Since the beginning of human civilization, people have been natural migrants. There are many reasons why people leave their country, however the search for a better life is the most common reason for making the decision. In this work I will analyze the problems faced by immigrants from Europe in the United States of America in the period from the end of the 19th century to the present day. My aim is to draw the attention of those who are thinking of living in the USA with the intention of making them aware of what they will experience. During the 19th century, Europe experienced a sharp phase of industrialization that broke down the agriculture-based society, without a public policy to allow people to join the new economic system, consequently a significant number of the population migrated to the United States hoping to find a better life. Today, the reasons that drive people to emigrate to the United States are changing radically, but the goal is still the same. Discrimination against immigrants began before they reached their destination. Nearly 12 million people emigrated to America between 1892 and 1924. During the journey from Europe to America, immigrants were forced to travel tightly together in confined areas of the ship, without adequate food or medical care. They could not enter the United States until they had passed a medical inspection, so when the ship arrived, the immigrants were taken to Ellis Island to prove whether they were sufficiently suited to the American style of work. 250,000 people (about 2%) failed the test. For them, repatriation was mandatory. The vast majority of immigrants, regardless of ethnicity, were subject to discrimination. Even though they had the same qualification...... half of the paper......tion. Racism is a trauma that has affected all races and, as a result, a lack of trust exists between them. As experts say: “Experiences of discrimination are now recognized as a major stressor that can impact the physical and mental health of ethnic people. minority youth and adults…. Adolescents who perceive themselves as chronic targets of the mistreatment of others often lose confidence in themselves and in their capacity for self-efficacy." In conclusion, European migration contributed in many ways to building American society, but at the same time it grew divided into different social classes creating a system where discrimination was present in everyday life. Today we can say that institutionally discrimination has been overcome, in fact America has its first black president, but this contrasts with the reality shown on American streets.