Since the 1990s, Wisconsin’s foreign-born population has been growing. In 2017, 5% of Wisconsin’s population was foreign-born, half of which are naturalized U.S. citizens (American Immigration Council). Additionally, 6,935 migrant workers were recorded by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development in 2022.
These populations support the continued vibrancy and growth of Wisconsin’s economy. In the U.S., immigrants are twice as likely to start a business (Kauffman Foundation), and in rural areas, migrants often fill labor needs that can’t be filled otherwise. Yet organizations which assist these workers with securing employment and starting businesses often lack the legal expertise to provide guidance. To address this knowledge gap, the Rural Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Initiative partnered with the Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic and Wisconsin’s Latino Chamber of Commerce to host an educational event about immigration law. Called “Immigration, Employment, and Entrepreneurship: A Legal Symposium for Wisconsin’s Workforce,” the event featured seven of Wisconsin’s immigration and business attorneys, as well as presentations from four organizations which assist immigrants.
The day opened with Aracelia Esparza of Midwest Mujeres, who shared about the experiences of Latina entrepreneurs in Wisconsin. Grant Sovern, President of the Community Immigration Law Center, delivered a keynote which explained how immigration law developed in the U.S. and the different statuses non-citizens can have. The rest of the event featured four different sessions – “Immigration Law for Business People and Business Law for Immigration People,” “Business Life Cycle Planning & Immigration Compliance,” “Qualifying for Work Visa Status,” and “Employment and Entrepreneurship in the Agriculture Sector,” with panels of attorneys explaining the policies and procedures for people to obtain work visas, start businesses, and apply for citizenship. Attorneys Gita Connolley, Damon Etawlyah, Amanda Gennerman, Jeff Glazer, Freya Katkowsky, and Raluca Vais-Ottosen, spoke at the event. The organizations Latino Academy for Workforce Development, Worker Justice Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, and Puentes/Bridges presented case studies, illustrating legal concepts with real-life examples that they’ve faced in their work.
More than forty people attended the event, ranging from business owners, business support specialists, paralegals, and attorneys. Continuing Legal Education credit was offered to attorneys. The Rural Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Initiative intends to hold similar events about immigration law around rural Wisconsin next year.
