At a rally in Pennsylvania, vice presidential candidate Tim Walz said that Pennsylvania and Minnesota have a shared “long history of being home to Puerto Rican and Latino families who chose to start their lives in our states and grow our economy.”
“Every day their presence in our state and our country makes us stronger and better. And during this Hispanic Heritage Month, Vice President (Harris) and I celebrate the collective contributions of Puerto Ricans and the entire Latino community,” he continued.
Puerto Ricans welcome in Minnesota
There are nearly 20,000 people of Puerto Rican heritage in Minnesota, 65% in the Twin Cities. Almost all speak English, and 60% speak only English. Their median annual income is about $65,000, with 24% bringing home $100,000 or more. 93% of the adults have completed high school and 38% have completed college.
Puerto Ricans are the second largest group in Minnesota’s Hispanic population, second only to Mexicans. The percentage of Puerto Ricans in Minnesota is still fairly small. Some people moved from Puerto Rico to Minnesota in the 20th century, when it was common for agricultural workers to spend part of the year in the Midwest and return to the Island for the winter. There was also some movement in the middle of the 20th century, and Minnesota’s industrial towns sought workers on manufacturing.
Still, most of today’s Puerto Ricans living in Minnesota came to the northern state after Hurricane Maria.
The climate in Minnesota was often a shock to people coming from Puerto Rico, and new residents today report that they have trouble using their identification from Puerto Rico with local businesses whose workers don’t realize that Puerto Rico is part of the United States. But businesses in Minnesota see new residents from Puerto Rico as a solution to the state’s worker shortage. Recruitment of workers in Minnesota provides economic opportunities to people who feel limited in Puerto Rico and brings diversity to the rural Midwestern towns. A Minnesota government website suggests that the state should also reach out to Puerto Ricans who have settled in Florida, since “that state was also battered by hurricane Irma and its economy and education systems are likely to be overwhelmed by the influx.”
The site continues, “Other initial places of settlement, like the New York-New Jersey area or Hartford, Connecticut, also lag behind Minnesota in economic opportunities. The outreach initiative towards Puerto Rican families on the island should also be expanded to include Florida and other states where difficult local conditions may prompt these newly arrived families to look elsewhere for resettlement.”
Tim Walz
Governor Tim Walz, currently on the campaign trail as presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s running mate, has a long history of supporting Puerto Rico. As a Member of Congress, he cosponsored a statehood admission bill for the Island, as well as speaking up for disaster assistance. Governor Pierluisi of Puerto Rico says Tim Walz “has always been a friend to Puerto Rico.”
