Governor Newsom proclaims Immigrant Heritage Month 2024
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring June 2024, as “Immigrant Heritage Month” in the State of California.
The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below:
PROCLAMATION
Generations of immigrants from across the globe have helped shape California’s history and progress, and are helping to define our future. During Immigrant Heritage Month, we honor and celebrate the foundational contributions of immigrants and their descendants, who bring innovation and wide-ranging contributions that shape and power California and our nation.
Home to more immigrants than any other state in the country, many of us can trace our heritage to other nations. Today, half of California’s children have at least one immigrant parent. In California, we embrace and celebrate the representation and contributions made by immigrant communities and recognize them as critical to the collective success of our state and our nation. Our economy, our universities and our communities are all stronger and more innovative because of the nearly 11 million immigrants that call California home.
In California, we understand that our strength is in our diversity – an integral part of the identity and growth of our state as we know it. California has relied on immigration to grow our economy and stay globally competitive. Immigrants comprise one-third of the state’s workforce and account for 38.9% of entrepreneurs. Immigrant households in California contributed $46.5 billion in state and local taxes in 2021. In 2022, immigrants started more than half of America’s startup companies valued at $1 billion – 48% of which were founded in Silicon Valley.
This June marks the 12th anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a policy that has enabled hundreds of thousands of Dreamers to work, pursue education, build their careers and contribute to their communities in countless ways. Policies like this promote equity and advance our collective economic growth. And as DACA continues to face relentless attacks, California stands with Dreamers – including by calling on Congress to finally provide a meaningful pathway to citizenship.
Our state is proud to be a leader on equity and immigrant inclusion, working to mitigate harms of the outdated federal immigration system, supporting a safe and vibrant border, and promoting economic well-being and immigrant talent. California will continue to push for Congressional action to meet the needs of California’s immigrant families and industry, from the Central Valley to Silicon Valley.
Immigrant communities are inextricably and beautifully woven into California’s past, present and future. This month, let us celebrate the ways that our state and nation are enriched by people from all different backgrounds and recommit to ensuring the promise of opportunity for all to thrive continues for generations to come.
NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim June 2024 as “Immigrant Heritage Month.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 12th day of June 2024.
GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California
ATTEST:
SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D.
Secretary of State