New Immigrants and Ethnicity: A Preliminary Research Report on Immigrants in Queens.

This research report summarizes data on six immigrant groups residing in the New York City borough of Queens: Colombians, Greeks, Italians, Koreans, Indians, and Israelis. Data on which this report is based include aggregate qualitative data, analysis of previous surveys, data from other projects and public agencies, and a review of scholarly and journalistic literature on immigration and ethnic communities, especially in New York City. The data suggest that unlike earlier waves of immigrants to New York, immigrants since 1965 have settled in the outlying boroughs rather than in the central core. Further, new immigrants in Queens tend to cluster geographically in a rather large, demarcated, multiethnic sector. Data on occupation in country of origin (drawn from records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and from case studies) indicate that new immigrants are well prepared to enter an urban setting in which the occupational structure is geared toward white collar, technical, and professional labor. However, the case studies show that there is a large gap between preparation, expectation, and actual experience; a majority of immigrants in the cases analyzed found employment only in the secondary labor market. Finally, a preliminary analysis of immigrant occupation and support systems indicates that the most self-conscious forms of ethnic identity are associated with higher socioeconomic status. (Author/GC)