Latin Americans in the American Political Process

1. Latin Americans in the American Political Process

2. Latino Population In 2007, by nationality • Mexican 29,189,334 • Puerto Rican 4,114,701 • Central/South American 6,033,333 • Cuban 1,608,835 • Other Hispanic 4,432,393 Total 45,378,596

3. Latino Population of the U.S. by Origin,2007 South American 6% All Others 10% Central American 8% Cuban 4% Puerto Rican 9% Mexican 63%

4. Latino Population • Diversity: in educational attainment, occupational mobility, nationality, socio-economically, generational status • Disagreement in terms: Hispanic is preferred on the east coast and Latino on the west coast • Chicano is a Political/ideological term and Spanish American is preferred in New Mexico

5. Where Most Latin Americans Live, 2007

6. Where Most Latin Americans Live, 2007

7. Population by Race and Ethnicity, Actual and Projected: 1960, 2005, and 2050

8. Latino Population • ¾ reside in five states: CA (40%), TX (19%), NY (9%), FL (8%), IL (4%) • In 1960 constituted 9.6% of L.A. county population. By 1990, 37.8% • One of every 4 persons living in poverty in the U.S. is of Hispanic origin • Median Age = 26.6 compared to 36.9 for non-Hispanic white • By 2025, will comprise 19% of U.S. population. By 2050, 29%

9. Latino Population • By year 2070 will constitute about 1/3 of U.S. population • Today, approx. 30% speak only or mostly English • 1/3 speak Spanish at work, 60% at home, ¾ listen to Spanish radio • 86% are urban dwellers compared to 73% for total population • Diversity: Culturally, linguistically, racially, religiously, in assimilation rate

10. Household Income Trends, 1979-2003

11. Statistical Portrait of Latinos in the United States, 2007Households by Income, Race & Ethnicity, 2007

12. People in Poverty Trends, 1979-2003

13. Latino Identity • Panethnicity - refers to a common identity and sense of solidarity among Latinos from different nationalities • While there is considerable diversity among Hispanics, a number of factors tend to bring the Hispanic community together

14. Latino Identity 1. Language 2. Spanish formatted television stations 3. English and Spanish periodicals aimed at the Hispanic community • Divisions remain • culturally • Multiple subcultures • Mexican vs. Mexican American • Central American vs. South American • Puerto Rican vs. Dominican vs. Cuban

15. Latino Identity • politically • Cubans vote more Republican • Mexican & Puerto Rican vote more Democrat • economically • Varying degrees of affluence, poverty rates, occupational mobility, social class among Latinos • Immigrant vs. 2nd or 3rd generation status

16. Latino Identity • racially • “Color gradient” – recognizing the 22 shades of skin color between black and white • Historical amalgamation • national identity • Anglo/Dominant group tends to group all Latinos together not recognizing differences • Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens

17. The Language Divide • Bilingualism - involves the use of two or more languages • Bilingual educational 1. English as a Second Language program • Most common program but most lack a bicultural basis 2. English immersion program

18. The Language Divide • Problems in implementing bilingual education: 1. Lack of teachers to incorporate a Bicultural approach 2. The number of languages spoken by children and the lack of qualified teachers 3. Ethnocentrism • Research results on bilingual education

19. Official Language Movement • The 1980’s and 1990’s saw an increase in attacks on bilingualism • Political • Education • Decline in Federal support for bilingual programs • An increase in the number of States that have passed laws making English the State’s official language • California and Proposition 227 end to bilingual education • Attacks on bilingual education

20. Growing Political Presence • Voting rights • Banning literacy tests • In 1975 Congress moved in the direction that resulted in legislation that provided for multilingual election ballots in areas with at least a 5% minority population

21. Growing Political Presence • Political trends • Increase in registered voters • Increased number that vote • Less commitment to one party • In between major elections, little effort is made to count Latino interest except by Latino elected officials

22. Mexican-Americans • The first Mexican-Americans became Americans with the Annexation of the Southwest and part of the Northwest after the Mexican-American war • The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848 • Under the treaty the new Americans were guaranteed rights of citizenship, rights to property and their cultural traditions, including language. • The loss of land and the lack of legal protection after the treaty • Land conflict with Anglo ranchers made Mexican-Americans outsiders on their own land

23. Immigrant Experience • Immigration from Mexico has been continuous in part because of the proximity of the two borders • Lack of restrictive immigration policy directed towards Mexicans until the second half of this century • The proximity of the two countries and the maintenance of cultural ties. • Mexican-American immigration both documented and undocumented is a function of a combination of push and pull factors • Mexican Revolution conflict and immigration • Mexican immigration has been tied closely to the economies of Mexico and the United States

24. Immigrant Experience • Agribusiness interests • Migration patterns to the Midwest and elsewhere • Population growth and immigration • The Great Depression of the 1930’s and the push for repatriation • The economic effect and personal impact of repatriation on Mexican-Americans • Demand for labor during World War II and the bracero program • Conflict between the braceros workers and Mexican-American workers • Economic competition for jobs and Operation Wetback and undocumented workers from Mexico

25. Political Organization • César Chavez and migrant farm workers movement • Economic and social conditions • La Raza - pride in one’s Spanish, Native American and Mexican heritage. • Texas La Raza Unida Party

26. Political Organization • Chicanismo - emerged in part among Mexican-American college students in the 1960’s • Chicanismo - influenced by the civil rights movement • Chicanismo - emphasized political self determination and ethnic pride

27. Political Organization • Reies Lopez Tijerina - in 1963 formed the Alianza Federal de Mercedes (Federal Alliance of Land Grants) • Purpose of the organization was to recover lost land • In 1967 Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund was formed (MALDEF) • Pursue issues through the courts

28. Borderlands • Maquiladoras - foreign-owned and established businesses on the Mexican side of the border • Job exportation from the manufacturing North in the United States and the exploitation of Mexican workers • Migradollars or remittances

29. The Borderlands

30. Cuban Americans • Patterns of immigration • Cuban settlements in Florida date back to the early nineteenth century • Where small communities organized around single family enterprises

31. Cuban Americans • Since the Cuban Revolution in 1959, there have been successive groups of immigrants • First: About 200,000 came during the first three years after Castro came into power • Second: Freedom flights - another 340,000 came from 1965-1973 • Third: Mariel - another 124,000 came in the freedom flotilla (Mariel controversy) • Fourth: In 1994 - economic push factors

32. The Present Picture: Cuban Americans • The influence of Cuban Americans • Miami area • In Urban centers • Generational relations among Cubans • Generational clash between cultures (parent and child) • Cuba and Cubans • Inter-ethnic relations between Cubans and other Hispanic’s at times have been strained • Adjustments were made by Cuban immigrants with the loss of income and family roles • Long-range perspective of Cubans in the U.S. depends on several factors

33. Central and South Americas • Central and South Americans came from • historically different experiences and times • culturally diverse backgrounds • Color gradient and race in the United States

34. Central and South Americans • Immigration has been influenced by a number of push and pull factors • U.S. immigration laws • Social and economic forces in their home country • War and persecution • Economic deprivation

36. Puerto Rico

37. Puerto Ricans • Puerto Rico was annexed by the United States from Spain after the the Spanish-American War of 1898 • Puerto Rico has been a United States colony since 1898 (Commonwealth Status since 1948) • Puerto Ricans have been subjected to bureaucratic (Political) control by the United States

38. Puerto Ricans • Initial colonial policy had a devastating effect • on Language • on Puerto Rican cultural institutions • Jones Act of 1917 and United States citizenship • Have most rights except do not pay federal income taxes and do not vote for President or have voting members to Congress/Senate • In 1948 it became a commonwealth

39. Island and the Mainland • A number of push and pull factors have led to migration from the Island to the mainland • Economic underdevelopment and the pull of jobs on the mainland • Farm labor contracts • Overpopulation • Cheap airfares • Puerto Rican communities (New York City) on the mainland

40. Island and the Mainland • Neoricans - term used by The Islanders to refer to Puerto Ricans that have lived in New York • Neoricans are often better educated and have more money than Puerto Ricans from the Island • Often resented by long time Islanders

41. Island of Puerto Rico • Commonwealth status and neocolonialism • Issues of Statehood and Self-Rule • In 1998 in the last vote over the issue 50% favored commonwealth status , 47% statehood and 3% favored independence • Only Puerto Ricans on the Island may vote • NAFTA and growing competition with Mexico and Canada for United States dollars • The debate goes on….

42. Political Issues • Puerto Rican Legal Defense & Education Fund - PRLDEF • Educational status and issues • Increasing segregation 1. Function of residential segregation in large metropolitan areas 2. Increase in population as desegregation movement began to decline 3. Desegregated schools have become resegregated

45. Demographic Trends in Jail Populations Between 1990 and 2008, the number of Hispanic jail inmates increased at a faster average annual rate of growth (4.5%) than white (3.8%) and black inmates (3.3%) Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics Correctional survey

47. Present View • Many immigrants have problems because they came to the United States without the proper documents • Many were professionals and had to adjust to downward mobility • lower status jobs • Unemployment • Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 - Brain drain

48. Education • Ending Segregation with Mendez v. Westminster • Isolation in the classroom because of tracking (placing students in specific classes or curriculum groups on the basis of testing or other measures) • Educational effect of tracking • Bilingual educational programs • Higher education • Adjusting to college and campus life dominated by Whites • Dealing with prejudice • Economic cost of college