Immigration in New York

Immigration in New York

I was born 23 years ago in the Dominican Republic, an island located in the Greater Antilles. There is a saying from my country that goes "Mi tiera mi corazon" meaning my country my love, which explain exactly how I felt about the Dominican Republic. To me the Island of Santo Domingo is the greatest in the World; there are beautiful people, gorgeous weather and all the mangoes I could have eaten. Then one day my parents gave me the bad news, they were moving to this place called New York, they told my brother and me that they would send for us later. That was 12 years ago and now here I am living in New York, the greatest city in the world, next to my Santo Domingo. When I was younger New York seemed as big as the world, I often heard my parents talked about how New York had so many jobs, and was the richest place in the world. I could not wait to see how this place was. No one told me that New York had a crime rate higher than the Empire state building, no one told me that certain New Yorkers would hate me because of my color, no one told me how New York eats one of it's children, for every orphan it took in.

As a first generation immigrant this topic is dear to my heart, because I know it first hand. This paper will deal with the history of immigration in New York, specifically the later part of the twentieth century. I will look at the history of this great city and how it impacted us, and how Immigrants have contributed to its mystique, color and vibrancy. I will also discuss specific neighborhoods, the people who live there, and their impact on the economy. I will also discuss the recent anti-immigration trend like Proposition 187.

The middle colonies had a well-earned reputation for cu...

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