Immigration refers to people’s international movement to countries that they do not
possess citizenship to settle in those countries as permanent citizens (Alberto, Miano, &
Stantcheva, p 2). Immigration dates back to the 17th century and was used to mean people's
movement between the emerging nation-states. People are called immigrants or migrants from
the foreign country's perspective and emigrants or outmigrants from their country of origin.
Research shows that about 214 million people globally lived in foreign countries as of 2015
(Loren & Achiume, p 1184). Today, the largest number of immigrants at nineteen percent live in
the United States, followed by Germany and Russia as the third (Loren & Achiume, p 1184). The
factors influencing immigration include urbanization, wars, natural disasters, lack of job
opportunities in countries of origin, and population growth. Although Boston has had its fair
share of difficult times in the past, it is incredible how the city has always bounced back and
emerged stronger than ever before. This paper aims to discuss how Boston's unique history,
geography, and ethnic mix contributed to its transformation. It will also discuss the challenges
facing Boston city today and the most effective ways to address the challenges.
There are four main types of immigration in the United States: temporary visitor,
undocumented immigrant, Lawful Permanent Resident, and citizen (Mejer para 2). Immigrants
are referred to as temporary visitors if they obtain visas to live in the United States for a specified period and a specific purpose (Mejer para 9). This means that such visas have got expiry dates
implying that if the holder fails to renew, they become an illegal immigrant. Undocumented
immigrants live in the United States without permission in the form of a green card or visa
(Mejer para 10). A Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) describes a person who has permission to
live and work in the United States by having a green card (Mejer para 4). Lastly, a citizen is born
in the United States but raised in a different country (Mejer para 3). A united states citizen is
entitled to federal benefits such as health insurance, social services, and education loans.
Boston's unique history and geography
The city of Boston was founded in 1630 by the puritan colonialists from England
(Lawrence, p 169). The city was soon made a commercial, educational, political, financial, and
religious center for the New England region. However, the American Revolution gained
momentum, and war erupted in 1775 (Lawrence, p 170). Although the British bowed to pressure
and left the city in 1776, the war seriously damaged the city, and so did its economy. Following
what was later called the Boston Massacre, the city's population fell by two thirds in the 1770s
(Lawrence, p 170). Boston did not recover until after 1800 with the city's re-establishment as a
transportation center (Lawrence, p 174). Notably, Boston later became an intense financial center
financing the construction of railroad networks nationwide. Apart from the Boston Massacre,
other difficult times in the city's history include the Siege of Boston, the Boston Tea Party
protests, and the Battle of Bunker Hill. The topography of Boston city was shaped by glaciers
that have covered the land during the last ice age; deepwater harbors and modest hills cover
significant parts of the city. The beautiful scenery may also have been a factor that attracted the
high number of immigrants living there. Immigration in Boston City;

The ethnic mix in Boston CityImmigration has transformed Boston into what it is today. After the city survived the
difficult times, which saw the population decline, it opened doors for immigrants. As of today,
Boston is home to thousands of racial or ethnic minorities. The immigrants have also been found
to play a critical role in the region's economy's growth. This is because about eighty percent of
immigrants have been associated with an increased labor force in the city since 1990 (Irons, para
14). It is also evident that most of the immigrants invest in real estate and international trade.
Moreover, a study conducted among the immigrants revealed that every dollar earned by them
stays in the adopted communities. This means that the immigrants managed to create a business
where they work with their families. It is estimated that the immigrants own more than 5,700
different kinds of small businesses in Boston, creating more than 13,000 job opportunities
(Menino, p 14). Interestingly, small-scale businesses help immigrants to generate nearly 1.3
billion through sales every year. This translates to about $1.8 billion to the regional product and
nearly $ 114 million in State Federal Taxes (Menino, p 14). Immigration in Boston City;
According to a research study published by the Boston Globe newspaper, about ninety-
one percent of Boston's new population come from international immigration to the region
(Irons, para 13). In other words, more than a quarter of the population in the region is foreign-
born, meaning that without the immigrants, the Massachusetts population would be considerably
declining. Boston hosts the fifth-largest foreign-born population among the largest States in
America (Menino, p 2). Most of the city immigrants come from countries such as China, India,
Brazil, and the Dominican Republic (Irons, para 20). Between the years 1980 and 2000, the
population of East Boston grew from 4 % to 50 %. This means that the Latinos make up 39.5 of
the residents of East Boston (Jimenez & Boston Redevelopment Authority, p 2). The 2000 census results noted that Boston is a multilingual city as there are about 140 different languages
spoken in the city, with Spanish being the commonly spoken language.
The city is regarded as a world leader in higher education as it hosts many Colleges and
Universities. It is estimated that one in every four children in Massachusetts is either an
immigrant or a child of an immigrant (Jimenez & Boston Redevelopment Authority, p 3). The
immigrants have also been a significant source of both high-skill and low-skill labor in Boston
city. Research studies claim that immigrants accounted for about eighty-two percent of labor
growth in Massachusetts State since the mid-1980s. Boston city is also said to have the highest
cost of living in the United States, meaning that it has a significant economic contribution to
Massachusetts states and America at large. Immigration in Boston City;
Challenges facing Boston today
Despite being a city where the minority has extensive involvement in significant
activities, the Boston city immigrants face many challenges. For instance, one of the most
significant challenges faced by immigrants in Boston is under-representation. This means that
they are not usually represented in either government or executive board rooms. Secondly,
Bostonians hold the skewed perception that Boston is a white city (Sutherland, para 13). In other
words, many non-white people fear living in Boston due to the likelihood of racial
discrimination. Thirdly, only a small percentage of the Boston immigrants at thirty percent have
achieved at least a middle-class standard of living (Sutherland, para 13). This is quite unfortunate
and a paradox as about forty-eight of native-born individuals have better living standards.
However, they have not had many contributions to the economic development of Boston city. Immigration in Boston City;

The high cost of housing is another challenge facing Boston city. It is estimated that by
2030, the cost of housing in the city will have increased by thirty-six percent (Sutherland, para
5). This means that the city's leadership is not doing enough to offer affordable housing to its
residents. Additionally, the city registers the highest cases of violence (Sutherland, para 13). For
instance, homicides, murder, lynching are typical in the state, which increases security concerns.
People in the city attributed the high rate of violence to substance use and lack of adequate
mental health facilities. Additionally, the residents express their dissatisfaction with the city's
criminal justice system. Other challenges include a lack of well-paying jobs and climate change.Immigration in Boston City;
Recommendations on how to address these challenges
First, the government of Massachusetts should expand existing regulations to ensure the
representation of immigrants in government. This is because representation is a form of
empowerment that will help immigrants move to the next level. Secondly, Boston's leadership
should come out to address the negative perception that people have about the city. This would
go a long way in attracting more diverse people to a beautiful city. Thirdly, the government
should enact laws that provide more immigrants with better standards of living. This would help
bring about equality between the people born in the city and those born elsewhere but live in the
city. Fourthly, Massachusetts' government should enact policies that set a maximum amount that
residents should pay as house rent. This would prohibit house owners from extorting the
immigrants in the city. The sixth recommendation is to enhance security and the safety of all
Bostonians. Lastly, the government should make some changes in the city's criminal justice and
ensure that Bostonians have faith. Immigration in Boston City;
In conclusion, immigration means people's international movement to countries that they
do not possess citizenship to settle in those countries as permanent citizens. The four types of immigration in the United States, include temporary visitor, undocumented immigrant, Lawful
Permanent Resident, and citizen. The history of Boston dates back in the 1630s and was began
by the puritan colonialists from England. Immigrants have had a significant contribution to the
growth and transformation of Boston city. The immigrants have influenced the economic growth
of the city, labor growth, and access to skilled labor. However, Boston is experiencing challenges
such as high cost of housing, non-representation, and low standards of living among the
immigrants. The most effective ways to handle the challenges include enactment of policies that
ensure all Bostonians are equally represented in government, access affordable housing, and
those that achieve better living standards. More