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Challenges Facing Hispanic Immigrants and Citizens

By: Aubrey Moulton

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If Hispanics are U.S. born they are less likely to drop out of school and more likely to live in poverty than Hispanic immigrants. However, they face increased incidents of hatred and violence. The Pew Hispanic Center established that more Hispanics are becoming educated and advancing in their jobs but are still facing social difficulties. The study found that 17 percent of 16-24 year olds dropped out. This is three times greater than Caucasians and two times greater than Blacks in the same age group.

However, the study also looked at second-generation Hispanics who were born in the U.S. and drop out rates fell to 8.5 percent which was more or less the same for adolescents of all ages. Hispanics among the fastest growing minorities in the U.S. but they have tended to struggle to assimilate and many have lived in poverty. But that is changing. Formerly, at least 29 percent of young Latino immigrants lived below the poverty line. This is more than twice the number for whites in a similar age group and slightly worse than blacks who also live in poverty. It should be noted that second-generation Hispanics who survive below the poverty line is now just 19 percent.

While these data looks hopeful there is another downside. Approximately 40 percent of adolescent American-born Hispanics became gang members. If not a member themselves, they knew someone who was in a gang. Only 17 percent of those foreign born are likely to join in such anti-social groups. Plus, U.S. born Hispanics are more prone to be in a penitentiary and have encountered racial bigotry than immigrants do.

"It is obvious that a great deal of the young Latin population, be they first or second generation, are straddling two worlds as they acclimatize to the new homeland," the Pew report noted. Even though they comprise a significant minority in the United States and their numbers are likely to double by 2050, they have relatively little political say because they traditionally don't vote. Therefore, they have little representation in Congress.

Change may be coming. But many of these youths are nearly voting age. And it may stir things up because the younger American-born generation is much less conservative than their parents' generation. When it comes to cultural issues, immigrants are the opposite of their children. And experts assert that’s partly because only 33 percent of Hispanics who are either second or third generation attend church weekly whereas 40 percent of foreign-born Hispanics attend. The less religious they are the more liberal their political standing pollsters say. All Hispanics, regardless of their birth country, have endured many hurdles including higher unemployment rates and only being allowed to work at low-skill positions. But statistics reveal that U.S. born Hispanics see the future as being bright for them. Almost 78 percent of third-generation and 74 percent of second-generation Hispanics believe they will be better off than their parents. In comparison, only 66 percent of immigrants believe the same thing.

Many Hispanics are living below the poverty line and there are many changes ahead. However, most have seen their lives improve since immigrating to the U.S. Hopefully the incomes of Hispanics will continue to increase, and we will see circumstances improve.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

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