Haverstraw is a town of about 39,000 people in Rockland County, NY, about 25% of whom were born outside of the U.S. While the town has historically seen waves of immigration from countries such as Ireland and Italy, recently new immigrants have come mostly from Latin America, specifically the Dominican Republic. Dominicans account for most of the town’s immigrant population, and you’re just as likely to hear Spanish spoken on the street in Haverstraw as English.
While the town has its own culture and identity, Haverstraw is still within commuting distance of New York City. Immigrants hoping to avoid the expensive real estate market of Manhattan and Queens, for example, should be able to find something more affordable in Haverstraw while still keeping their city salary.
“Dios, Patria, Libertad”
As mentioned, citizens of the Dominican Republic have settled in large numbers in Haverstraw. While many go on to naturalize and become American citizens, their children born in the U.S. are granted U.S. citizenship at birth and can present their birth certificate at the post office when applying for a U.S. passport.
What many fail to realize, however, is that these children also qualify for Dominican citizenship and a Dominican passport. Children born in the U.S. to a Dominican parent can generally apply for a Dominican birth certificate (in Spanish) at the Dominican consulate in New York City. Once the child is granted their Dominican birth certificate, they can apply for their passport at a Dominican consulate in the U.S. or at a passport office in the Dominican Republic. Many other countries, not just the DR, also allow for dual citizenship for children born abroad to citizen parents.
Festivals and Parades
Each August, Haverstraw is host to the United Latin Festival. Immigrants from places such as Mexico, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, and Peru gather to celebrate their Latin heritage, and residents can enjoy the panoply of Latin food, music, and culture. You will be able to enjoy wonderful foods such as lomo saltado (beef stir fry) from Peru, lechon (suckling pig) from Puerto Rico, and a bandeja (arrangement of fried egg, rice, pinto beans, avocado, beef, fried pork belly, plantain, and flatbread) from Colombia or Ecuador.
Many residents also take time to celebrate the Dominican independence day flag raising ceremony on the 27th of February. This is the day in 1844 that the Dominican Republic finally celebrated independence from Haiti, which was a great regional power after earning its own independence from Napoleonic France. As in the U.S., independence day is a time for celebration for many Dominicans, and many cities and towns in the DR have a street named “Calle 27 de Febrero” (February 27th Street).
Haverstraw, NY Immigration Lawyer
If you live or work in Haverstraw and need help with your immigration questions, you should speak with a knowledgeable and compassionate attorney. Please get in touch today. +1 845-288-2435 / info@beaconimmigration.net.
Beacon Immigration PLLC is a law firm located in the Hudson Valley of New York at 6 Eliza Street, Beacon, NY 12508 (Dutchess County).