Prioritizing Integration The Transatlantic Council on Migration

The global recession is having a major impact on immigrant integration. With cuts in public budgets and a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment on both sides of the Atlantic, many governments have made short-term decisions responding to the economic crisis that will have longterm implications for immigrants and the broader society. Prioritizing Integration assesses where immigrants have lost ground--using evidence such as levels of funding for educational programs, employment rates, trends toward protectionism, public opinion, and levels of discrimination. It also considers how immigrants may have benefited from the crisis. This systematic look at where and how immigrants have been affected by the recession concludes with a set of priorities for the integration-related investments national and local governments should be making in the coming decade. These investments are designed to boost economic competitiveness and improve social cohesion.