"The New Colossus," a sonnet penned by American poet Emma Lazarus in 1883, has long been associated with the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. The poem is inscribed on a bronze plaque located in the base of the colossal statue, which has welcomed the world’s “huddled masses yearning to breathe free” to New York City and America for more than 130 years. New York City remains a city of immigrants. According to American Community Survey data collected between 2007 and 2011, more than 37 percent of New York City residents have relocated to the Big Apple from another country. In fact, the number of foreign-born New Yorkers (more than 3 million people) surpasses the entire population of Chicago, America's third largest city.
New York City's melting pot:
- According to the 2011 data, the top two countries of origin are the Dominican Republic, with about 380,000 residents living in the city, followed by China, with about 350,000 residents.
- The largest concentration of foreign-born New Yorkers is in the Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights, which is home to 80,200 immigrants.
- Between 2000 and 2011, the largest growth areas for immigrant populations were Staten Island, with a 36 percent increase, and the Bronx, which saw a 22 percent increase.