Minority Group - Hispanic

There are over 50 million Hispanics in the United States. Hispanics are one of
the fastest growing demographics in the United States. A Hispanic is a person of
Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American or other Spanish culture or
origin regardless of race. (Dictionary) With people constantly coming to the United
States, it is causing the culture and the language to divide. Most of the people that
immigrate here already have established their language and lifestyle. And with that
there are many challenges that they will face when they move to the United States face.
Illegal entry into the United States has been extremely high in recent years and
because they are undocumented it is really difficult for them to get jobs and support
their families. It is also difficult for undocumented aliens to receive healthcare and other
necessary benefits to better their lives. They came to the United States to live the
American dream but because most are undocumented they are having a hard time in
doing so.
Another issue that the Hispanic community faces is poverty. According to
Federal Ways Hispanic Community Liaison about 30% of Latinos grow up in low
income-households. These families live on minimum wage jobs and are prone to being
displaced because there is limited affordable housing. They lack access to health care
and other benefits. They cannot afford to pay for these on their own.
Hispanic childrens education is effected by poverty. The Hispanic graduation
rate overall in the United State is not very high, with only a 15% of graduates decide to
pursue higher education. Students of immigrates family lack access to great education.

Most students lack the support at home because parents are working long shifts to
provide a roof over their head.
Unemployment is a big issue for the Hispanic community. Depending on where
they live and their education level the unemployment rate will vary. The United States
unemployment rate in 2011 is 11.5 percent. It is projected that this number will rise in
the future.
The role of the Supreme Court is not to make new laws but to settle conflicts of
interest between people and state. The Courts has no power to implement any laws so
it relies on the executive and legislative branches to back their decision and create a
law. Despite them not being able to implement their decision themselves, they often set
mew policies that lead to real social changes and improve the lives of Americans.
In the case Hernandez vs. Texas, in 1954, the United States Supreme Court
decided that Mexican Americans and all other racial groups in the United States had
equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment of the United State Constitution.
Pete Hernandez was a Mexican American agricultural worker who was convicted of
murder. The legal team for Hernandez made it a mission to prove that the jury could not
be impartial unless members of other races were allowed on the jury selecting
committee. After the conviction the team appealed to the Supreme Court to have
Hernandez retried with a jury composed with no regards to ethnicity. The Supreme
Court found that the Fourteenth Amendment did protect all races and not just black and
whites. This ruling was a positive move towards Civil Rights Movements but at the
same time the racial segregation was really big at the time of this ruling. This ruling

provided that all racial groups in the United States were protected under the Fourteenth
Amendment.
In the case Plyer vs. Doe, in 1982, which the Supreme Court of the United State
made a decision that States cannot constitutionally deny students a free public
education just because of their immigration statues. In 1975, the Texas Legislature
authorized local school districts to deny enrollment in public schools to immigrant
children born outside of the United States who were not legally admitted into the United
States. A group of students from Mexico could not establish that they were legally
admitted to the United States brought forth a lawsuit that would change the policy
forever.
There have been many Hispanic Civil Rights Legislations over the years that
have bettered the Hispanic communities live. There are some significant milestones in
the Hispanic community has been a part of. In 1941, The Fair Employment Practice
Act, which eliminated discrimination in employment. In 1954, Hernandez vs. Texas, in
1954, the United States Supreme Court decided that Mexican Americans and all other
racial groups in the United States had equal protection under the Fourteenth
Amendment of the United State Constitution. In 1964, Civil Rights Acts were
established. In 1975, The Voting Right Act of 1965 was extended to Hispanics. In
2000, California makes Cesar Chavez Day a paid holiday.
Overall, The Hispanic community has had a lot of challenges over the years.
With poverty, unemployment, and lack of support for the government Hispanic have not
had it easy. I believe that the United State of America can do so much more to help out
the Hispanic community and at the same time make America a better place for

everyone. In a historic landmark that happen this year President Obama made it legal
for undocumented illegal immigrants to get government issued drivers licenses. That is
a huge step forward for immigrants.

Work Cited
http://www.federalwaymirror.com/lifestyle/35169294.html
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/report/2012/08/08/11984/thestate-of-latinos-in-the-united-states/
http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/public-education-immigrant-studentsstates-challenge-supreme-courts-decision-plyler-v-do