Ohio City Promotes 'Immigrant-Friendly' Community

CINCINNATI – Officials in a southwest Ohio city hope a plan for branding the community as immigrant-friendly will help bolster a shrinking population and rejuvenate its ailing economy.

City commissioners in Dayton this week approved a framework for creating a more welcoming atmosphere to entice immigrants to live in the city and invite others of their nationality to join them.

City officials and others hope immigrants attracted by the new policy will establish businesses that would create jobs. Recommendations in the plan include increasing interpreter services in government and other agencies and creating a neighborhood district as a center for immigrant businesses.

Some critics fear that the policy will attract illegal immigrants to Dayton and even other parts of the state.