The immigration question is causing turmoil in the Republican presidential primary, but Governor Rick Snyder is standing by his staunchly pro-immigration position. Snyder has declared this “Welcoming Week” with a particular focus on honoring immigrants.
Snyder spokesman Dave Murray says immigrants are responsible for starting some of Michigan’s biggest and most-recognized businesses, including the Meijer retail chain, Vlasic pickles, and Dow Chemical.
“But a lot of them are those small businesses, those mom-and-pop types of places from restaurants to stores, to shops, to engineering firms all around our state, were led by people who were born elsewhere and chose to live in Michigan – a lot of them after going to school here in Michigan,” he says.
Immigration will almost certainly be a topic to come up later this week as Mackinac Island plays host to a big Republican conference that will attract six of the GOP presidential hopefuls. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Ohio Governor John Kasich, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina are on the agenda.
