Deseret News best of 2012: Care for the poor

Since the Immigrant Learning Center opened in 1992, Diane Portnoy has helped more than 7,000 immigrants from 109 countries learn English. But even though her students have gone on to find jobs, go to college and start businesses, Portnoy points out with sadness in her eyes, people do question their contributions to American society.

The immigration debate in the United States focuses disproportionately on illegal immigration, crime and the plight of poor immigrants, according to a number of media analyses conducted by think tanks and university researchers. In an attempt to change the conversation, Portnoy recently teamed with George Mason University to launch a research center that will study how immigrants affect their local economies.

Read the full report here: Changing the conversation on immigration