline.

Those demographics mean that Maine will need a large influx of people to meaningfully grow its population and work force. Yet we are largely missing out on the contributions of new arrivals, whose full participation in our economy is good for Maine and good for them. Immigrants help our economy grow.

I want to call attention to contributions new Americans are making in our great state and the local community. Here in Maine, our small immigrant population makes up approximately 3.5 percent of our work force, but 10.1 percent of advanced degree workers, 12.9 percent of physicians, and 25.3 percent of STEM graduates — an area of high demand and short supply.

From 2006-2010, there were 2,711 new immigrant business owners in Maine, generating a total of $120 million in net income and accounting for 3.3 percent of total net business income in the state. On a local level, the influx of Somali entrepreneurs to Lewiston in recent years has brought new energy and vitality to our downtown. Immigrant entrepreneurs are creating jobs and revenue.

Overall, highly educated immigrants pay far more in taxes than they receive in benefits. In 2009, the average foreign-born adult with an advanced degree paid more than $22,500 in federal, state, and FICA taxes, while on average, families of highly-educated immigrants only received public benefits amounting to one-tenth of that amount.

For students, ethnic and cultural diversity can enhance educational experiences. During the 2014-2015 academic year, 1,354 international students attended one of Maine’s higher education institutions, contributing $50.3 million to the economy.

Those are just a few examples of how immigrants are great contributors to the state of Maine, despite the fact that they have to deal with a broken, outdated immigration system.

We need meaningful changes to our laws to help our state grow, innovate and thrive. This is a nonpartisan issue that affects every American, and it deserves priority status in Washington. We need Congress to act on immigration reform now. Together, we can bring immigration to the forefront and bring our economy into the 21st century.

Kristen Cloutier is president of the Lewiston City Council and represents Ward 5. She is also chair of the Immigrant and Refugee Integration and Policy Development Working Group.

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