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From Buffalo News:

“We are a part of the community, so we know what the needs are,” said Ali Mohamed, a Somali native and president of Hatimy Market on Grant Street in Buffalo. “And we speak the language, we know how to communicate with our customers, and that’s better for them and for business.”

Immigrant start-ups also have benefits beyond their niche markets. Experts say they are building blocks that can have a larger economic impact on the region.

Research shows foreign-born entrepreneurs are job creators. Immigrants have higher levels of education and are twice as likely than a native-born American to launch a business.

“Welcoming immigrants to your city is like dropping seeds into Miracle Grow,” said Richard T. Herman, a Cleveland immigration lawyer and co-author of “Immigrant Inc.”

For cities like Buffalo, an influx of immigrants can repopulate and ignite a much-needed economic renaissance, Herman said.

“Rust Belt cities need new blood, new ideas and innovations, and immigrants can provide all of that,” Herman said. “Their prodigious economic output should be welcomed.”

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