“Without our immigrant neighbors, New York City and the U.S. at large would not exist as they do now”
New York City is marking June’s Immigrant Heritage Month with an “Immigrants Power New York” theme, reminding us how immigrant New Yorkers seeking new lives and opportunities for themselves in the U.S. also contribute to the region’s workforce, economy, and status as one of the most famed cities in the world.
And what better city to tell that story?
“More than 40 percent of U.S. citizens can trace their ancestry back to immigrants who arrived in the United States through Ellis Island,” as the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs notes. Even one of the notoriously anti-immigrant voices around can trace his roots to Ellis Island (but that’s a story for another day).
Today, more than one out of every three New Yorkers is an immigrant, and their households have helped propel New York into one of the top economic contributors in the nation, paying nearly $75 billion in local, state, and federal taxes annually. More than 316,000 New Yorkers are immigrant entrepreneurs, and cumulatively their businesses generate $8.6 billion in total business income.
“The theme this year is ‘Immigrants Power New York’, not just in a metaphorical sense, but literally,” said artist Celia Deming-Bernstein, who created the art to accompany this year’s theme. “Without our immigrant neighbors, New York City and the U.S. at large would not exist as they do now.”
Events honoring our immigrant neighbors have been underway all over the country, with more scheduled all throughout the month. In Pennsylvania, the Free Library of Philadelphia hosted an Immigrant Heritage Month kickoff to honor two and a half centuries of immigrant contributions to the United States.
“As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, city officials are reframing the milestone as a story not only of the nation’s founding, but of the generations of immigrants who have helped build Philadelphia into what it is today,” Impacto Media reports. The event, held in partnership with the Philadelphia Office of Immigrant Affairs, featured community guests who spoke to how the city’s immigrant story is “lived and renewed every day,” the report said.
According to Pew, immigrant Philadelphians account for nearly 16% of the population, which is the highest level in 80 years. In fact, immigrants have “single-handedly stemmed the tide of depopulation,” The Welcoming Center CEO Anuj Gupta said last year. These community members “generated $7.4 billion in consumer spending and paid $2.3 billion in taxes in 2024, demonstrating substantial economic clout,” the Economy League noted in February.
In Tennessee – where the foreign-born population has doubled in a decade – a display made up of hundreds of walking shoes serves as a poignant reminder of the “sacrifice and resilience exhibited by immigrants and refugees who have come to the United States and have settled in Nashville,” WSMV reports. Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) also reminds us that it’s no coincidence that Pride Month falls on the same month as Immigrant Heritage Month. The “power, joy, and resilience of our LGBTQIA+ immigrant and refugee members” make “our community strong,” TIRRC said.
“The LGBTQIA+ rights and migrant justice movements march together,” TIRRC continued. “We will always defend our shared values of safety, love, and liberation that make Tennessee a place where we can all belong and call home.”
Haitian Bridge Alliance further notes that June also marks Caribbean American Heritage Month, which honors the millions of Caribbean immigrants “whose contributions have helped shape the economic, cultural, political, and social fabric of the United States.”
“Caribbean immigrants represent one of the fastest-growing immigrant populations in the country,” the organization continued. “According to the Migration Policy Institute, the Caribbean immigrant population in the United States has grown by more than 40 percent since 2010, with millions of individuals contributing to America’s workforce, entrepreneurship, healthcare, education, public service, and innovation. Haitians and Jamaicans remain among the largest Caribbean immigrant communities in the nation.”
Proud to represent one of the most diverse Caribbean constituencies in the US & lead policies to support our Caribbean American communities, like defending Haiti TPS.This Caribbean American Heritage Month, we celebrate our Caribbean American neighbors who call the #MA7 home.
— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@pressley.house.gov) 2026-06-07T14:09:31.769Z
In California, the L.A. County Aging & Disabilities Department similarly highlights the critical role that immigrants play in the caregiving industry. “They are the quiet force holding our care system together, providing care, love, stability, and education,” the National Women’s Law Center said last year. “In 2019, 36.5% of all home health aides in the United States were immigrants, a rate that was twice their share of the U.S. workforce overall (17.1%),” the American Immigration Council said in 2023. “This includes undocumented workers, who made up an estimated 6.9% of home health aides and 4.4% of personal care aides.”
Celebrating Immigrant Heritage Month! One-third of L.A. County residents are immigrants and their impact is immense. Every older adult, person with a disability, & caregiver deserves to navigate their community with dignity regardless of their birthplace. #LACountyAD #ImmigrantHeritageMonth
— Los Angeles County Aging & Disabilities Department (AD) (@lacountyad.bsky.social) 2026-06-04T15:25:13.617729317Z
In Washington state, Refugee & Immigrant Services Northwest is among local voices applauding the Snohomish County Council’s proclamation recognizing June as Immigrant Heritage Month. The organization’s executive director, Van Dinh-Kuno, said her own immigrant story “is one of the million stories from the refugee and immigrants” who “come to this country.” She was just 17 when she fled Vietnam following the fall of Saigon and, along with her family, spent days in a boat in the Pacific Ocean until they were rescued by the U.S. Navy.
“We’re grateful for the great nation accepting us, allow us to be part of the fabric of the nation, and particular fabric of Snohomish County,” Dinh-Kuno said.
Other social media posts marking Immigrant Heritage Month uplifted upcoming events and ways to participate in the festivities. Global Refuge, for example, wants to know your immigration story:
As we celebrate #ImmigrantHeritageMonth and our nation’s 250-year anniversary, we want to hear from YOU: What’s your American immigration story? 🌎We invite you to send your name, city, and story (<250 words) to [workofwelcome@globalrefuge.org] with the subject line “My American Story.” 💙📨
— Global Refuge (@globalrefuge.bsky.social) 2026-06-01T22:22:02.395595435Z
It's our favorite month of the year! 🎉 Celebrate #ImmigrantHeritageMonth by honoring the vibrant cultures that immigrants bring to our communities.❤️ Learn more: ayuda.com/immigrant-he…
CHIRLA’s guest post on the one year anniversary of the federal government’s anti-immigrant raids in L.A. serves as a reminder of the power of immigrant communities coming together and is worth a read this month:
"Los Angeles is stronger than yesterday because its people chose each other."In a powerful guest post, @chirla-org.bsky.social’s Jorge-Mario reflects on how Angelenos responded to militarized immigration raids with courage and collective action.americasvoicecnn.substack.com/p/stronger-t…
— America's Voice (@americasvoice.bsky.social) 2026-06-04T17:35:52.157Z
#ImmigrantHeritageMonth is a reminder that we are a nation of immigrants. 🦋 From generation to generation, immigrants have helped build this country with courage, resilience, and hope. Their stories are America’s story.
— America's Voice (@americasvoice.bsky.social) 2026-06-01T13:16:07.691Z
No matter what certain opponents might claim, the fact is that immigration is good for the United States. In city after city and state after state, immigrants, regardless of legal immigration status, make more than robust contributions that help sustain federal programs like Medicare and Social Security, fund schools and libraries, and boost local and national economies for the benefit of everybody. In 2023 alone, tax contributions from immigrant community members totaled nearly $562 billion, helping secure a healthier and more secure future for all.
And, unlike the richest Americans in the country, these immigrant workers contribute more than their fair share. Past research from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found that across 40 states, “undocumented immigrants pay higher state and local tax rates than the top 1 percent of households living within their borders.”
Immigrant Heritage Month should serve as a reminder to all of us that our nation can only get ahead if we all get ahead together.
