By Jason Llorenz, LIN@R

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the independent agency that regulates the Internet and the nation’s telecommunications and broadcasting industries, is hiring in 2013.

Two positions are to be filled – the chairmanship, which is being vacated by Julius Genachowski, who has taken a post as senior fellow at the Aspen Institute’s Communications and Society program, and Commissioner Robert McDowell. And the stakes are high.

The current FCC heralded reforms and new programs with long-term consequences. Under Chairman Genachowski, the issues of digital literacy and broadband adoption have been pursued with great success.

By Dr. Victoria M. DeFrancesco Soto, NBCLatino

Senator Marco Rubio got cold feet this Saturday. This weekend the Senator protested that the immigration negotiations were proceeding too hastily and that things were just moving too fast. Much like a jittery bride he showed hesitancy in his commitment to taking the plunge — in this case, the immigration plunge.

Now the buzz is whether the whole effort at reforming immigration is in peril. If Marco Rubio walks away, will the immigration reform fall apart? Is Rubio the pivotal character is this drama?

No, he is not. There is a whole cast of characters in this drama. To begin there is the support of the president, and this time around it’s not only rhetorical but about establishing immigration as one of his legacy issues. Second, there is a majority in the Senate—from progressive Democrats to Chamber of Commerce Republicans—that want to see immigration reformed. And finally, the House of Representatives has also been rumbling along on its immigration reform plan. It may be more disjointed than the Senate one, but there is momentum on both sides of the isle to find a solution.

Immigration reform does not depend on Rubio. Immigration reform needs Marco Rubio to the extent that the Cuban-American Republican can help streamline the process.

It’s Marco Rubio who needs immigration reform.

The Senator has his sights set running for president in 2016. But in order to have a realistic shot at the White House, Rubio has to point to a big accomplishment – immigration reform.

The strategy to reach the White House has two stages. First, secure enough support from the base and Independents (in states with open primaries) to win the Republican nomination. In order to do this, Rubio needs to show that he’s tough on immigration yet at the same time committed to a policy change that a majority of Americans (Republicans included) support.

The second part of the strategy, assuming he’s got the nomination, is to court the general electorate. And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to deduce that Rubio is going to make an aggressive push toward Independent and Democratic Latinos. Just a couple of weeks ago, a poll from Latino Decisions asked Latino registered voters:

Would you be more or less likely to vote for a Republican candidate in the future if Republicans take a leadership role in passing comprehensive immigration reform including a pathway to citizenship, or would it have no impact on your vote?

The question didn’t name names, but they might as well have – we’re talking about Rubio. And close to half of all of those Latinos surveyed said they would be more likely to support a Republican candidate. Keep in mind less than a quarter of the Latino population identifies as Republican.

General Latino support (not just Republican Cuban-Americans in South Florida)+ Moderate Republican support+ Independents could just be Rubio’s winning coalition.

His two-stage strategy of showing the GOP he’s conservative while signaling to the general population that he is also compassionate is the reason for his recent coyness on the issue of immigration.

The minute Rubio decided to reverse his campaign position on immigration (which was focused on enforcement only), he knew he would have to see immigration reform through to the end. In the meantime, his reluctance to make a commitment is simply a coy trick to attract attention. In the end, he’s in it for the long haul.

This article was first published in NBCLatino.

Dr. Victoria M. DeFrancesco Soto is an NBC Latino and MSNBC contributor, Senior Analyst for Latino Decisions and Fellow at the Center for Politics and Governance at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, at Austin.

[Photo by Gage Skidmore]

By Latino USA

Is Jorge Bergoglio, aka Pope Francis, Latino? Does it matter? Why did Bruno Mars drop his Puerto Rican father’s surname? And who is the new Obama staffer Miguel Rodriguez? Latino USA guest host Felix Contreras gets the answers in conversation with Victor Landa, editor of the site News Taco.

This article was first published in Latino USA.

[Photo by Christus Vincit]

PRESS RELEASE

The Pew Research Center today published a statistical profile of the U.S. Hispanic population. This profile, based on Pew Research tabulations from the Census Bureau’s 2011 American Community Survey, features detailed characteristics of the U.S. Hispanic population at the national level. Topics covered include age, geographic dispersion, nativity, citizenship, origin, language proficiency, racial self-identification, living arrangements, marital status, fertility, schooling, health insurance coverage, earnings, poverty and other labor market outcomes. The data featured in the profile may be downloaded from the center’s website.

Besides the new data on Hispanics, the Pew Research Center also released two new slideshows on immigrants and Hispanics in the United States. The slideshow on immigrants highlights key findings from the statistical profile of the foreign-born population in the United States, which was released last month.

The statistical profile and slideshows on  immigrants and  Hispanics are for immediate release and available at www.pewhispanic.org.

The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan, non-advocacy research organization based in Washington, D.C. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Its Hispanic Center, founded in 2001, seeks to improve understanding of the U.S. Hispanic population and to chronicle Latinos’ growing impact on the nation.

By Dr. Victoria M. DeFrancesco Soto, NBC Latino

Click on picture to read story.

[Photo by The White House]

By Robert Deposada, Latinovations

Freedom of speech is one of the most important rights we enjoy under our Constitution, and one that we must protect at all costs. However, this right has its limits. For instance, you can’t scream “Fire!” in the middle of a crowded theatre, because of the harm it can cause others around you. And promoting statements that instigate violence against a group of people is another clear example of the limits of our right to free speech.

When it comes to the Puerto Rican TV Show “SuperXclusivo,” outrageous comments and inflammatory statements have been the key to its success as the most watched show in the island (which also airs in the U.S. via WAPA America). Its main character, a puppet named “La Comay,” has insulted most public officials and personalities in Puerto Rico. Many, if not most, of the puppet’s most controversial insults have had racial and homophobe overtones. But that’s the price we pay for living in a free country. If you don’t like it, simply change the channel.

That was my attitude until earlier this month. That’s when the puppet crossed the line, in a big way. The puppet, operated by comedian “Kobbo” Santarrosa, made extremely crude and controversial comments regarding the brutal murder of a local businessman, José Enrique Gómez. This gentleman was brutally beaten and burned alive. The crime was so horrific and inhumane that it sent Puerto Rican residents into a state of shock.

That’s when “La Comay” decided to take advantage of this drama to increase ratings. The puppet stated that the brutal murder was justified, because he “was looking for it.” She started allegations that the man was gay and that he had been seen in an area frequented by homosexual prostitutes. The puppet went on to say that if the victim had been engaging in that dangerous behavior, then it’s a whole different ball game. In other words, the victim deserved to be brutally assaulted and burned alive simply because he was gay.

Are you serious? Are we now blaming victims for the brutal crimes of sick individuals with no sense of decency or humanity?

If so, the question then is, what’s next? Are we going to blame rape victims because they dressed provocatively? Are we going to justify hate crimes against illegal immigrants because they broke the law when they entered this country? Should women be able to castrate their adulterous husbands because they cheated? I know that sounds absurd because the victim of a crime should not be the one on trial. But “La Comay” clearly disagrees and does blame the victim.

What makes this statement from “La Comay” even more disturbing is that by justifying a crime against a victim, just because they might be gay, it sends a message that violence against gays is acceptable. In other words, you are instigating others to commit similar crimes. And that’s not language protected by the First Amendment.

The outrage among the public has generated a full-scale boycott against the show, and most of the advertisers are withdrawing their sponsorship dollars. Mainland civil rights organizations like the National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC), GLAAD, Media Matters, National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC), and celebrities like Ricky Martin and Willie Colon have already denounced the 15 years of hate imparted by this show. However, the president of the TV station that runs the show, Jose E. Ramos, says the puppet is here to stay, due to its increased ratings. He told The New York Times that the advertisers’ decisions to pull the ads “was emotional”.

Mr. Ramos also stated that he wanted to apologize to those offended by the puppet’s statement, suggesting that the brutal crime was partially the victims’ own fault. His exacts words to ABC/Univision were as pathetic and irresponsible as could be expected from a money-hungry executive that cares more about ratings than basic human decency: “We sincerely regret if comments made on the show are ever taken out of context or misinterpreted to be deliberately hurtful.”

That’s the worst case of a non-apology apology that I have ever read. Mr. Ramos and WAPA-TV had an opportunity to stand up and condemn hate crimes. He could have taken a stand and defend victims of violence. He could have shown courage and decency, but he chose profits and ratings. What a shame!

With WAPA’s airing license up for renewal in 2013 maybe it is time for Chairman Alan Sokol and InterMedia Partners, the parent company of WAPA-TV, to consider the risk of keeping such a liability before Hispanic advocates file a complaint to the FCC and pressure cable carriers to drop WAPA America from its Latino lineup in the U.S.

If we don’t stand up against this type of incendiary and irresponsible rhetoric that has a clear potential of instigating a new wave of crimes against a minority group, then we will all be responsible the next time a young man gets beaten to death for being gay, or a young woman raped simply for wearing clothes that a criminal finds provocative, or for any crime that an irresponsible TV character decides is “justified because of the victims’ behavior.”

Let’s stop this non-sense and stand up for decency, for the rule of law and for victims of hate crimes. Change the channel and don’t support WAPA-TV or the “SuperXclusivo” show, until the money-grabbing hogs that are keeping this show alive suffer the financial loss they deserve.

This article was first published in Latinovations.

Robert G. Deposada is the founder and past President of The Latino Coalition and Latinos for Reform, and served as Director of Hispanic Affairs at the Republican National Committee under Chairman Lee Atwater.  

[Photo by La Comay foto de promoción]

Monday September 10, 2012

Hispanic voters projected to make up 8% of Colorado electorate (The Denver Post): A new study by the Center for Immigration Studies projects that Hispanic voters will make up 8 percent of the total electorate in the upcoming election in toss-up states including Colorado.

Michelle Obama praises Hispanics’ “critical role” (EFE/Fox News Latino): First lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday praised the “critical role” of the Latino community in helping achieve her husband’s vision for the country and she promised to fight for approval of the DREAM Act, which would provide a path to legalization for qualified undocumented young people.

Hispanics in North Carolina fight deportations (EFE/Fox News Latino): Hispanics in North Carolina have formed a support group for families whose members are facing deportation. The group consists of about 40 people who meet at least once a week at the headquarters of the Latin American Coalition in Charlotte, where 11,480 immigrants have been deported since 2006 under the 287(g) program, which makes members of participating local law enforcement agencies responsible for immigration enforcement.

Julian Castro: Obama will get 70% of Hispanic Vote (Daily Political): San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro has been riding the fame and recognition he has received since his keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention earlier this week in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has made a number of appearances and press rounds, while rallying the Hispanic voters behind President Barack Obama.

Latinos’ enthusiasm gap worries Dems (San Francisco Chronicle): Four years ago, President Obama promised immigration reform in his first year, but he never delivered. This time around, the Latino vote – so crucial to Obama’s chances for re-election – seemed to be fading.

Dairy farms rely on Hispanics (Green Bay Press Gazette): At 2 a.m. Alfredo Rodriguez goes to his job near Casco to take care of what he calls “the hospital cows.” Ten hours later, as an assistant herd manager, he will still be there.

Air pollution and the risk to Hispanic people (Las Vegas Sun): About 90 percent of Hispanics in the United States live in urban areas. These are areas where pollution from cars and trucks and major transportation arteries contaminate our air with smog, soot, carbon, mercury, lead and other toxic substances. It is estimated that 80 percent of Hispanics live in areas that fail to meet all U.S. EPA air quality standards, compared with 65 percent of blacks and 57 percent of Caucasians.

A list of top health disparities affecting Hispanics in the U.S. (Voxxi): Health disparities are a serious concern for one of the nation’s fastest growing minorities, and while many people understand how socioeconomic factors and limited access to insurance hinders the population, not everyone is aware of just how many health disparities affect the Hispanic community in the U.S.

 Why It’s Time for Hispanic-Owned Businesses To Become More Strategic (Huffington Post): The 2012 U.S. Census revealed that Hispanic-owned small businesses are growing at nearly twice the rate of the national average with annual revenues at $350B (though many industry insiders believe this is a conservative estimate with the true figure being well-north of $600B). The U.S. Minority Business Development Agency reports that between 2002 and 2007, Hispanic owned businesses grew faster than the national average of 44 percent in 28 states. Clearly, the impact of the Hispanic population and the entrepreneurial spirit we bring with us is influencing the emergence of Hispanic-owned small businesses. – and with this rapid growth the need for Hispanic specific resources and support to help enable revenue generation and profitability is at an all-time high.

What’s next in Arizona immigration battle? (CNN): A legal chapter closes now that a federal judge has lifted an injunction on Arizona’s “show me your papers” provision of its tough immigration law, but the legal combat won’t end and will merely take a new direction, analysts and attorneys say.

Hispanics Play Pivotal Role in the 2012 Political Conventions and Election (PBS): For the first time, Hispanic politicians were major speakers at both national conventions, illustrating the growing power wielded by those politicians and Hispanic voters, who make up a critical portion of the population in three swing states. Ray Suarez reports.

Dems see Latino-based future as union clout wanes (Albany Democrat Herald): On a precarious political bridge, Democrats are desperately trying to reach a promising future before their old foundation crumbles behind them. Union clout has eroded. But Hispanic strength is growing, raising long-term hopes. What about now?

San Jose-based Mi Pueblo Foods threatened with boycott over immigration status checks (San Jose Mercury News): The Bay Area’s biggest Latino grocery chain is trying to avert a threatened boycott after it began checking the immigration status of all its new hires through a federal work-verification program. ”This is a decision that doesn’t come easily,” said spokeswoman Perla Rodriguez of the 21-store Mi Pueblo Foods chain. “The immigrant community, that’s the core of who we are.”

Texas Republicans Send Conflicting Messages to Latinos (Bloomberg): Senate candidate Ted Cruz, a Cuban- American, and Mexican-American George P. Bush, nephew and grandson of presidents, are rising Republican stars in Texas, where courts have blocked laws they deem unfair to Latinos.

Accenting the importance of the Latino vote (Los Angeles Times): No one kept stats, but it’s likely that some kind of record for use of a foreign language at the two conventions was shattered, with bursts of Spanish flying como pajaritos (like little birds). A cynic could say that it’s mercenary and calculated, a sort of political and linguistic version of the late 1970s Bill Murray”Saturday Night Live” skit “Quien Es Mas Macho?” — except more like, “Quien Usa Mas Español?”

NYPD Report Says 96 Percent Of Shooting Victims Are Black or Latino (Huffington Post): The New York Police Department released new data showing the vast majority of victims and perpetrators of violent crime in the city are black and Latino, in what experts said was likely part of a broader effort to defuse allegations of racial bias in the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy.

Lost in Translation: GOP Struggles With Hispanics (Wall Street Journal): Dotted with businesses flashing names such as Las Delicias and El Rey del Pollo, Charlotte’s Central Avenue should be fertile ground for Republicans seeking inroads into the state’s booming Latino community.

Despite voter ID law, minority turnout up in Georgia (Atlanta Journal Constitution): Turnout among black and Hispanic voters increased from 2006 to 2010, dramatically outpacing population growth for those groups over the same period. On the other hand, Georgia’s top elections official could not point to a single case of ballot fraud the voter ID law had prevented.

Voter ID Wars (New York Times): While investigating voting in America for the documentary film “Electoral Dysfunction,” I heard versions of this line over and over from the laws’ backers. The message is clear: “If you’re too lazy to get a government-issued photo ID, then you probably don’t deserve to vote. And please, let’s not forget 9/11.” (The airplane reference is a handy conversation-stopper.)

Texas, Iowa Voter Rule Changes at Issue in Court Hearings (Bloomberg): A U.S. appeals court heard arguments over challenges to a law passed by Texas Republicans limiting voter registration efforts before the Nov. 6 presidential election, while lawyers in state court in Iowa debated a plan to purge non-citizens from voter rolls.

Rejected voter ID law, maps ruled discriminatory not deterring Texas Republicans (Washington Post): On Election Day in Texas, the mere act of voting would have been fresh flexing of Republican power: Show a photo ID, then cast a ballot in a political district likely drawn to favor GOP candidates. The script has changed, though, with two federal courts sizing it up as minority discrimination.

By Kristian Ramos, Latinovations

President Barack Obama’s move to prioritize the deportation of criminal immigrants, while giving exemplary undocumented immigrants the ability to remain in the country through deferred action, is smart and fair enforcement policy.

In the face of increasingly clogged deportation courts, constrained budgets and pressure to fix our broken immigration system, the Department of Homeland Security and the President have come to a sensible middle ground with their Deferred Action policy. This bold policy move achieves the rarest of feats in modern politics: a compromise.

Yes, the President’s action does allow a finite number of the best and brightest undocumented immigrants to remain in the country. Yes, it gives these Americans, in every sense of the word but their citizenship status, the ability to continue to contribute to the country. Deferred action also creates a streamlined system of immigration enforcement which will help unclog our deportation courts and allows this administration to better target high priority criminal immigrants.

According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS),

Deferred action is a form of prosecutorial discretion created to ensure that enforcement resources are not expended on low priority cases, such as individuals who came to the United States as children and meet other key guidelines.

Deferred action does not in any way provide lawful permanent resident status or a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Moreover, it does not excuse undocumented immigrants on American soil of any previous or subsequent periods of unlawful presence.

According to UCSIS, to apply for deferred action immigrants must be younger than 31 as of the June 15th announcement, and must have entered the U.S. before the age of 16. Applicants must also have resided continuously in the country since June 15th, 2007, and must have been in country at the time of the June 15th announcement and when submitting their application. To be eligible, applicants must have entered the U.S. without inspection OR have lost their lawful immigration status before June 15th of this year.

In addition, candidates must be currently enrolled in or recently graduated from school. Alternately, applicants may provide a certificate of completion from high school or a general education development (GED) certificate. Honorably discharged veterans of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States are also eligible for deferred action. Immigrants who have been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, three or more other misdemeanors, or pose a threat to national security or public safety are disqualified from the program.

Individuals may request consideration of deferred action for childhood arrivals for a period of two years, subject to renewal, beginning August 15th. Applicants may be eligible for employment authorization for the period of deferred action provided they can demonstrate “an economic necessity for employment.”

For those wondering how deferred action can possibly strengthen and streamline the enforcement capabilities of the Department of Homeland Security, consider this: our immigration court back logs are completely overwhelmed. Today’s immigration courts simply cannot focus their efforts on deporting actual criminal immigrants while also struggling to handle the deportation proceedings of low priority undocumented individuals.

According to Reuters, under the Obama Administration deportations have risen to a record 400,000 individuals each year. This increase has directly impacted our immigration courts. The University of Syracuse’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) states that more than 314,000 deportation cases awaited a resolution in the month of June, a 5.6 percent increase from 2011 and a 20 percent increase from 2010.

In light of the House GOP’s recent efforts to cut DHS enforcement by $484 million, a 1.2 percent cut for the 2013 budget year, the Obama Administration has had to work to streamline DHS enforcement capabilities. While actual immigration legislation remains stalled in the House, Deferred Action is a step forward in fixing our broke immigration system. At the very least it provides a way to allow the best and brightest undocumented immigrants to remain here while enhancing the enforcement capabilities of the federal government. In an era when partisanship is at an all-time high, Deferred Action is a compromise and that is not such a bad thing.

Thios article was firs published in Latinovations.

Kristian Ramos is Policy Director, 21st Century Border Initiative, at NDN and The New Politics Institute.

[Photo by The White House]

By Latinovations

According to a study released by the Pew Research Center, Latinos are more likely to favor strict gun control laws over Whites and African Americans.

The study found that only 29% of Latinos feel it is more important to protect gun ownership rightsthan it is to control the ownership of guns. This is different from how Whites responded to the survey, which found that 57% of them believe it is more important to protect gun ownership rights, while 37% place importance on gun ownership control.

Some believe that the increasing prevalence of gun violence in Latin America may be impacting the Latino support for stricter gun control laws in the United States.

The release of the Pew Research Center study coincides with Democrats criticizing GOP lawmakers for hosting a planned fundraiser titled “Aiming for Liberty,” encouraging attendees to bring firearms and offering the chance to fire an M-60 machine gun.

[Photo by R0Ng]

The most exhilarating and terrifying thing about doing something like NewsTaco is that there are no instructions. It wouldn’t have mattered because we’re not the type to read instructions — unless the illustrations are large and self explanatory. There was no such thing at the very beginning, an entire year ago. All we had was an idea, and a big empty space to see if it would work.

This month marks News Taco’s first anniversary. It’s a good time to pause, if only to thank you – if you’re reading this, you know who you are. For your patience, your loyalty, your ideas and for rooting for us — gracias.

Like most ideas that seem to click or resonate, this one was born of need, and frustration. We were frustrated to find that there was no place on the Internets that provided news, information and analysis for Latinos and from a Latino perspective. So we dared ourselves to do it.

Here’s what happened: we found a niche when we weren’t exactly looking for one. We found a space where there was a lack of Latino news, and started shoveling. Then we found that we weren’t alone; that there are many Latinos “out there” who felt the same information vacuum. The feeling is that we’ve got something of real value, but only because of our community. I’ll pilfer wholesale from the known axiom: If News Taco publishes on the internet and no one reads it, is it something?

A year ago it wasn’t more than an idea. Now it’s a growing community. And that’s something.

You encourage us when we’re on a roll, speak up when you think we’re wrong, roll your eyes and laugh when we make jokes that only our community can understand. For that we’re deeply grateful.

I remember when my children first learned to walk. They enthusiastically tried to navigate sharp corners without knowing how to take their speed into account. They’d miss the doorway, hit the wall, plop on their backsides and laugh at their own hilarity. That’s the best way I can describe the joy of something new.

If we have a regret, it’s only one. That our dear brother Carlos Guerra isn’t here to lift a glass with us — or to call us from the jetty in Port Aransas to talk endlessly about News Taco and pretty much anything and everything else. He would have liked what we’ve built. He would have liked you, our readers.

At the very beginning the idea of NewsTaco held us together — that and a sense of instigation and the joy of disruption. A year later there is a deep respect for each other’s talent, a shared vision and the love of the roller coaster day-to-day stuff that comes with doing what we do.

I’m going to make use of personal privilege to thank my fellow News Taqueros. Gilberto Ocañas for keeping us on the track and Sara Inés Calderón for keeping the machine going. Gracias.

To Chelsea McCullough, Elaine Ayo and Renée Saldaña, thank you for your talent and for believing in this little taco of ours.

To all of our contributors and partners, you that fill the NewsTaco spaces with your ideas and energy and words, gracias mil. For your creativity and patience, thank you.

I had breakfast this morning at the last place I shared a taco with Carlitos Guerra. It was morning, I was drinking coffee and the Margarita machine was unplugged. I think I heard him say thank you as well. He would have liked what we’ve done. I know I do.

So here’s a proposition as we start a second year. We’ll keep trying our best, doing what we’re doing, and you’ll keep coming back to help us grow our community. Deal?

[Photo by gusdrinks]

By Cindy Casares

This year, we’re kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month with the disheartening news that Latinos, for the first time in American history, comprise the majority of inmates in federal prison. One reason for this, according to the  Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University, is the unprecedented amount of undocumented immigrants being arrested and charged rather than deported. The trend is a tactic on the part of the Obama administration, (and the Bush administration before them), says Walter Ewing, senior researcher at the Immigration Policy Center, to butter up conservative litigators for immigration reform.

“It’s a losing strategy because it’s never going to be enough for them,” Ewing told political watchdog site Colorlines, referring to members of Congress who demand “a secure border” before they can consider immigration reform.

Meanwhile, those sneaking into the United States to willingly perform labor for minuscule wages are finding themselves involved in a far more diabolic system than they bargained for. Namely, privatized prisons motivated by profit.

Corrections Corp. of America, (it sounds like something out of a  Monty Python skit, but it’s sadly very real), runs more than 60 prisons and immigrant-detention centers across the country. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan organization that tracks the effect of money on U.S. politics, CCA has spent more than any other corrections company–$17.6 million– lobbying politicians, contributing to their campaigns and hiring their former staff. They also lobby the Department of Homeland Security and its Immigration and Customs Enforcement division which just so happens to contract with CCA and other private companies for immigration-detention centers.

Though CCA says they only lobby to educate policy makers, one can’t help but notice that what they lobby for is tougher prison sentences. After all, it’s how they make their money.

As for the claim that private prison companies run a more efficient ship, one only has to do a cursory search online to find their records rife with incompetence that has cost many inmates their lives. The country’s second largest private prison company, GEO group, formerly called Wackenhut, which runs a facility at Guantanamo Bay, has been involved in numerous scandals across the country, including here in Texas. One of note resulted in a teenage inmate at a Coke County facility committing suicide after she was repeatedly raped by a guard. A court investigation found that some of the guards Wackenhut hired had criminal records themselves.

“There’s a lot of room for improvement in state-run prisons, but at least they’re not in it to make money,” says Alexia Rodriguez, VP Immigrant Children’s Services and Legal Counsel for Southwest Key, a non-profit that provides alternatives to incarceration for youth. “When money is your motive for providing this kind of service, the results are never good.”

What kind of heritage are we creating with a culture that’s willing to make money on the backs of poor immigrants? Let’s take this Hispanic Heritage Month to seriously consider the consequences of our actions.

[Photo By Howdy, I'm H. Michael Karshis]

In September 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week, which was observed during the week that included Sept. 15 and Sept. 16. The observance was expanded in 1988 by Congress to a monthlong celebration (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15), effective the following year. America celebrates the culture and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Sept. 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.

Population

50.5 million

The Hispanic population of the United States as of April 1, 2010, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic or race minority. Hispanics constituted 16.3 percent of the nation’s total population. In addition, there are 3.7 million residents of Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory.

Source: American FactFinder: United States DP-1 and http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-04.pdf

43%

Percentage increase in the Hispanic population between April 1, 2000, and April 1, 2010, making Hispanics the fastest-growing minority group.

Source: The Hispanic Population: 2010 and http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb11-cn146.html

132.8 million

The projected Hispanic population of the United States on July 1, 2050. According to this projection, Hispanics will constitute 30 percent of the nation’s population by that date.

Source: Population projections

35.3 million

The number of Hispanics counted during the 2000 Census.

Source: The Hispanic Population: 2010

22.4 million

The nation’s Hispanic population during the 1990 Census.

Source: The Hispanic Population: 2000

2nd

Ranking of the size of the U.S. Hispanic population worldwide, as of 2010. Only Mexico (112 million) had a larger Hispanic population than the United States (50.5 million).

Source: International Data Base

63%

The percentage of Hispanic-origin people in the United States who were of Mexican background in 2010.

Another 9.2 percent were of Puerto Rican background, 3.5 percent Cuban, 3.3 percent Salvadoran and 2.8 percent Dominican. The remainder was of some other Central American, South American or other Hispanic or Latino origin.

Source: The Hispanic Population: 2010

States and Counties

14 million

The population of the Hispanic-origin population that lived in California in 2010, up from 11 million in 2000.

Source: American FactFinder: California DP-1

16

The number of states with at least a half-million Hispanic residents — Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Source: American FactFinder: United States DP-1

46.3%

The percentage of New Mexico’s population that was Hispanic in 2010, the highest of any state. Hispanics also made up at least one-fifth of the population in California and Texas, at 38 percent each, followed by Arizona (30 percent), Nevada (27 percent), Florida (22 percent) and Colorado (21 percent). New Mexico had 953,403 Hispanics.

Source: American FactFinder: United States DP-1

148%

The percentage increase in the Hispanic population in South Carolina between April 1, 2000, and April 1, 2010, the highest of any state.

Source: Page 6 of the Hispanic Population: 2010

4.7 million

The Hispanic population of Los Angeles County, Calif., in 2010. This is the highest of any county.

Source: American FactFinder: California DP-1

96%

Proportion of the population of Webb County, Texas, that was Hispanic as of 2010. This is the highest proportion of any county.

Source: American FactFinder: Texas DP-1

82

Number of the nation’s 3,143 counties that were majority-Hispanic.

Source: Page 11 of The Hispanic Population: 2010

3 million

The increase in California’s Hispanic population between April 1, 2000, and April 1, 2010.

Source: American FactFinder: California DP-1

25

Number of states in which Hispanics were the largest minority group. These states were Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming.

Source: American FactFinder: United States DP-1

Businesses

Source for statements in this section: Census Bureau News Release: Census Bureau Reports Hispanic-Owned Businesses Increase at More than Double the National Rate

2.3 million

The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in 2007, up 43.7 percent from 2002.

$345.2 billion

Receipts generated by Hispanic-owned businesses in 2007, up 55.5 percent from 2002.

23.6%

The percentage of businesses in New Mexico in 2007 that were Hispanic-owned, which led all states. Florida (22.4 percent) and Texas (20.7 percent) were runners-up.

30.0%

Percentage of Hispanic-owned businesses in the construction and the other services sectors; 50.8 percent of the receipts of Hispanic-owned businesses were concentrated in wholesale trade, construction and retail trade.

Families and Children

10.4 million

The number of Hispanic family households in the United States in 2010.

Source: Families and Living Arrangements: Table F1 

63%

The percentage of Hispanic family households consisting of a married couple.

Source: Families and Living Arrangements: Table F1

39%

The percentage of Hispanic family households consisting of a married couple with children younger than 18 in 2010.

Source: Families and Living Arrangements: Table F1

67%

Percentage of Hispanic children living with two parents.

Source: Families and Living Arrangements: Table C9

44%

Percentage of Hispanic married couples with children under 18 where both spouses were employed in 2010.

Source: Families and Living Arrangements: Table FG-1

Spanish Language 

35 million

The number of U.S. residents 5 and older who spoke Spanish at home in 2009. Those who hablan español constituted 12 percent of U.S. residents. More than half of these Spanish speakers spoke English “very well.”

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 American Community Survey: Table B16001

Note: Figures will be updated late Sept. 2011

17 million

The number of U.S. residents 5 and older who spoke Spanish at home in 1990.

Source: Language Use in the United States: 2007

76%

Percentage of Hispanics 5 and older who spoke Spanish at home in 2009.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 American Community Survey: Table B16006

Note: Figures will be updated late Sept. 2011

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance

$38,039

The median income of Hispanic households in 2009.

Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2009

Note: Figures will be updated late Sept. 2011

25.3%

The poverty rate among Hispanics in 2009, up from 23.2 percent in 2008.

Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2009

Note: Figures will be updated late Sept. 2011

32.4%

The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2009, up from 30.7 percent in 2008.

Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2009

Note: Figures will be updated late Sept. 2011

Education 

63%

The percentage of Hispanics 25 and older that had at least a high school education in 2010.

Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2010 Detailed Tables

14%

The percentage of the Hispanic population 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2010.

Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2010

3.9 million

The number of Hispanics 18 and older who had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2010.

Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2010 

1 million

Number of Hispanics 18 and older with advanced degrees in 2010 (e.g., master’s, professional, doctorate).

Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2010

12%

Percentage of college students (both undergraduate and graduate students) in October 2009 who were Hispanic.

Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2009

20%

Percentage of elementary and high school students that were Hispanic in 2009.

Source: School Enrollment – Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2009

Foreign-Born

47%

Percent of the foreign-born population that was Hispanic in 2009.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 American Community Survey

Note: Figures will be updated late Sept. 2011

Names

4

The number of Hispanic surnames ranked among the 15 most common in 2000. It was the first time that a Hispanic surname reached the top 15 during a census. Garcia was the most frequent Hispanic surname, occurring 858,289 times and placing eighth on the list — up from 18th in 1990. Rodriguez (ninth), Martinez (11th) and Hernandez (15th) were the next most common Hispanic surnames.

Source: Census 2000 Genealogy

Jobs

68%

Percentage of Hispanics or Latinos 16 and older who were in the civilian labor force in 2009.

Source: 2011 Statistical Abstract

19%

The percentage of civilian employed Hispanics or Latinos 16 and older who worked in management, professional and related occupations in 2009.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2008 American Community Survey: Table B24010I

Note: Figures will be updated late Sept. 2011

Voting

9.7 million

The number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2008 presidential election, about 2 million more than voted in 2004. The percentage of Hispanic citizens voting went from 47 percent in 2004 to 50 percent in 2008.

Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of 2008

Serving our country

1.1 million

The number of Hispanics or Latinos 18 and older who are veterans of the U.S. armed forces.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 American Community Survey: Table B21001

Note: Figures will be updated late Sept. 2011

Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:

• African-American History Month (February) Labor Day
• Super Bowl Grandparents Day
• Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)
• Women’s History Month (March) Unmarried and Single Americans Week
• Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/ Halloween (Oct. 31)
• St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month
• Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) (November)
• Older Americans Month (May) Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
• Cinco de Mayo (May 5) Thanksgiving Day
• Mother’s Day The Holiday Season (December)
• Father’s Day
• The Fourth of July (July 4)
• Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26)
• Back to School (August)

Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: pio [at] census [dot] gov.

[Photo By Eric Fischer]