Editing Willmar, Minnesota (section)

===Immigration===
Since 1989, Willmar has had a large influx of immigrants from [[Latin America]] and [[Horn of Africa|Northeast Africa]], mostly due to the demand for labor at the [[Jennie-O]] poultry plant. In 2001, the city was recognized as an "[[All America City]]" by the [[National Civic League]], in part for its success as growing numbers of immigrants became part of the community.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yuen |first1=Laura |title=Willmar showing the way to a more diverse Minnesota |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2012/03/12/outsiders-part3-willmar-is-the-future-of-a-more-diverse-minnesota |access-date=March 21, 2019 |publisher=Minnesota Public Radio |date=March 12, 2012}}</ref>

In 2005, the city received attention from national media after several [[Somali people|Somali]]-American high school students gave Willmar High School its first cross-country state championship in 20 years. The team won the state tournament and attended the [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] Nationals consecutively in 2005 and 2006. Following its success, the city gained attention from ''[[Sports Illustrated]]''. Subsequently, ''[[NBC Nightly News]]'' ran a story on Willmar's changing complexion and its acceptance of its new citizens.<ref>{{cite web |title=NBC Nightly News - Willmar Immigration |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liDb0Qq-RN8 | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/liDb0Qq-RN8| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

More national attention was received when an opinion piece about immigration and Willmar by [[Thomas Friedman]] appeared in the [[New York Times]] on May 14, 2019.<ref>{{cite news |title=New York Times - President Trump, Come to Willmar |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/14/opinion/trump-willmar-minnesota.html |website=New York Times|date=May 15, 2019 |last1=Friedman |first1=Thomas L.}}</ref>