Governor Rick Snyder continues to press the federal government on his plan to expand immigration in Detroit.
As The Michigan Public Radio Network’s Jake Neher reports, Snyder touted the plan Monday in front of an urban policy forum in New York City.
Snyder is asking Washington to approve 50,000 new visas over five years for highly-skilled immigrants to come to Detroit. He says those immigrants are proven job creators. They would have to agree to live and work in the city for five years. It’s unclear what would need to happen to get the plan approved.
The governor says he hopes it doesn’t require Congress to act.
“The point I’d like to make is I hope the president can just do this by executive order because I’m ready to go,” he says.
Snyder was speaking in front of the Manhattan Institute in New York about the future of Detroit after bankruptcy. He says the plan could serve as a model for helping struggling cities without having to commit to a financial bailout.