NEW YORK—They are doctors and nurses, they drive your taxis, and they make up 43 percent of the city's workforce. Immigrants, an integral part of the city's economy and culture bring in nearly a third of the gross city product, reveals a report released by New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli on Wednesday.

America has been deemed the land of opportunity and New York City remains the beacon of this ideal.

"That tradition of New York City being viewed as a place of opportunity and a place where immigrant stories become wonderful American success stories, that is still the case," said DiNapoli during a press conference at Baruch College, City University of New York.

"New York City was built by immigrants, and what we find in our report is that immigration continues to drive our economy," he said.

The report, "The Role of Immigrants in the New York City Economy," highlights statistics of New York City's immigrant community. The population of immigrants in NYC doubled to 3 million between 1970 and 2008, while the native-born population decreased by 1 million.

Household income for immigrants in NYC is increasing faster than inflation. Between 1990 and 2007, the median household income increased from $23,900 in 1990 to $45,000 in 2007.

"I think a report like this underscores the fact that newcomers to the city have had a very, very strong and positive impact on the city, certainly when measured in terms of economic activity and economic success," said DiNapoli.

He said that amidst the economic lull, a steady flow of immigrants was still coming to the city. DiNapoli added, "economic challenges have not just been limited to New York and the United States—they've been global. What would motivate people to come here would obviously be connected to what kind of conditions are in their home countries."

The majority of immigrants in NYC live in Queens, where they compose more than half of the workforce. In Brooklyn, they compose 48 percent of the workforce and are the majority of workers in social services, health, and leisure.

According to District 26 Councilman James Van Bramer in Queens, many immigrants are starting their own businesses. He added, "Those small businesses then employ so many people in our neighborhood and are such an important part of keeping Sunnyside, Woodside vibrant."

Before working as a councilman, Bramer worked in the Queens Public Library. He said the library became one of the best in the country "because we, very early on, knew how important it was to recognize, appreciate, and celebrate the diversity in Queens and our new immigrants. That model is one that governments should replicate and that's exactly what I plan to do."