COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus is creating a commission to help its immigrant and refugee community have better engagement with city government. The Commission on Immigrants and Refugee Affairs has been in the works for three years, according to Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla. She said the city is expecting 2 million more people will move to the region over the next 20 years, and the number one driver of that growth is immigrants and refugees. Students say they're fed up with bathroom policy at Columbus' Whetstone High School A fact sheet from the council said that nearly 185,000 immigrants -- or 8.7% of the population -- live in central Ohio. From 2014 to 2019, the region saw a 6.4% population increase, with immigrants contributing to 26.4% of that growth. Of the region's immigrant population, 23.7% have lived in the U.S. for less than five years, the fact sheet claimed. "This is yet another strategy, this commission, to ensure that we have the infrastructure in place to address the challenges that will arise with population growth," Barroso de Padilla said in a city hearing on the commission. The commission will consist of 15 members appointed by the council, all of whom must be immigrants, refugees, or first-generation Americans. One spot will also be reserved for someone under the age of 25 to emphasize youth representation. The group's goal will be to advise the city on issues of common concern to immigrants. Barroso de Padilla said the commission would be responsible for recommending board seats and commissions throughout the city and could serve as an advisory group for issues such as housing, transportation, public safety, and budget allocations. This commission may be new for Columbus, but it's not the first of its kind in Ohio. How to register or update your voter registration for this November's election "A commission of this type is not something that is new or has not occurred in other parts of Ohio," Christopher Maitland from the council's Legislative Research Office said in the hearing. "Under Gov. [John] Kasich, the State of Ohio established the Office of Opportunities for New Americans and the New Americans Advisory Committee." Immigration has been a hot-button issue in Ohio as of late, with former President Donald Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance giving a national spotlight to false claims about Haitian migrants in Springfield. An out-of-state nonprofit is now bringing criminal charges against the pair for their role in spreading the disinformation. Barroso de Padilla said the timing was purely coincidental, though she used the events in Springfield to make a point. "No one is going to argue that we don't have a broken immigration system," Barroso de Padilla said. "Since the founding of this country, immigrants have been coming here and making this country better. That is often the dialogue that is left out of the conversation and then what it does is what happens in Springfield. It sets forth a dangerous narrative that is dangerous for everyone in the community." Barroso de Padilla emphasized her belief that immigrants and refugees are a positive addition to a community. As a first-generation American herself, she said immigrant, refugee, and migrant affairs were one of the platforms that got her elected. Arrest made after threat against Noble County homecoming dance "When you look at cities like a Springfield, across the country we see that immigrants are boosting the economy because they're adding people to the country," Barroso de Padilla said. "A city like Columbus that relies on income tax to fund city services, having more people is helpful." If approved next week, the Commission on Immigrant Affairs will begin work in 2025.