Mississippi is a typical American southern state.

No state epitomizes the American South better than Mississippi: First-time visitors are often struck by how friendly residents are -- the "southern hospitality" for which this part of the country is famous. They’re also likely to be amazed (and far less pleased) at the year-round heat and humidity.

In September, a poll conducted by The Pioneer Press and Minnesota Public Radio found that Minnesotans, by 42 percent to 37 percent, believed that the cost of helping immigrants start their new lives outweighed their economic, social and other contributions.