The Latino Threat Analysis

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In The Latino Threat: Constructing Immigrants, Citizens, and the Nation, Leo R. Chavez analyzes the historical forces that have shaped the current perceptions of Latinos in the United States. He focuses on the role of the media in constructing a “Latino threat narrative” through their depiction of immigrants as threatening the rights of American citizens. This negative impression has brought into question the degree to which whites view Latinos as belonging in the United States and has caused Latinos themselves to feel a disconnect from their new home. Part One lays out the common stereotypes of Latinos and then seeks to disprove them in order to dispel the idea of a “Latino threat”. The media has a history of portraying Latino immigration as a force that is conquering the United States through the invasion of the Southwest. Latinos are perceived as a reproductive threat to America because it is believed that due to their traditions based in Catholicism, they …show more content…

The 1.5 generation is in a unique position because while they are granted such rights as the right to an education, they still face the threat of possible deportation. The DREAM Act is a proposed solution that would provide a path for the 1.5 generation to gain legal residency and eventually full citizenship. Many of these “DREAMers” have been taking risks with their undocumented status to publically rally support for a federal DREAM Act. In contrast, many anti-immigration proponents are pushing for a change to the Fourteenth Amendment to stop the children of immigrants from automatically becoming citizens through birthright citizenship. It is believed that Latinos are immigrating to America and immediately having “anchor babies” in order to more easily gain legal residency. The media has continued to perpetuate this notion and it has led to several proposed reforms in

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