Immigrant workers, business owners help grow Kentucky’s economy
Kentucky’s immigrant workers and business owners generate $14 billion of economic input, according to new data from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy.
President Donald Trump recently issued a slew of executive orders to expand and speed up deportations nationwide. He also declared a national emergency at the U.S./Mexico border.
Anthony Capote is the senior policy analyst at the Immigration Research Initiative. He said nearly 180,000 immigrants live in Kentucky, and are a vital part of local communities.
He added that around 5% of all Kentucky workers come from other countries.
“Immigrants are really embedded throughout Kentucky’s economy,” said Capote. “They make up 12% of construction laborers, 24% of software developers, and 16% of physicians.”
Research indicates as Kentucky’s population ages, immigrants can help meet workforce needs in healthcare, home care, and supportive services for aging adults.
Critics of immigration argue immigrants increase competition for jobs, drive down wages, and increase the burden on community resources.
The Trump administration has also said it will end birthright citizenship and increase mass arrests of undocumented immigrants through workplace raids.
Capote noted that although immigrants make up a small portion of Kentucky’s population, they own 13% of Main Street businesses.
“So there’s a really good chance,” said Capote, “if you’re living in any part of Kentucky that you are already patronizing a business that is owned by immigrants.”
Kentucky is also home to a large refugee population. According to the Kentucky Office for Refugees, in 2023, the Commonwealth ranked fourth in the nation for refugee arrivals.
Last week, the Trump administration suspended the nation’s refugee resettlement program.
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