Franklin H. Perez Prof. Julia Andino

Latinos in NY: Communities in Transition November 4, 2008

MID-TERM

Challenges and Opportunities for Latinos

One of the most difficult challenges that Latino immigrants face when they come to the United States is the shrinking job market. The best chance for Latino immigrants to advance, uplift themselves, and achieve greatness in their new nation is through education. These issues go together with discrimination in the labour market because it seems that the native working class does not understand the underlying factors and inner-workings of Latino immigrants. Perhaps, the reality is that when work disappears, both from abroad and in the United States, this ignites a source of conflict for the new Latino immigrants. I think it is even harder for the native US working class when they have to compete with these new immigrants to find a job, considering that this new labour force will more than likely do the same job for less. It seems that the working class forgets that US capitalism is always in search of a cheap labour force (workers) to maximize its profits.

Another issue that the US working class faces is educated Latino workers, with some already possessing a higher degree of an education. As a form of opportunity, education poses a threat to the native population since many Latino immigrants are coming with prior education and work skills. Educated Latinos create a source of raw talent in the work market. These challenges and opportunities sometimes lead the native working class, mainly the white population, to engage in inappropriate behaviors. As Hernandez and McGoldrick point out, “…the fearmonger would suggest that we must deter immigrants because they come only to take advantage of the U.S. economy and taxpayers,…” [1] In fact, the writers debunk the myth and further go on saying, “…research reveals that immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in public services, generate more jobs than what they take, and are less likely to be on public assistance than U.S.-born residents are. Moreover, recent immigrants tend to be healthier than the typical U.S. citizen”[2] An astounding statistic was put out by the Immigrants’ Rights Sub-team of Combating Racism Task Force in 1996. They stated, “Legal and undocumented immigrant families pay an estimated $70 billion a year in taxes while receiving $43 billion a year in services. Therefore, the U.S. economy benefits by $27 billion a year from the contribution of immigrants.”[3] Although, it seems that the many disadvantages and challenges that we face as Latinos can be overwhelming, but the fact is that there is hope and opportunities for Latinos. Given the demographic changes in the United States, and the growing rates of Latinos by 2050, it seems to me that we can overcome the many challenges and difficulties and take advantage of the opportunities, if we unite as in past struggles, “EN LA UNIDAD ESTA LA FUERZA.” In my paper, I will argue that if we continue to be as fragmented (divided) as we are, not only will White America and the government will win, but we will never get political power. The many unfavorable and anti-immigrant laws have already caused many inflictions on us, so I think it is time to fight back under one umbrella, Latinos united.

The fact that Hispanics/African-Americans/Others will make up more than half of the population of the United States, by the year 2042, seems to be a hard reality for the majority of the White population.[4] According to the most recent census (2006), by 2050, whites will make up 46% of the population. As Montero-Sieburth and Melendez point out, “Such rapid growth of Latinos and others ethnic groups has set into motion a growing fear of social, economic, cultural, and political impact of these minority groups may demographically have.”[5] The writers show that this fear and common interest from the dominant classes against Latinos immigrants is clearly stated by Samuel Huntington’s book, “Who Are We? The Challenges to America’s National Identity.” Huntington argues, “…that Latinos are not assimilating as well as other groups of the past, and the immigration of Latinos is fracturing and damaging America’s cultural identity.”[6] I think that the racial discrimination against Latinos immigrants is clear. It seems that Anglo-America, cannot come to terms with the fact that they are losing their European lineage. As Hernandez and Mcgoldrick say:

“The current immigration debate is not just about the U.S. economy but also about the future ethnic makeup of the United States. Whereas the immigrants in the 19th and early 20th century were from “White” European countries, the most recent immigrant groups have come primarily from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. They are racially different (or, as more often defined, “people of color”).”[7]

Now we can understand, at least I think, why there are so many attacks and new anti-immigrant laws against us, but I will cover these issues later in my paper. Interestingly enough, it seems that the fearmongers have forgotten that there are other factors and issues affecting their standard of living. For example, as Montero-Sieburth and Melendez say, “ Targeting immigrants, minorities,…is easier than understanding how global competition, corporate restructuring, and new technologies have affected economic growth and income distribution during the past two decades.”[8] First of all, the American working class seems to forget that Latinos immigrants are human capital to their system. As Economist Michael Piore points out, “…the demand for foreign workers is ‘chronic and unavoidable’ in the advanced economies, an intrinsic structural need fueled by the proliferation of low-paying, menial service openings and the increasing resistance of native workers to accept these types of jobs.”[9]

U.S. capitalism, in search of paying low cost labor and a native workforce that is not ready and willing to accept this harsh reality, could be a deadly combination that lead to an irreconcilable situation for immigrant workers. Second, a good portion of Latinos are almost uprooted from their countries to come to work to the United States.  A combination of factors induce the flow of Latinos immigrants. Those who can leave their countries, for example, due to the lack of job opportunities and economic growth, political instability, etc. It is necessary to understand that a good portion of the immigrants that come to the US, do not come from the poorest of the poorest. As Portes and Rumbaut say, “…the flow coming to the United States, in particular, do not originate mostly in the poorest countries or most destitute regions.”  They further say, “ This explains why the average educational and skill credentials of the immigrant population of the United States at present are not much inferior to those of the native-born.”[10] The latter point seems not to alleviate the friction among the fearmonger and Latino immigrants, I mean, the competition is ferocious. If this is true, then James Canton, is right when he says, “A global war for talent will be the top driver of competitive advantage, pitting nations, individuals, and companies against one another as talent grows scarce.”[11] Although, the English language is an issue for many immigrant Latinos, this should not be a source of tension among the population. Many courts and governmental agencies consider language discrimination to be a form of discrimination on the basis of race or national origin, which is prohibited by established civil rights laws such as Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (a federal law). Other laws, such as the federal Civil Right Act 1866, may also apply to such discrimination.[12] Along these lines, I will take you to my next topic about unfavorable government immigration laws regarding Latinos migrants.

The history of the United States is marked by struggles over acceptance for people of various racial and ethnic groups. Although the American workforce is more racially diverse now than ever, it is clear that prejudice and discrimination persists. It is time that white America, especially white male, must recognize that their era of dominance in the workforce is over. In fact, many white male, so used to being in the majority, are highly threatened by the prospect of losing this status. Today, as in the past, the United States is a nation of immigrants. I could cite endless examples of the work done by immigrants in this country, for instance, the Erie Canal in New York, dug up by Irish immigrants; the construction of the nation’s railways, done by 90% of Chinese immigrants; the New York City’s subway system dug up by the majority of Italian immigrants. Last, but not least, the rebuilding of New Orleans, devastated by Hurricane Katrina (2005), where Mexicans and Central Americans (some of them illegal) were the cornerstones of the workforce. As Portes and Rumbaut point out, “History shows that every time the United States has initiated a massive public works program, it has turned to immigrants to provide the requisite labor power.”[13] It is interesting to see that regardless of the positive input from Latino migrants, wether from tax contributions, capital intellect or work achieved, the government comes up with some draconian laws against Latino immigrants. I will lay out some of these unfavorable immigrant laws, anti-Latino and the government approach.

The government and some states have enacted some laws that have been detrimental for Latino immigrants, for example, the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986. Although, IRCA gave partial amnesty to illegal immigrants, it increased border control, imposed stiffer sanctions on employers who hire undocumented workers.  According to Montero-Sieburth and Meledez, “ …that the widespread of pattern of discrimination against Latinos was exacerbated by IRCA.”[14] However, the ramifications of this law was more damaging in the early 1990s, when the Commission on Immigration Reform imposed restrictions in many educational and social support programs. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, increased criminal penalties for immigration-related offenses, authorized increases in enforcement personnel, enhanced enforcement authority, and made immigrant sponsorship legally enforceable.[15] For example, many criminal penalties that were originally misdemeanors have changed to felonies, causing many Latino families to disintegrate. This law has lead to massive deportation affecting directly the integration of the family. For instance, let’s take the case of an immigrant Latino’s husband that has committed an infraction of the law, not only does he face time in jail, but also the probability of being deported to his original country and will never be allowed to re-enter the United States. Another oppressive law is Proposition 277, passed in California in 1998, this law restricts Latino immigrants’ access to education in various ways. For example, expansion of foreign language courses and bilingual immersion programs to fit the need is highly unlikely to happen. Last, but not least, is the Patriot Act, signed in 2003. I should highlight that this law has increased funding for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and the Customs Service in states along the U.S. borders.

The future picture for Latinos seems to be grim, especially where fear predominates and the forecast of the finances of the government does not provide much social and public services, but there are positive things that will happen. For example, in the Daily News, on the Editorial section in September 24, 2007, under “American dreams,” it reads as follows, “There’s a move in Washington to give high-achieving children of illegal immigrants–including an estimated 70,000 in New York City–a path toward getting their green cards. Let’s make it happen.” [16] This preposition is called the “DREAM Act,” this preposition stands for Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors. This bill will give the opportunity to young people to become legal residents provided they complete at least two years of college or serve honorably in the military for the same period. Of course, these promises and future occurrences will only happen if we unite and demand our rights. Let’s learn from a recent example set by millions of undocumented immigrants that rallied to protest peacefully in April 2006, declaring a “day without immigrants.” This protest lead President Bush to caution Congress to pass a more friendly legislation.

In conclusion, the debate continues as to wether the native US working class and the government of the United States will give up its role as a repressive (persecutory) force against Latino immigrants. I do not think the US will do so voluntarily, but rather it will find itself forced to do so. As we overcome the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities and become part of the majority; we will acquire political power. This situation give us an advantage, allowing us to be on the road to victory. What I have laid out in my research paper is just the tip of the iceberg. Although, I remain optimistic that through the juxtaposition that the labour market (capitalism) presents, U.S. society will be able to be less divisive and more inclusive.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Canton, James, Phd. The Top Trends that Will Shape the World in the Next 20 Years.
2. Haslip-Viera, Gabriel, and Sherrie L. Baver. Latinos in New York: Communities in Transition, Indiana: Notre Dame Press, 1996.
3. Hernandez, Miguel, and Monica McGorldrik. Migration and the Life Cycle (Chapter 10). pp. 169.
4. Montero-Sieburth, Martha, and Edwin Melendez. Latinos in a Changing Society, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2007.
5. Portes, Alejandro, and Ruben G. Rumbaut. A Portrait: Immigrant America 3rd Ed, California: U of California P, 2006.
6. Washington. “Whites Fading Fast as Majority in US.” AOL News 13.27. 14 Aug. 2008 http://news.aol.com/america white fading fast as majority-in-us/132730.
7. National Research Council. Multiple Origins, Uncertain Destinies. 2006.

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