When immigrants come to the United States, many come in search of better economic opportunities, in hopes of being reunited with family, or to be able to practice their religion freely. This diversity in our immigrant population also means that feelings of belonging in a new country and a new city can be distinct for each person as a result of the different immigration experiences that brought them here.
Many of the quotes on this page address the issue of how immigrants and refugees have come to perceive American customs, values, and institutions, how they differ from those of their country of origin, and how that has affected their integration. It is possible to detect variation in the sense of belonging based on how long immigrants have lived here, the degree of their economic success, and whether or not family or an ethnic enclave is present. Some immigrants, depending on the conditions under which they left, also continue to have strong feels of attachment to their native countries. While the sense of belonging—of identifying as an American or a New Yorker—is not easily quantified, many of the following interview quotes shed light on this aspect of the integration process.
Click on another subcategory (Immigration Process, Learning English, Encounters with Discrimination, Finding Employment, or Political Participation & Citizenship) to explore other quotations about the immigration process.
