Mobilities Journal

A Side Effect of COVID-19 in New York City: Migration


New York City is no stranger to migration: its city sees thousands of new faces moving to its bustling streets every year. Its very foundation was built on those coming to Ellis Island as a migration hub for global faces seeking out The American Dream. In modernity, New York City continues to see global households and individuals move to or from New York City, however migration trends in 2020 dramatically changed. New York City, like many other highly populated areas across the world, saw devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and fatal consequences of the disease forced thousands out of their homes. As businesses closed and hospitals filled, city-dwellers were forced to displace for their own safety, and also limited those coming into the city. This changing migration pattern also indicated a more systematic issue as residents of wealthier areas of the city were the most likely to leave, while other more middle-class and low-income areas’ residents were less able to migrate. This disparity is not shocking when we think about mobility justice as we know that the systems embedded into society are set up to provide those who are more privileged more agency in their mobility. This is, of course, not only by physical means, however in these migration trends the physical movement of people related to their wealth have direct implications on their agency and mobility.

Caroline Stone

Contents of this tag:

  1. Borders and Migrations

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