A new report argues the Midwest is much more welcoming to certain types of immigrants than stereotypes -- or political rhetoric -- suggests.

Heartland Forward, an Arkansas-based think tank, says demographic shifts will soon turn the heartland, which the organization defines as the 20 states between the Rockies and the Appalachians, into a truly global place with a mix of cultures.

“Some might refer to it as a flyover country,” Heartland’s CEO Ross DeVol said, “but if it were a separate country it would be the third largest economy in the world.”