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The Impact Of Immigrants On New York City

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Immigrants are the backbone of New York City. They make a significant portion of the city’s population. Similarly immigrants have been flooding into the city for decades, contributing to the city’s social and economic diversity. This can be seen through the abundance of immigrant restaurants, businesses, and communities. Furthermore, one can hear a copious variety of languages and can immerse themselves into the melting pot that is New York City.
Immigration has a tremendous impact on New York City because immigrants play an important role in the city’s economy as they diversify the small business market and labor force. Additionally they make up a large portion of the urban consumer population. City officials have recognized that some of the immigrants who come to the city become entrepreneurs, work everyday regular jobs such as taxi cab drivers and home cleaners, or have high paying jobs like doctors or nurses. Jobs like these help move and improve the economy of this city. Michael Bloomberg, the former Mayor of New York City, acknowledged that not only do legal immigrants greatly contribute to the economy, but undocumented immigrants as well, stating "Although they (undocumented immigrants) broke the law by illegally crossing our borders ... our city's economy would be a shell of itself had they not…” This could be a reason why New York City is very protective of immigrants and considered to be a sanctuary city, despite it not being one. Since the city officials refuse

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