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American Morning

New Census Report Finds Amazing Rise in Number of Foreign-Born Immigrants in U.S.

Aired May 28, 2002 - 09:37   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, we've been looking at a new census report which finds an amazing rise in the number of foreign-born immigrants living in the U.S.

CNN's Maria Hinojosa is in Sunnyside, Queens, New York., where you don't need a census report to see the changing faces in this one part of America.

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

One million of the residents of Queens call themselves foreign born. Now, it's the highest percentage in the city since 1910.

This is Frank Little's barber shop. He's been here for 30 years he's been the longest time.

Frank, who used to be your neighbors here.

FRANK LITTLE: Romanian, Greek, Spanish, Italians.

HINOJOSA: Italians, OK. Now it's been a little bit of a change. He's been here for 30 years.

But down the street, where we've been kind of hanging out for the rest of the morning, well, it's pretty wild. Here you have got an Indian restaurant, and next to it you've got a Colombian bakery, which is next to an Italian restaurant owned by Ecuadorians. But inside the Colombian bakery, well, it's pretty happening, it's pretty wonderful.

Here you've got all kinds of wonderful delicacies from Columbia. They've got their candies here as well. And here's what's really wonderful, Paula. I'm from Mexico. When I saw this here I said, huh, that's interesting. Champus (ph). In Mexico that would be champu (ph). It's a drink that's very popular.

Hey, how are you doing? Where are you from?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Caribbean.

HINOJOSA: And you like to come in here and get your Colombian coffee.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coffee, yes. HINOJOSA: Yes. It's part of the diversity here. I pulled out here the lecheh (ph) and arapah (ph), and of course choriza empanatas (ph) and mas empadaditas (ph). It's all part of reality that you have if you're a New Yorker, and you're living in Queens, next to Queens boulevard. Best food around, Paula.

You would be here Paola (ph).

ZAHN: Paola (ph), I like that very much. So is the chorizo (ph) for breakfast. Is that how you are going to be dining this morning, or are you going to hold off for a little bit later.

I don't know about me, but definitely, they're selling them a lot. This is what people come in and have for breakfast, a little bit of choriza (ph), a little bit of papa (ph), perhaps some arapah (ph), and if you're really good riholos (ph), beans.

ZAHN: It looks delicious. You're making us all hungry here, Maria.

Thanks so much.

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