How easy was it to immigrate to NYC around the time Statue of Liberty was built?

You are very, very mistaken. I was responding to you in my comment as you were describing a scenario where someone with no relevant job skills and no family in the USA cannot get a visa to the USA. My comment is that someone in that category has no business in the USA in the first place. However, if someone wanted to start the process and get a life in the USA, they could get an immigrant work visa as I've described. Just read everything on this site if you have any more questions. It may take time do to quotas,but it'll be worth the wait to start the process. The other one we haven't mentioned is the student visa, which is very common, or even military service in the US forces, which is less common. Both of which can get a person in the USA for 4-5 years upon which time they might develop relationships (marriage to a legal resident), apply for citizenship through naturalization, etc.

Anyway here's the info you all seek. https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process.html

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