Mayor Bloomberg says New York needs more immigration and US visa holders

October 26 2009 by Liam Clifford

New York Mayor comes out as praising immigration into the US.

New York’s Mayor Bloomberg has spoken out in favour of US immigration and the positive effects it has had on the city.

Bloomberg himself is the grandson of an immigrant who moved to the US from Russia at the turn of the century, which seems fitting in a city where 40 per cent of inhabitants are foreign-born.

At a recent press conference, at which he revealed plans for a new campaign platform for immigrant communities living in the US, Mayor Bloomberg said, "Immigrants are why New York City became America's economic engine.”

“The next time you walk or drive over the Brooklyn Bridge, remember that it was designed by an immigrant engineer. The next time you ride the subway, or pass the Empire State Building or the Rockefeller Center, remember they were all built by immigrant hands.”

Bloomberg’s latest new measures to help US immigration and find their place in their New York communities are expected to help him win immigrant votes in the upcoming Mayoral elections.

He finished his conference by stating his support for increasing US immigration numbers: "Economically, culturally and socially, we need more immigrants, not less.”

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