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
Chavez examines the assumptions made by the media and the public by drawing in sources like magazine articles and illustrations to provide the audience with exactly how these accusations are made and shared with the public. Chavez questions what it means and what it takes to be considered an American citizen and how Latinos, particularly Mexicans, have many things stacked up against. There are no doubts that the number of undocumented immigrants has steadily increased each year. Leo R. Chavez argues that because of the rise in the numbers, it makes it easier for the media to assume that undocumented immigrants, particularly Mexicans, are a threat to our nation through an invasion. Chavez’s idea of a Mexican reconquest is developed through something he calls the Quebec model.
In 2013, the percentage of news stories that focused on Latinos was one percent. Of those stories, many surrounded immigration and crime. This fact fuses the two topics that Soledad O’Brien discussed in her Sept. 30 lecture at The College of New Jersey: diversity and journalism. O’Brien views journalism as a great opportunity to tell the stories that she wants to tell, and for her, those stories are ones that normally don’t get told -- they are the stories of people who live in poverty, are of color, and who are marginalized by society. O’Brien believes that she has the drive to share these stories because of her upbringing, which is how she began her lecture.
The DREAM Act: a bill that should be passed before the next elections Two senators first introduced the DREAM Act in congress. Senator Dick Durbin of the Democratic Party and senator Orrin Hatch of the Republican Party came together to form a plan and introduce this bill to congress. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors. The bill’s purpose was to the grant undocumented immigrants temporary residency and after meeting further qualifications, permanent residency.
As the Latino population of the United States continues to burgeon, so does its influence in all aspects of American society. The far-reaching influence of Latinos has exploded in the past few decades, with 17% of the U.S. population who identify as Latino controlling over $1.5 trillion USD in spending power. A section of society where Latino influence continues to rise is in the American political process and the formation of public policy. Latinos have managed to fill a vacant position in nearly every spot of government, culminating with a U.S. Latino holding a crucial stake in a fierce battle for the presidency. As Latinos continue to grow in size and influence, attention should be invested in promoting civic engagement and enhancing political representation of Latinos at all levels of government.
Based on the current state of the Latino television media the recent research suggests a misconception/ misrepresentation of the Latino community on television. It is evident that the broadcast media outlets provide a limited amount of information that satisfies the actual needs of the Latino community. I conducted a brief literature review to determine the status of television programming and Latino community’s efforts to address the messages with regards to social equity. I specifically reviewed the nature of the messages being produced and acknowledge any grassroots organization oriented to addressing dissatisfaction with mainstream media form and content dedicated to the theory of democracy. Thus, my perspective (or approach) begs the
The amount of Latinos in federal prison is constantly increasing. Other forms of social control used against Mexicans and other Latinos are often racial profiling and Border Patrol as a technique to control their population in the U.S. "The perceived or actual immigrant status of many Mexicans and other Latinos also means that they are subject to forces of border control, while the growing population of Latinos is threatening to some Anglo-Americans who fear competition for jobs and the decreasing primacy of Anglo-American culture"(Bosworth and Flavin
An education should be a priority to all students and we, as the Latino community, must reshape the policy flaws to establish a foundation that will help the growing Latino community. From my own personal experience,
The first of two essay questions focuses on Leo Chavez’s book , “The Latino Threat”. The questions and statements that will be answered include “ What is the Latino threat?, ‘How does he define citizenship?” ,“Identify and discuss two examples of the Latino threat” and “ Identify one policy recommendation and discuss whether you think it is achievable”. Leo Chavez’s book focuses on the guise of Latinos threatening the American way of life. He defines this as “The Latino Threat” , He states that the Latino threat narrative positions Latinos as not sharing similarities with any previous migrant groups into the U.S. and that they are unwilling and incapable of integrating and becoming part of the national community (Chavez,3).
Latino’s suffered very harsh treatments as well however, most of Latino’s were born in their native countries, that seemingly is a negative and a positive the positive was that they knew who they were before coming to America. At a minimum this was a buffer to the dominant group, as they could not control their ideals of who Latino’s were. The barriers and doors of discrimination for this group often comes through language or the in ability to communicate however, they are the largest minority group soon to not be minority according to reports. Poverty and education as diminished as they struggle to be taught and learn through their native tongue.
The immigrants entering the United States throughout its history have always had a profound effect on American culture. However, the identity of immigrant groups has been fundamentally challenged and shaped as they attempt to integrate into U.S. society. The influx of Mexicans into the United States has become a controversial political issue that necessitates a comprehensive understanding of their cultural themes and sense of identity. The film Mi Familia (or My Family) covers the journey and experiences of one Mexican-American (or “Chicano”) family from Mexico as they start a new life in the United States. Throughout the course of the film, the same essential conflicts and themes that epitomize Chicano identity in other works of literature
Latinos are making drastic changes to the Latino threat narrative and making a difference in education and politics. The empowerment of the Latino population is derived from education; continued education for all generations is the key to success for Latinos. Latinos will strive and change standards for their population in the United
“The common denominator all Latinos have is that we want some respect. That 's what we 're all fighting for” - Cristina Saralegui. Judith Ortiz Cofer published the article, “The Myth of the Latin Woman,” where she expresses her anger towards stereotypes, inequality, and degradation of Latin Americans. Cofer explains the origins of these perceived views and proceeds to empower Latin American women to champion over them. Cofer establishes her credibility as a Latin American woman with personal anecdotes that emphasize her frustration of the unfair depiction of Latinos in society.
Although Latino populations gradually become vital parts of American society, they still face
The Back of a Nonexistent Line In the film Documented and The New York Times article “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant,” Jose Antonio Vargas describes his experience as an undocumented immigrant in the United States and provides a passionate argument for creating a pathway to citizenship for others like Vargas, who are undocumented as well. Although both the film and article give the viewers and readers an insight into Vargas’ difficult journey, a particular scene in the film sends an unspoken message about the United States as a whole. In Documented, the scene in which Jose Antonio Vargas attends a Mitt Romney campaign rally is detrimental to the immigration debate because it demonstrates the need for Americans to be educated about undocumented
media in covering immigration in his section of Migration, Public Opinion and Politics. Suro states that the U.S. media coverage of immigration is episodic, focused on illegality, and lacks context. Coverage of immigration is not consistent in U.S. media, as coverage spikes when a new immigration policy is introduced, or a major event centered on immigration occurs. Over time, the coverage fades out, and decreases greatly. U.S. media also focuses greatly on the illegal immigrants in the country, which gives the public the perception that immigrants in general are criminal, as the public greatly overestimates how many immigrants are in the country illegally due to the extreme coverage of illegal immigration.