SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) The Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce has praised the city's growing diversity in the wake of recent speakers in the state talking about immigrants and refugees.
The Chamber's statement was released Wednesday.
"...Concerned about recent news-making events which have featured speakers from outside of South Dakota, supporting policies antagonistic to immigrants and new demographic groups in Sioux Falls."
One event the Chamber statement must refer to is a recent gathering organized by the Minnehaha County Republicans at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Sioux Falls. The speaker, a conservative activist from New Zealand, urged South Dakota to crackdown on immigration.
Chamber President Jason Ball says that a diverse community is an important piece of tackling the challenges of workforce development in Sioux Falls.
The Chamber statement is clear.
"Legislation and policies that negatively target specific populations will not help Sioux Falls address our changing workforce needs," the statement says, "... We should not fear immigrants or refugees who to call Sioux Falls home – we should embrace them and work shoulder-to-shoulder with them to achieve shared goals for the betterment of our community."