Amid Immigration Crackdowns, New Report Shows Role of Business Owners Who Are Immigrants, Women, People of Color

Mar 19, 2026

Press Releases

For Immediate Release: March 19, 2026

Media Contacts:

Anthony Capote, Senior Data and Policy Analyst, [email protected], (305) 878-3177

David Dyssegaard Kallick, Director, [email protected], (646) 284-1240

New York, New York— Small businesses are a key part of the economic picture in every part of the country. These small businesses contribute to the overall vibrancy of their communities as restaurant owners, grocery store owners, accountants, general contractors, and beauty salon owners and more.  New research from Immigration Research Initiative, E Pluribus and the Build from Within Alliance shows that immigrants, women, African Americans and Native Americans play significant roles as small business owners helping to shape the U.S. economy and sustain local communities.

This report, “The Entrepreneurial Spirit: A Profile of Business Owners Across the United States,” provides a comprehensive profile of who small business owners are, the industries they work in, and their contributions to economic growth and community stability.

“Small businesses are part of the lifeblood of the American economy. This report shows that immigrants in particular are at the heart of business ownership in this country. Regardless of how you feel about immigration, the simple truth is that no matter where you live, you are probably already patronizing a business owned by immigrants,” said Anthony Capote, senior data and policy analyst at IRI and lead author of the report. “That’s why it is so important to protect the immigrants in our communities. In virtually every city in America and in every sector of the economy, immigrants are among us as friends, neighbors, and—more likely than not—as the owners of our favorite restaurants or local gas stations or even running our doctor’s office.”

“The Entrepreneurial Spirit: A Profile of Business Owners Across the United States” brings the pervasive anti-immigrant rhetoric into stark contrast with the economic and social reality that immigrants are already a part of our daily lives as friends, co-workers, and as the owners of businesses we appreciate as part of our everyday life.

“Today’s business news is often about tech megabusinesses,” said David Dyssegaard Kallick, director of IRI. “But the bread and butter of local economic development is about small businesses. And immigrants, women, and people of color are very much a part of that daily story of entrepreneurial energy and economic growth. We’re on the wrong track if we think we’re going to grow by deporting people.”

Dr. Alaina Jackson, managing director of Global Detroit, added “Immigrants, African Americans, women and a broad range of Americans across our communities are the owners of Main Street businesses that are the lifeblood of our neighborhoods.”

This report comes at a critical juncture for immigrants, and for U.S. communities in general. From Minneapolis to Chicago, Portland, Oregon, and Washington, D.C. the country has seen attacks on immigrants and their community members. This report shows the real contributions a wide range of small business owners make to communities across the U.S.

In addition to highlighting the entrepreneurial accomplishments of immigrants, this new report also examines the business owning trends of women, African Americans, and Native Americans, many of whom face systemic barriers that keep them from forming incorporated businesses. Despite these challenges, “The Entrepreneurial Spirit” showcases examples of how women and people of color are succeeding as business owners in key sectors of the economy, often providing vital services to their communities like beauty salons, restaurants, real estate agencies, and more.

In this report, the authors weave individual stories of small business owners from Detroit to Anchorage, Alaska, into a broad range of quantitative insights about who small business owners are, where they come from, and the types of services they provide to the American economy.

“This report crystallizes that immigrants have always been a massive source of American business ownership and entrepreneurship.” said Steve Tobocman, Global Detroit’s Executive Director and contributing author of the report. “We look forward to helping highlight the critical contributions that immigrant and diverse business owners make to our economy and to the quality of life in our communities and to discussing how business support organizations, business lending and other efforts can reach these underserved, often ignored, groups of business owners.”

Chanell Scott Contreras, president and CEO of the Build from Within Alliance and contributing author added: “This report adds dimension to a simple truth felt in communities across the country: business owners from diverse backgrounds and life experiences make our neighborhoods stronger, more vibrant, and full of opportunity. It captures that impact while also revealing persistent differences in ownership rates, making clear that comprehensive and interconnected support systems are essential for businesses to grow and thrive. The opportunity to build and strengthen those systems is in front of us, and so is the responsibility to ensure every entrepreneur has a fair chance to succeed.”

Key Findings:

  • More than 1 in 5 business owners are immigrants. Immigrants make up 21 percent of all business owners, higher than their share of the population (14 percent) or the labor force (17 percent).
  • Immigrants play a particularly big role on Main Street. Immigrants are especially likely to own “Main Street” businesses: grocery stores, restaurants, clothing stores, dry cleaners, and other small shops that give an area its character. Main Street businesses are part of the churn that constantly rejuvenates the local economy, and they can be especially important in areas that have seen boarded up storefronts and other signs of decline—in city neighborhoods, suburban commercial strips, and rural areas. Immigrants make up 27 percent of all Main Street business owners, including 34 percent of restaurant owners and 33 percent of grocery store/supermarket owners.
  • Immigrant businessowners come from all over the world. The largest number of immigrant business owners in the U.S. are from Mexico. Among the top 10 countries for immigrant businesses, the highest propensity for business ownership is among people from Korea. And there are business owners in the U.S. from virtually every country in the world.
  • There are some disparities in business ownership by race for both immigrants and U.S.-born people. Not all groups share equally in the opportunity of business ownership, and there are some key disparities along racial lines. While Black and Latine immigrants are less likely to own businesses than White and Asian immigrants, Black and Latine immigrants are more likely to be business owners than their non-immigrant counterparts.
  • There are some key types of businesses where underrepresented groups have had significant success. From African American beauty salons and business consultants to Native American grocery stores, both on and off tribal lands, underrepresented groups are providing important services and meeting the needs of our communities in multiple sectors of the economy. These business owners are creating jobs, generating a tax base, and adding to the diversity and vibrancy of American life.

For the full report, click here.

For media related questions, please contact Anthony Capote at (305) 878-3177 or [email protected] or David Dyssegaard Kallick at (646) 284-1240 or [email protected].