A commission on immigration found immigrants have had a positive impact on the state's economic development, according to a report released Thursday.

The 19-member Commission to Study the Impact of Immigrants in Maryland, authorized by the General Assembly in 2008 to assess the demographic information and impact of this state's immigrant population, found providing immigrants' children with higher education support has benefited the state's economy, as well as immigrants' significant contributions to the workforce. The commission also found many public schools face significant challenges in educating children of immigrants.

The commission, which met for the first time in 2010, also recommended that the state enact immigration policies that strengthen immigrants' ties to their communities and better integrate them into the workforce.

Director of Asian American studies Larry Shinagawa, who chaired the commission, said he hopes other states use the report as a blueprint for exploring the impacts of their own immigrant populations.

"We're hoping that this information will be something that informs our legislators, informs our governor and ultimately informs the federal government," he said.

Regardless of whether residents were born in this country or abroad, Shinagawa said, this university has an obligation either way to serve their needs.

"I personally think that we have a mandate in a sense that we address the issues that might be facing Marylanders overall, but also the sons and daughters of immigrants," he said.

The commission members, including several university faculty, studied economic data and interviewed law enforcement and education officials and residents to compile their findings.

Although the report does not make a direct recommendation about this state's DREAM Act — a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to receive in-state tuition if they meet a set of requirements — it emphasizes the importance of providing equal opportunity for education to children of all immigrants.

Carlos Melendez, president of the La Unidad Latina Lambda Upsilon Lambda fraternity, said many college-aged immigrants still face an uphill battle to earn degrees in this state.

"I know a lot of my friends growing up, they weren't citizens, they weren't residents," he said. "The education really stopped in high school, and I think there's a lot of wasted potential in these bright young minds."

Immigrants made up about 58 percent of the state's population growth from 2000 to 2010 — well above the national average of 31.7 percent, according to the report. The commissioners also found 21.7 percent of the state's foreign-born residents live in Prince George's County.

"I think you really do have to be struck by the amount of international diversity we have," said Commission Staff Director Jeffrey Werling. "It's clear that the student body and also really the faculty is defined by a global participation."

Shinagawa said he found unauthorized immigrants' low incomes often negatively influenced economic conditions in the state. But immigration in general contributed to economic growth across the population, according to the report.

Melendez said he feels that fact is often left out of debates on immigration and higher education reform.

"It's one of those things that people don't know — immigrants have a very positive impact on the economy," he said. "There's jobs that need to be filled up, and these people are filling them."

Werling said he hopes others gain a better understanding of immigration and higher education reform after reading the commission's findings.

"Maybe this report is something that people will pick up that aren't really acquainted with these issues and learn from it," he said.

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