Many people come over from other countries and don’t have any idea on where the best fits for them would be. This is so important to know because without being in an area with a strong support system, it could lead to failure. Here are the five cities really trying to make a difference for their international community.
5. New York City
New York City has programs in place that make it much more friendly to international people than many other cities. It hosts the nation’s largest municipal ID program, offers great language access policies, and has law enforcement limit their cooperation with ICE. A municipal ID program is where they give you a form of ID for those people that don’t have a driver’s license which is common for international people. It also has a very high minimum wage which is great for people looking to start off.
4. Chicago
Just like New York City, Chicago has a high minimum wage, a municipal ID program and is a city that welcomes international people. Chicago has a more affordable living cost though as this can be huge when you are looking to start out. This city has been known to launch campaigns welcoming newcomers with open arms and showing them important resources like legal assistance, mental health care, and information about becoming a citizen.
3. Seattle
Seattle is a city with an extremely large presence of international people with about one-fifth of its population being foreign born so it is no surprise the city wanted to make an effort to help. It has an extremely helpful program for international people called “Ready to Work” which helps them gain skills both mentally and physically to allow them to land a job more easily. The United States Department of Labor has praised the program saying this should be a model for all cities.
2. San Jose
San Jose has sent out multiple programs and campaigns that are created to help international people over the last ten years or so. Santa Clara County, in which San Jose is located, has more international people than any county in California. County officials recently decided to put one and a half million dollars toward legal aid for international people who are being threatened to be deported for minor crimes. They also launched a campaign to educate international people about their rights in this country, assist families in making safety plans, and give churches the right to offer sanctuary for international people when deportation sweeps come around.
- San Francisco
Besides the fact that living in San Francisco is extremely expensive, it seems to have everything else a newcomer to this city would want. The public transportation here is far more affordable than in New York or Chicago. Just like those cities, it also has a strong municipal ID program and Office of Immigrant affairs that has held firm with its sanctuary policies that are extremely beneficial to international people.
If you are interested in learning more or have any questions. Please feel free to try Coached!
Coached is the easiest way for the international community to get questions answered about everything pertaining to moving to the US for work or school, all through text messages. It is the #1 text answering service for international people trying to navigate life in the United States. Check out our website and ask us a question at www.trycoached.com.