Question

Why did immigrants support political machines?

Answer 1

The political machines found them to be easy targets for gaining power.

Explanation:

One of the great examples of this can be found in the Kennedy family. John F. Kennedy's great grand father, John Fitzgerald, was a ward boss in a section of Boston inhabited mostly by newly arrived Irish. He was known as "Honey Fitz" and he would promise the local Irish almost anything to get them to vote for their candidate. The most famous of these was his helping James Michael Curley being elected mayor of Boston to succeed, himself, John Fitzgerald.

Prior to John Fitzgerald Boston politics had been dominated by the Republican party.