The Best Cities in the US for Immigrants

In this article, we look at some of the best cities in the US for immigrants.

As you know, moving to a new country is tricky business. It will naturally take you some time to settle in, and for some people, they never fully settle even after spending years in a country. Also, a new environment, especially in a different culture, may often look and feel somewhat hostile to an immigrant.

The possibility of this increases if the immigrant is coming from a different racial background. The world is doing as much as it can to get rid of racism, but vestiges of it can still be found in various places. As such, it becomes even more important for you and your family to make the right choice for your safety when picking where to travel to.

Additionally, some government policies against immigrants tend to be more strictly enforced in some places than others.

And there are certain cities with a great number of immigrants. These cities are naturally good choices because any newcomer will be safer, more comfortable, and have more opportunities in a place where there is a significant immigrant community.

What are the best and safest cities in the US for immigrants?

If you’re relocating permanently to the US, there’s a chance that you might eventually move to other places, but by then you would be more settled in. You would have a better lay of the land.

But for newcomers, here are the best cities in the US for you to consider.

Chicago, IL

Chicago is one of the best cities in the US for immigrants.

Why is this? It’s simple.

Because it has policies that support them. Chicago is a very welcoming city that offers great sanctuary policies, municipal programs, and public-service campaigns. In short, this means that the city goes out of its way to protect their interests. Newcomers in Chicago can get legal assistance, information on citizenship policy, and even mental health care.

The local government leadership has dedicated itself to policies that promote financial empowerment and inclusiveness within immigrant communities. As a result, over 10% of the more than 1.5 million immigrants in Chicago consider themselves entrepreneurs, also making Chicago one of the best US cities for immigrants to find a professional job.

Also, Chicago police do not question law-abiding residents regarding citizenship status. This way, immigrants can feel way safer here.

Miami, FL

Miami is considered to be one of the United States’ most welcoming cities for immigrants and those looking for a better life.

The city has many immigration settlement services that it provides for newly-arrived foreigners in the United States. Whether you’re in Miami with a work visa, student visa, green card, etc., they want to help you with your education and employment in America.

It also has a large immigrant community. The foreign-born population in the city is 58.3% of the total population. To put this in perspective, at least one of every two people you see in the city was born outside the US.

San Jose, CA

The Mayor of San Jose, California, Sam Liccardo, said:

“We are a city of immigrants; this is a critical thread to our DNA … it is our secret sauce. If we are going to compete in a global marketplace, we need to all be working together.”

This shows you the level of the city’s commitment towards offering assistance to immigrants.

Over the years, San Jose has paved the road to success for immigrants by dedicating itself to removing economic barriers that hinder their progress. By allowing equal access to opportunities and promoting financial empowerment, San Jose has improved the livelihood of its immigrant residents who make up nearly 40% of its metro area’s population.

Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles is one of the most diverse cities in the United States. At least a third of the city’s population (36.9%) is foreign-born.

Recently, Los Angeles declared itself a sanctuary city. Sanctuary cities in the US are cities that are dedicated to supporting immigrants in the country. They often go out of their way to protect them from certain anti-immigrant policies, or at least limit the extent to which they aid the government in executing such laws.

By declaring itself a sanctuary city, Los Angeles has openly made a symbolic gesture of supporting the immigrant population and committing to protect their rights.  it is a city that welcomes immigrants culturally, politically, and institutionally.

New York, NY

New York City is famous in its history for being the gateway for immigrants coming to the US, so it’s little surprise that the city ranks amongst the best cities in the US for immigrants. Given its long history of engaging with immigrant communities, New York has built up strong policies that support immigrants, and the city is led by a government that makes it its mission to provide them with equal opportunities.

The New York metro area boasts an immigrant population of over five million, one of the highest in the country. The foreign-born population is 36.8% of the total.

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco, California’s fourth most populous city, distinguishes itself based on its legal support and civic participation of its immigrant community.

The city got perfect scores on how its law enforcement agencies treated its nearly 1.5 million migrant residents, as well as how likely these residents were to participate in public life as voters or public servants.

In 2017, among 50 of the most populous cities in the United States, San Francisco was declared the friendliest city for immigrants.

Baltimore, MD

Baltimore, Maryland is one of the top cities in the US when it comes to creating opportunities for immigrants, making it a great city for immigrants to find jobs.

On top of that, the city also takes home a perfect score for economic prosperity meaning the jobs migrants have allow them to support both themselves and their families.

In addition to that, Baltimore ranked among the top cities in the country for immigrant integration. This shows that the city is one of the most welcoming and inclusive places in the United States for immigrants. Immigrants to Baltimore become integrated into the economic and social fabric quickly.

Seattle, WA

Seattle, Washington is also one of the sanctuary cities. It stands starkly in support of the immigrant community, with many city policies that exist to protect immigrants, regardless of whether they are legal or illegal. On the city website, they have published answers to frequently asked questions about these policies.

The city has often also published many public comments opposing federal anti-immigration policies.

And employees in the city do not ask about citizenship status. They serve all residents regardless of immigration status.

Boston, MA

Boston’s immigrant population is mostly drawn to the area by the region’s famed universities. As such, they are among the best-educated immigrants in the nation.

The region also has a wide distribution of people from different national origins – rather than a concentration from a particular nation. Of recent arrivals, 17.4 per cent came from Eastern Asia, 13.3 per cent from the Caribbean, 13 per cent from South Central Asia, 11.7 per cent from South America, and 10.5 per cent from Africa.

Also Read: What is the U.S. B-1/B-2 visa?