As Chicago-based researchers who have documented our region's demographic dependence on immigration, we're concerned that the census will now undercount immigrants—and undercut the Midwest.
The Midwest—rusting cities like Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland— has a cautionary tale to tell about cutting immigration: We know from experience that it harms our cities' populations, economies and workforces.
Chicago's bold ambition to prop up its population by becoming "the most immigrant-friendly city in the world" also offers a pathway to revitalize metros across the region.
More than any other large American city, Chicago has depended on immigrants to offset the sluggish growth of its native-born population. The decline in immigration will destabilize Chicago's population.
