Mexican American Minorities

Mexican American Minorities

Introduction

Mexican Americans are those Americans that have a Mexican descent, either through birth or origin. As of 2006, United States of America was hosting approximately 28.3 million of these people (Hipolito, 2009). This is roughly 9 percent of the total US population. After México herself, this country hosts the second largest number of these people (Arschetos, 2009). Mexican Americans are the largest minority group in America, surpassing their African counterparts and other immigrants in this country.

Been minorities, these people face problems that are generally associated with minorities in any society. These include discrimination, lack of employment, and lack of education among others. These problems are not restricted to these people only; they affect the whole of the American society in extension. That is the reason why it becomes absolutely important to try and find solutions to these problems so as to check their negative effects on American society.

Mexican Americans: Current Status

These people are faced with a myriad of challenges and needs, ranging from economic to social.

Lack of Education

Mexican American Minorities

One of the major problems that affect this minority group is lack of education (Hipolito, 2009). Less than thirty percent of the immigrants of this descent possess college education. This is especially rampant among first generation Mexican Americans.

This lack of education means that these first generations Mexicans are, among other things, unable to communicate in English (Arschetos, 2009). Considering the fact that United States of America uses English as the official language, the progress of these people in society is greatly hampered. For example, it is hard for them to take employment in the formal sector. Rarely will you find them in offices. This is because they are unable to communicate.

This problem can be alleviated by establishing education system that specifically caters for this group. According to a sociological study conducted by University of California, forty years down the line, majority of the Mexican immigrants have been unable to be integrated into the mainstream American society (Arschetos, 2009). This means that they will not under any circumstances benefit with the mainstream American education. They need special attention.

Segregation

As the aforementioned study indicated, these people have been unable to integrate effectively to the mainstream American society. This means that they are segregated in many of their social and economic spheres of life (Hipolito, 2009). For example, they are unable to attend the white schools; they are unable to live in white quarters and suburbs. Many years after immigrating here, they still live as outsiders in their adopted country.

This problem can be alleviated by coming up with programs that are aimed at easing the integration of these people to the dominant community. These programs should be socially and ethnically sensitive to the background of these people.

Mexican American Minorities

Economic Exploitation

Due to their lack of education, Mexican Americans find it very hard to find employment in the United States of America (Hipolito, 2009). Capitalists have taken advantage of this aspect by exploiting the labor of these people. They work for long hours in the kitchen of hotels in American cities. They are derogatorily referred to as wetbacks in these employment settings (Arschetos, 2009). They work under deploring conditions and are paid poorly.

This is made worse by the fact that majority of the Mexican Americans are illegal immigrants (Hipolito, 2009). As such, they have no other opportunities open to them. Realizing this, their employers pay them poorly and make them work hard and for long hours.

This problem can be rectified by easing the registration of immigrants and giving them work permits. This way, they will be able to look for employment. They should also be encouraged to attend at least night classes to further their education and improve their status.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that Mexican Americans are the majority as far as American minorities are concerned, their social and economic conditions are worse off than that of the average immigrant. They lack education, work for long hours in lowly paying hard labor and also live in fear of been deported. These are system problems that can be rectified by first recognizing the minority status of this people. It is after this that other solutions can be formulated.

Mexican American Minorities

References

Arschetos, B. P. (2009). “Status of minority groups in US.” New York Times, 12TH September 2009. 27.

Hipolito, G. R. (2009). “Challenges faced by Mexican American minority group.” American Sociological Journal,

12(3), 46-47.