History of Latino/a Immigration to the U.S. Essay

The minority individual experiences feelings of discontent and discomfort with group views that may be quite rigid in the resistance and immersion stage. A Latino individual that may form a deep relationship with a person outside their culture may experience considerable pressure from his or her culturally similar peers to break off the relationship because that person is the “enemy.” However, the personal experiences of the individual at

Growing up I knew that being Mexican made me a subordinate group member because I witnessed how my family members struggled to find employment in the United States. “The family has been identified as a primary agent of ethnic socialization

They also have to deal with people calling them names because of their skin color or their birth place. “Americans also accuse Hispanics of stealing their jobs” (Ramos 53) because most Latinos that come here have a job. They also face seeing “racist graffiti on homes or on walls of buildings” (Plunkett 15) and they have to face hate crimes. Plunkett said that “Latinos sometimes get excluded from white communities” (39) because they are Hispanics. Ramos also said that “Latinos are blamed for serious problems the country faces” (195) like the fall of the twin towers. There are reasons for Americans to discriminate Latinos and reasons why they shouldn’t discriminate them.

Race and ethnicity is another important aspect in the nationalism of a nation. In the United States, racial differences are usually based on one’s skin color and physical characteristics as well as one’s origin, and they do not change due to varying classes or cultures (Marger 212). Before the twenty first century, the racial minority were highly discriminated, both socially and economically. But currently, there exist several races in America like the Asians, African Americans, Native Americans and the European Americans. On the other hand, Hispanics are racially assorted and are therefore an ethnic group rather than a race (Marger 133). Language is argued as the sole binder of the Hispanics other than skin color or other physical characteristics. They are in fact of mixed racial ancestry (Arreola 19).

Violence and discriminations against Mexican-Americans was experienced as negative affect that was organized in segregating our society in such places as the labor market, residential setting and in the educational system. Although many countries have overcome, name calling various ethnic groups they also struggled for equality and respect. However, people in America have placed a racial connotation in the minorities groups. Mexican Americans and Mexicans are one of the minorities in America that have been categorized and degrade to derogatory names. They have been considered lazy, dirty, unable to speak English and uneducated. Many people have a wrong image of the Mexican race because of the way they act and the way they dress therefore was assumed that all Mexicans are like that. Segregation has always been an obstacle that made an impact in our society and has change history with laws that outlaw any sort of discrimination towards others. Parents had an important role to changes that have been made in the history. The parents were the first ones to arrive to America because they wanted a better future for their children. Parents find the motivation in helping each other by supporting other parents to fight for their children’s right every step of the way. In the research I have done I will be addressing the many issues that the Mexican and Mexican Americans faced to earn the equality here in America in the labor market, residential

Immigration involves the movement of a group of people from one country to another where they do not possess citizenship. There are many reasons in which people may leave their country such as employment, lack of resources, family, fear due to violence, exile, the American dream. In 1965, Congress changed immigration law in ways that allowed much more intake from Asia and Latin America than earlier. Before 1965, the intake was mostly from Europe. Since then, over half has come from Latin America—28 % just from Mexico. The share of population composed of non-Hispanic whites plunged from 84 % in 1965 to only 62 % in 2015 while Hispanics soared from 4 to 18 %. (Mead, L.M., 2016)

Today, the Hispanic population has grown tremendously over the years. We have watched the Hispanics community growth rate grow faster than any other racial and ethnic group in the nation. The Hispanic culture and community has populated all around the United States, introducing new traditions and customs. I was traveling to different to city in the States, I notice the wide spread growth of Hispanic communities, For Instance in Miami the Cuban and El Salvadoran culture is heavy populate in the area. In New York the Puerto Rican culture is dominating through out the several boroughs. I have come around town and Hispanics are known for their good food, which tends to have more diverse people try new cultural customs. Hispanic or Latino

Throughout the history of the United States immigration has become apart of our country’s fabric which, began centuries ago. Only to become a hot topic in the US in recent years with its primary focus being illegal immigrants. Illegal immigration is when people enter a country without government permission. As of 2008 the Center for Immigration Studies estimated that there are 11 million illegal immigrants in the US which is down from 2007‘s 12.5 million people. Although the Center for Immigration Studies estimates are very different from other estimates that range from 7 to 20 million. While the Pew Hispanic Center estimated in March of 2009 there are 11.1 million illegal immigrants and that number is from March 2007’s peak of 12

Immigrants are what have helped America to be America. Being a multicultural society standing united. We say that America is just a melting pot. This is what makes our country exceptional and special. We have here many cultures: Chinese, Italian, German, African, and Latin as well. We have many Ideas

Coming from a life of poverty and despair would be enough cause for anyone to search for a better life; a life in which there is a belief that all of your biggest dreams can come true. This is the belief that many immigrants have about the United States. They naively believe for it to be the “land of opportunity”. Originally the United States was founded and settled by immigrants. Many immigrants, such as Mexicans, Eastern Europeans, Jews, and others from countries around the world came to America to escape war, poverty, famine, and/or religious prosecution. Some also chose to immigrate to take advantage of the opportunities and promises that America held. One such major group of people is Mexicans. Being a border line country neighbor to

Haney Lopez describes the racialization of Mexicans in terms of ancestry and skin color. Although granted de facto White racial status with the United States conquest of much of Mexico in 1848 and having sometimes been deemed as White by the courts and censuses, Mexican Americans were rarely treated as White (5). Historically and legally, Mexicans have been treated as second-class citizens. Mexicans suffered the degradation accorded members of an inferior race, treatment nearly equivalent to the coinciding conquest of blacks and Native Americans (64). In 1857, for instance, Anglo mobs lynched eleven Mexicans in Los Angeles (67). The demographic and geographic custom of segregation in Los Angeles contributed to the growing cultural isolation and socioeconomic vulnerability of the Mexican community.

A diverse minority group of Latino and Spanish-speaking peoples has played an important part of what it means to be American and what it means to be a citizen in the United States today. Moving into the future, in order to analyze the trajectory that this group is in, we must first understand the group’s history in the United States and in territories that would become the United States. In addition, we must look at the origins of the most recent wave of Latino immigration in order to understand their current effect on American society and the intersection between both minority and majority groups. Finally, we get to the apex of this investigation: what lies in the future for Latino Americans in the United States? Although Latino

Latino/Hispanic Americans cover a much wider demographic then believed. Latino/Hispanic Americans consist of; Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Guatemalan American to name a few. Latino/Hispanic Americans are the largest ethnic group in the United States. The Latino/Hispanic culture is very different than ours. Their culture differs in economics, politics, family traditions, family structure, religion, education, language, fashion, art, music, dancing, and food. As natural born Americans in the United States it is important for us to learn about the different cultures migrating into the United States. Many United States citizens have a hard time understanding other cultures; being culturally insensitive is a common theme in the United

Other races that have not interacted with Latinos before or do not approve of them to be in the United States, even when those Latinos are U.S citizens, receive negative comments that they do not belong here and should return to their country. What they do not know is that Latinos are a hard working community doing many jobs other people would not even cross their minds to work and to top of it all off for a minimum wage or even less. Even for those who are immigrants who decide to risk their lives and leave their family behind they do not come here just to ask for money, they look for ways to start working and earn money they way it is suppose to be earned to send back to the family they just left behind for a better future. They could go from working sunrise to sundown in construction, they become janitors, butchers, housemaids, and all for a low pay. But they sacrifice themselves to help their family and always give them the best they can.

In the Preface of Major Problems in Mexican American History Zaragosa Vargas writes, "Nearly two thirds of Latinos in the United States are of Mexican descent, or Chicanos- a term of self definition that emerged during the 1960's and early 1970s civil rights movement. Chicanos reside mainly in the Southwest, the Pacific Northwest, and the Midwest. Their history begins in the precolonial Spanish era, and they share a rich mestizo cultural heritage of Spanish, Indian, and African origins. The Chicanos' past is underscored by conquest of the present-day American Southwest first by the Spanish and then by the United States following the Mexican American War" (xv). When one thinks of a Chicano one thinks of the Mayans and Aztecs, the conquests,