Immigrants find home and help in Middle Tennessee

The new report from the Census Bureau is showing details about the immigrant population of Middle Tennessee. This very diverse group, coming from many countries, is getting help from community groups. DP

Groups serve growing population

By Chris Echegaray • THE TENNESSEAN

Census figures out this week on America's foreign-born population show Tennessee — and particularly Middle Tennessee — becoming an increasingly popular destination for immigrants.

Since 1990, the state gained nearly 200,000 foreign-born residents, an increase that moved Tennessee's ranking from 31st to 24th for the number of immigrants and refugees. Of the nearly 250,000 in the state, the largest cluster — 101,932 of them — lives in the Nashville-Franklin-Murfreesboro statistical area the Census Bureau measures.

Those who work with this new population say there are misconceptions, particularly that it's a Spanish-speaking monolith from Mexico. The truth is, it's a diverse group that brings with it a wide array of needs at varying levels. As a result, a network of public and private groups gradually emerged to meet those needs.
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