Research tells us that the bigger the immigrant population in an area, the better the chances that area will experience entrepreneurial success and economic growth.  Thus, Anaheim and its larger surrounding area, which were undeniably built on the backs of immigrants, lead the city to great economic success.  Mexican immigrants built the vast majority of city structures brick by brick whilst road and rail foundations were put together by Chinese and Irish immigrants.  Anaheim continues to be rebuilt and reimagined by immigrants to this day.  However, despite the centrality of immigrants to Anaheim's establishment, racism, bigotry and xenophobia have deep roots in the city's history.  Even though Anaheim was structurally and culturally shaped by citizens, one does not have to dig too far into the history of Anaheim before they encounter events like the Los Angeles Chinese Massacre of 1871, one of the most brutal mass lynchings in American history.  During the massacre, 19 Chinese Immigrants (over 10% of the small Chinese population at the time) were killed.  Moreover, the publication of anti-Irish and anti-Italian sentiments as well as racist jokes about Mexican, Indigenous and Black identities in early local papers was overt and common.  Anaheim, along with California as a whole, had been Americanized to the extent where the Indigenous, Mexican, Chinese and other immigrant laborers were pushed to the sides and nearly erased from their place in California's history.

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However, Anaheim and its surrounding area would be nothing without the immigrants who founded it and continue to reinvent it today.  Tom Tait, a previous mayor of Anaheim, contextualizes the central role of immigrants to our communities today: "along Brookhurst Street in west Anaheim, Arab-Americans have brought authentic restaurants, shops, services and a renewed sense of community.  On Anaheim Boulevard, Mexican-Americans have revived our city’s northern gateway.  The area is the birthplace of Northgate Gonzalez Markets, which today is the region’s leading Hispanic grocer with more than 40 stores across Southern California.  With Orange County unemployment at a 19-year low, [he has] noticed something interesting in Anaheim: Immigrants and the children of immigrants are creating many of our new jobs" (Tait).  150,000 Anaheim residents, or 40% of Anaheim's population, are 1st or 2nd generation Americans.  Immigrants are not only foundational to our history, but to the creation of community and culture today.  Without immigrants, Anaheim and California itself would simply not exist.