Immigrants in Urban AmericaBefore the turn of the 19th century, foreigners immigrated to the United States of America in three main waves (Chudacoff, Smith, & Baldwin, 2015, p. 101). The reasons to come to America are immeasurable; nevertheless, it can be assumed that the immigrants had become dissatisfied with their country of origin. Moreover, their reasons were accompanied by habits, behaviors and cultures acquired in their place of birth (Handlin, 1959, p.20). Immigrants learned about the American dream through word-of-mouth information in casual conversations, seeing the idealized advertising posters of cheerfulness on the decks of immigrant ships, and reading letters from relatives and friends living already in America. How do immigrants? The first wave occurred from the 1840s to the 1880s. The second wave occurred from the 1880s, peaked around 1910, and declined after 1924, when U.S. legislation ended the unrestricted influx. Finally, the third wave began in 1965 with reform legislation, strengthened in the 1990s and continues today (Chudacoff et al, 2015, p101). The ethnicity of first and second wave immigrants consisted of five main groups: German and Irish Catholics, English Protestants, Germans, and Scandinavians. Immigrants often relied on a process of “chain migration” in which early arrivals sent information and money home to help secure passage for their family and friends to the New World. Many immigrants could not go beyond their port of arrival due to lack of money. They would use previously learned skills to find immediate employment. Many immigrants have branched out to various cities across the United States in search of immediate employment. It was not uncommon for an entire family to work together to earn enough money to support a family member wishing to immigrate to America. The practice of one family member going ahead, securing their place in America, and then saving money to bring other family members to America was common. Nearly 95 percent of immigrants arriving at Ellis Island were joining friends or family. Prepaid tickets were popular: in 1890, between twenty-five and fifty percent of all immigrants arriving in America held prepaid tickets. Then, in 1901, between 40 and 65 percent came from money sent from the United States.