ရွှေ့ပြောင်းနေထိုင်သူများအပေါ် ဖက်ဒရယ်အစိုးရ၏ ဖြိုခွဲနှိမ်နင်းမှုများက America ၏ မြို့ငယ်လေးများ ရှင်သန်ရေးကို ခြိမ်းခြောက်နေ

**Federal Immigration Enforcement Raises Concerns for Small‑Town Economies, Experts Say**

*August 14, 2026 – United States* – At a forum organized by American Community Media on August 14, 2026, scholars, civil‑rights advocates, local leaders and religious figures discussed the potential impact of recent federal immigration‑enforcement actions on the viability of small towns and rural communities across the United States.

**Key points raised at the discussion**

* **Demographic significance of migrants** – Jennie Murray, President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum, noted that immigrants comprise roughly 13 % of the U.S. population and about 19 % of the labor force. She warned that “immigration enforcement is now showing a negative net‑migration trend,” citing 2025 as the first year in U.S. history in which net migration turned negative. Murray cautioned that, if the trend continues into 2026, the country could face “substantial economic losses.”

* **Potential economic fallout** – Participants agreed that the removal or restriction of migrant workers could jeopardize the economic stability of many small municipalities. Murray cited figures indicating that in 2025 alone, approximately 2.3 million individuals left the country out of fear or personal choice, while about 675 000 were detained. She estimated that these developments resulted in an immediate loss of roughly three million workers from the labor market.

* **Temporary Protected Status (TPS) concerns** – Murray added that the expiration of TPS for an estimated 1.1 million individuals could push many formerly authorized workers into undocumented status, further affecting labor‑force participation.

* **Rural population trends** – Tim Slack, a sociology professor at Louisiana State University, described how aging populations and out‑migration of younger residents have already led to population declines in many rural counties. He said that between 2010 and 2020, some rural counties experienced a 0.5 % decline in population, and that immigrant residents have helped offset these declines in about 200 counties.

* **Local perspectives from the Midwest** –
* *Storm Lake, Iowa* – Former police chief Mark Prosser, now serving with the Diocese of Sioux City, recounted how immigrant labor over the past three decades has supported the meat‑packing and manufacturing sectors, helping to stabilize the town’s population. Prosser warned that recent enforcement actions have created “widespread fear,” leading to reduced attendance at workplaces, schools and churches.
* *Springfield, Ohio* – Dr. Carl Ruby, senior pastor of Central Christian Church, highlighted the role of Haitian immigrants—estimated at 12 000 to 15 000—in revitalizing the local economy. He noted that recent enforcement measures have resulted in some community members being placed under ankle monitors or detained, which in turn has reduced participation in religious and civic life.

* **Community‑building initiatives** – Rachel Perić, executive director of Welcoming America, emphasized the importance of fostering inclusive community relations. She warned that “federal policies are straining trust in many rural areas” and called for continued collaboration among local leaders, faith groups and immigrant‑support organizations to maintain public safety and social cohesion.

**Broader context**

The forum participants referenced a broader trend of declining net migration that began in 2025, describing it as a historic shift for the United States. They argued that, without the demographic and economic contributions of immigrant residents, many small towns could face challenges such as school closures, reduced tax revenues and shortages of workers in sectors like agriculture, construction and elder‑care.

**Responses and next steps**

Attendees discussed possible responses, including the formation of emergency response teams in affected states, the preparation of legal resources to address enforcement actions, and the provision of food and shelter assistance

Article and image source: myanmargazette.com