Legal Immigrants

             Contrary to derogatory stereotypes that immigration proves to be a detrimental aspect of society, immigrant work ethic, dedication, and contributions (through taxes) serve as a crucial role in the New York State economy. After traveling thousands of miles and leaving all familiarities behind, these people come to a new country only to be met by social, vocal, political and economic barriers. Though some states (such as New York) are more accommodating then others, immigrants vigorously strive to achieve the “American Dream” which in turn provides an economic stimulus for the environment in which they live. This is done in several ways including, a larger work force with an extremely contagious incomparable work ethic, an increase in taxes paid to the government and local municipalities, and an increase in local consumerism.

            Two reasons New York State serves as an ideal destination for immigrants and is so accommodating are the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) and the view on immigration held by the state officials. The NYIC provides a variety of vital services to the immigrant population, which may appear nearly impossible to obtain in other states across the nation. Having been founded in 1987, the New York Immigration Coalition has emerged into a powerful advocacy voice whose “priorities include fighting for broad legalization and comprehensive immigration reform measures; increasing the availability of key integration services such as English language and literacy programs, legal services, and citizenship classes; combating discrimination and ensuring civil rights and workplace protections; and improving immigrants’ access to quality health care, education, and safe and affordable housing”[i]. In addition to alleviating the conditions of established immigrants, this organization assists in eliminating many of the barriers immigrants face upon arrival. In an effort to increase political power and provide a larger legal legislative voice for the immigrant population, over 100 voter education events are held annually which has registered over 235,000 new citizens to vote. Similarly, the New York Immigration Coalition attempts to eradicate language as an immigration barrier by producing educational materials in twelve different languages. These documents contain critical information regarding law developments, the citizen process, voting abilities, school registration and health care access[ii].

            Although the NYIC aspires to exterminate all immigration hardships, cooperation of the New York State government is essential. Luckily, respected politicians such as Mayor Bloomberg recognize the colossal role immigrants’ supply in the NYS economy and the necessity for their sustainability. This is seen through statements such as: “This city and this country were built by immigrants. Thrive on immigrants. And without more immigrants we don’t have a future.”[iii] For this reason, Mayor Bloomberg has recently issued a new executive order that establishes basic principles city agencies must abide by serving constituents who cannot yet speak English fluently. Consequently, each agency will be required to convey information into a more basic and understandable form, in addition to translating important forms into the city’s six most commonly spoken languages.

            Economically, immigrants provide both, a dedicated work force (which contributes to New York’s tax department and the organizations which relay on it) and consumers on which many companies rely. According to Mayor Bloomberg, “recent studies put the lie to the old argument that immigrants take jobs away from native-born Americans and significantly depress wages.“[iv] In fact, reports have shown that “the average incomes of first to second-generation Americans ($26,800) are virtually identical to those of third-and-higher-generation Americans ($26,900)”[v]. Today after breaching many barriers through an outstanding work ethic, immigrants comprise a quarter of all CEOs who live in New York City, over a third of the architects and half of the accountants. Upstate New York where immigrants only represent five percent of the population, they account for twenty percent of university professors and more then thirty five percent of physicians and surgeons[vi]. The researchers of the Fiscal Policy Institute found that these immigrants as well as others (who compose over twenty percent of the State’s population) added $229 billion to the economy is 2006 alone and accounted for 22.4 percent of New York’s gross domestic product[vii].

            Similarly, in contrast to beliefs that immigrants “take advantage” of the American Nation’s government’s assistance programs many of these services are in reality, heavily funded by immigrants living in New York State. In NYS, immigrants on average contribute more then $19.3 billion in taxes. Of this amount about 69 percent or $13.3 billion is paid to the federal government in the forms of income tax, social security tax and unemployment insurance. The remaining $6 billion dollars is allocated to state and local governments. [viii]

            In an interview with a legalized immigrant from Sweden working in the Baruch library, much was learnt in regards to the work ethic of immigrants. Asǎ (pronounced Oh-say) reported her average of workday consisted of approximately 16 hours. The first half of the day is spent working in Baruch College in the student library. The second half of her workday is allocated to working for a television productions company. When asked why so many hours were spent working, Asǎ responded: “I just wouldn’t feel right living off other people’s money and I’ve was just always taught to pay my own way”. Although the amount of hourly labor provided by Asǎ is unlike the average American, Asǎ agrees the amount she consumes is highly comparable. With the little time left for personal relaxation, “shopping is definitely one of the more fun things to do”.

            With such of an immense amount of positive attributes stemming from immigrants, one must question the negative outlook on immigration. Do people candidly believe immigrants similar to Asǎ are truly detrimental to society? Or, are people simply fearful of an increase in highly motivated individuals competing in the same market?

SOURCES

New York Blood Center

            The staff and volunteers of the New York Blood Center are heroes in the truest form. In addition to its staff, the NYBC relies on the generosity of 2000 volunteers donating blood daily. With over 40 years of experience, the New York Blood Center provides the New York & New Jersey states with the “highest quality transfusion products and services, as well as leading-edge research, technological and medical care innovation, and education in the field of transfusion medicine.”  With the mission to save the lives of potentially 20 million people, these staff members are today’s true heroes.

            Unlike most people, the staff and volunteers of the NYBC walk the walk instead of talking the talk. For many it is easy to sympathize with the problems of the world and their neighbors. For the NYBC however, only sympathizing just doesn’t cut it. They see what needs to be done, and achieve it. Their hard work and dedication isn’t the only thing that separates them from other New York City heroes. Unlike like the heroes of our past, their work encourages others to take up arms as well and become heroes too.

           From personal experience, these leaders are relentless. I had scheduled an appointment to donate blood about 2 years ago and have been receiving calls about twice a week since to continue doing so ever since. According to the NYBC, “being busy isn’t an excuse not to save a life”, which is why when this excuse is given, they fit the donation time into your personal schedule.

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Immigration Through Ellis Island – Award Winning Documentary Video Film

New York: Ellis Island

            New York has many prominent features and attributes in comparison to other places around world. Its history, diverse culture, symbols, willingness to accept others and landmarks may be seen throughout many places in the city. This place of opportunity has many places rich in history and culture which enhance its beauty. Because New York has so gracefully acquired and obtained these attributes over decades of time, many of these characteristics have become so intertwined, that their very existence has become based off each other. Ellis Island is a clear representative of these attributes and is greatly associated with New York. This is due to the massive amount this island has contributed to New York’s culture.

            While walking down the streets of New York, one has the ability to see and embrace cultures from all over the world. Unlike most places in America, New York’s population is too diverse to be categorized as a specific people or culture. One might say the New York culture is a mixture of those which exist around the world. Primarily, this is due to the immense amount of people with immigrated ancestry. Statistically, about 50 percent of Americans can trace their genealogy to at least one person who passed through Ellis Island. Historically, Ellis Island was home to the immigrations and served as the primary immigration facility from January 1, 1892 until 1924. During these years, over 25 million people entered America through this New York port[1]. This island enabled the United States government to medically review and assess the morals of immigrants in an isolated area as opposed to the original immigration location (which was known as the “Castle Garden Immigration Depot’ in Manhattan). One immigrant accounts it as a place where “a bunch of people speaking many different languages were gathered in one place”.

            New York’s diverse culture is a result of the combination of the emigrated ethnicities derived from other countries. Today about 10 percent of New York City’s population is of Asian origin and 25.5 percent of European origin[2]. The mixture of the various ethnic backgrounds brought through the Ellis Island port has created a city resembling countries from around the world. “Little Italy” for example is filled with Italian culture through restaurants and cuisines with its recipes and décor resembling that of Italy’s. Similarly, “China Town” is comprised of Asian culture with many streets and restaurants bearing signs actually written in the Asian languages.

            Because Ellis Island empowered people to come to a new home while at the same time, retaining their ethnic culture or religion, it has become another one of America’s symbols of true liberty. Un-shockingly this symbol of true freedom and hope is located only ½ a mile away from the Statue of Liberty (although many often confuse the Statue of Liberty to reside on Ellis Island). The association between the two is undeniable. The Statue of Liberty (given to America by France) serves as a beacon of hope and opportunity to the entering immigrants. This symbolic statue was intended to represent freedom from tyranny and slavery which is what immigrants acquire once they have gone through the Ellis Island Port.

            The immense amount of immigrants to pass through Ellis Island displays New York’s ability to accept and embrace people of all origins. Only about 2 percent of the millions of immigrants who requested access were denied. Rejection was a mainly a result of two possible scenarios. Either the person was diagnosed with contagious diseases or one was perceived to be a threat to society. To these people it was known as the “Island of Tears”. Despite this name however, immigrants were “treated courteously and respectfully, and were free to begin their new lives in America after only a few short hours on Ellis Island”[3]. Even though the facilities ready and available could not accommodate or sustain the massive amount of immigrants, New York did not turn them away as a result. Instead, workmen (primarily masons and carpenters) were struggling to create new facilities such as hospitals, dormitories, kitchens and others on a constant basis. Similarly, today, one may see little stores or shops “crammed” between two “normal” sized buildings. This is because New Yorkers will always find a way to accommodate ones needs rather then turn them away.  

            Today, Ellis Island is a national landmark (which was declared in 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson) and after undergoing the largest restoration in U.S. history (using about 160 million dollars), was reopened as a museum to the public. The 160 million dollar restoration was primarily obtained through various donations made to the Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation. Today, about 2 million people visit and pay tribute to the past of Ellis Island annually.

Walking down Wall Street can be filled with astonishment, hope, excitement, despair, and frustration all at the same time. If a stroll-type walk is what someone is looking for; this isn’t the place for them. The average pace at which people walk seems as though it is roughly ten to eleven times faster then the speed of any other street. People are always in a rush, whether they’re trying to get in their last trade, get to a meeting, or trying to catch the next 2 train. The only people who appear not to fit this description, are the tourists who photograph what would seam like the most meaningless (i.e. the street signs) or forgotten items (i.e. the statue of George Washington). Because of this, your walk becomes strategy based, needing to plan two or three steps ahead, trying to figure out where and when you can “cut people off” or “switch lanes”. One might compare walking on Wall Street to driving on the Autobahn (a Germany based highway with no speed limit or restrictions).

Walking down Wall Street can be filled with astonishment, hope, excitement, despair, and frustration all at the same time. If a stroll-type walk is what someone is looking for; this isn’t the place for them. The average pace at which people walk seems as though it is roughly ten to eleven times faster then the speed of any other street. People are always in a rush, whether they’re trying to get in their last trade, get to a meeting, or trying to catch the next 2 train. The only people who appear not to fit this description, are the tourists who photograph what would seam like the most meaningless (i.e. the street signs) or forgotten items (i.e. the statue of George Washington). Because of this, your walk becomes strategy based, needing to plan two or three steps ahead, trying to figure out where and when you can “cut people off” or “switch lanes”. One might compare walking on Wall Street to driving on the Autobahn (a Germany based highway with no speed limit or restrictions).

Traveling speed and maneuver ability don’t however shield you from the structures that surround you. One can’t help but feel astonished after seeing some of the most famous buildings in the world. These buildings include (but are not limited to); Federal Hall, Trinity Church, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and The Trump Building (A.K.A the “Crown Jewel of Wall Street).  All of these places and what they symbolize can amaze and bring hope to the most depressed of people.  Federal Hall, home of the first meeting of Congress, the inauguration of our first president, and where “The Stamp Act congress” met to protest “taxation without representation”[1], re-affirms our belief in democracy, even in the hardest of times such as these. Similarly, the Trump building (located at 40 Wall Street) symbolizes America’s strength and stability. It does so by standing strong even after being struck by a Coast Guard Aircraft in 1946[2].

In comparison to the structures on Wall Street, a person can be filled with excitement, sparked from the most basic understanding of being amidst the financial district of the world. In fact, Wall Street has become so intertwined with today’s economic basis and the concept of  banking/ trading pieces of large corporations; all of the world refers to their financial woes as Wall Street’s problem (whether the firms they refer to are physically based on Wall Street or not). Additionally, a more shallow form excitement is fashioned as you see the CEOs from all of the corporations you see on the news, or seeing someone like Kramer from “Mad Money” simply walking down the street. A paparazzi buffet with “financial hot-shots” as the primary course is served to the public.  

Adversely, it can be very nerve-wrecking or spur a feeling of despair seeing those who represent America’s largest corporations filing for chapter eleven, or the average stock brokers walking out of the NYSE building (those who still trade on the “floor”) highly depressed. These symbolic figures, who once stood so tall and proud wearing this week’s newest Armani suite jackets, now look as though they had just walked out of New Orleans’s hurricane Katrina without any sense of pride, fearing they are being judged by all of their fellow peers. Besides the visual cause of despair, chanting of people known to be in the most desperate of times are nearly impossible to ignore.  Whether they’re screaming “Bail out the PEOPLE not the banks!” or “Lower taxes for those who deserve them” [not CEOs or others making more then they are], people almost always stop to look.

Seeing these Wall Street icons as representation of despair, brings frustration to those who know the true greatness of Wall Street and the endless possibilities it creates. Knowing what was accomplished in the past by these figure types makes one contemplate how these people allowed themselves and the economy they are associated with walk the path it has. Because its greatness is so widely known, and the evidence of its icons not meeting their potential is so conclusive, the only logical emotion that can be derived is pure frustration.

Although several emotions which appear to contradict each other may be generated while walking down Wall Street, a single individual may feel them all simultaneously, even though that person may seem to traveling at too fast a past to absorb his or her surroundings. This can be attributed to the fact that everything on Wall Street represents something individually, and something completely different, collectively. A simple walk to work down Wall Street has the ability to be more emotionally straining then the work you are walking towards.

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