When Minnesota was a new state, thousands of settlers arrived, many of them from Europe. But in recent decades, the state has attracted large numbers of Hmong and Somali refugees. There are also thousands of people from India, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Mexico and the People’s Republic of China living in Minnesota.
The state has become more racially diverse in the last 10 years, and demographers said that's especially true among children. About 83 percent of Minnesotans were white, non-Hispanic for the 2010 census, compared to 88 percent in 2000.
April 7, 2006 - The debate about crime in the state's largest city has been prompted by the coverage of those high-profile homicides. Media coverage can influence perceptions about whether or not the city is safe for visitors. Our regular media commentator David Brauer says the stories get attention because of people's motivations.
April 10, 2006 - Immigration issues took center stage in Minnesota over the weekend, as both supporters and opponents of more lenient immigration policy shouted their messages from the steps of the state Capitol. The rallies occurred in the wake of a failed attempt by Congress to pass a guest worker program that would make it easier for millions of illegal immigrants to work legally, and also smooth the way to citizenship for those who have already lived in the U.S. for several years. That proposal has energized immigration discussions in Minnesota and around the country. Minnesota Public Radio's Annie Baxter has more.
April 10, 2006 - The House plans to take up the bonding bill Wednesday, before leaving for the Easter break. MPR's Laura McCallum reports.
April 12, 2006 - A new state audit says county workers make errors on more than two-thirds of the applications they process from immigrants trying to use public health programs. The Legislative Auditor found that county workers made mistakes in seven of every ten cases where they evaluated a non-citizen's eligibility to receive health care. The report says the mistakes could allow some non-citizens to get care they're not entitled to. State lawmakers generally agree that the high number of mistakes is a problem but they differ on how serious it is. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
April 12, 2006 - Some Minnesota lawmakers say they're hearing the message from thousands of people calling for immigration reform. An estimated 30-thousand people marched to the state Capitol last weekend to support immigration reform, and some lawmakers are pushing legislation to help undocumented workers in the state. Governor Pawlenty has called for cracking down on illegal immigration, and although his proposals are unlikely to get through the Legislature intact this session, he could get some political traction from the issue. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
April 26, 2006 - It hasn't gotten as much attention as the stadium, but it's been a wild couple of weeks on the budget front in the Minnesota House. Republican leaders had planned to pass as many as nine budget bills to take care of various spending priorities. But to their dismay, those bills were accumulating initiatives that were picking up votes from Democrats and moderate Republicans. House leaders are trying to control a razor-thin Republican majority, which is getting tugged from both the right and the middle. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
April 28, 2006 - Ask St Paul film director Ali Selim what he's learned about while making his first feature film and he says "stamina." His film "Sweet Land" will be presented as the gala finale to this year's Minneapolis St Paul International film Festival Sunday evening. The film, which was shot in southwestern Minnesota is an immigrant love story set in 1919. Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr reports.
April 28, 2006 - MPR's Marisa Helms reports on Neighborhood House, a St. Paul community center providing services for the growing numbers of immigrants and refugees in the metro area. Neighborhood House is celebrating the grand opening of its new building in St. Paul, which is named after Paul and Sheila Wellstone.
May 1, 2006 - The push for a change in immigration law reaches a new level today as Latinos and other minority groups are being asked to stay home from work to demonstrate their economic clout. Organizers call the protest 'a day without immigrants'. The main focus of the event in Minnesota will be an afternoon rally at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis. No one knows how many people will actually boycott work, but the impact of the event has already been felt. The nation's meatpackers will close some two dozen plants around the U.S. today in part because they're concerned they won't have enough workers. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Steil reports.
May 1, 2006 - Today immigrants and worker rights advocates are marking the importance of immigrants to the US economy. During "A day without immigrants" thousands were expected to stay home from work and avoid shopping.The full impact of the action won't be known for a few days. .In theTwin Cities' Latino neighborhoods, stores were shuttered. While the day was meant to show immigrants' economic clout, the message may be more political than financial. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.