Although the number of  immigrant residents has been falling across the nation,  the Census Bureau reports that Massachusetts immigration is on the rise. Other states, such as California, Florida and Rhode Island  have seen no where near MA’s 2.5% increase in the immigrant population.  It is estimated that 14% of the population in Massachusetts is made up of immigrants; researchers suggest that they are more likely to be here legally and are more educated than immigrants in other states. Only about 20% of Massachusetts’ immigrant pool are here illegally, compared to the national average of 33%. However, if the economy does not improve next year, it’s possible that some of these immigrants will return home due to unemployment.

Framingham, MA has a large immigrant group, roughly 25% of the town’s population. A large number of these individuals are from Brazil.