Mexican Immigration Stereotypes

1161 Words5 Pages

In late 1969, a Californian judge said the following at court: "Mexican people ... think it is perfectly all right to act like an animal. We ought to send you out of this country.... You are lower than animals ... maybe Hitler was right. The animals in our society probably ought to be destroyed" (Feagin and Feagin, p. 266). In the book First Crossings (edited by Donald R. Gallo), the teenagers and their families in the 10 short stories experienced a lot of prejudice. Immigrants from Mexico experience name-calling, having jobs denied, are known for being bad, uneducated workers, and much more. White Americans began attacking the first big groups of Mexican immigrants during the twentieth century. During the World War II era, the stereotype of …show more content…

It is well known that America is known for having a lot of immigrants. Blacks and White are not considered to be immigrants. On the other hand, Asians, Latinos and other races are immediately thought to be immigrants. People completely avoid the fact that Latinos have been living in the U.S for generations. Some Latinos families have lived in the U.S longer than some Anglo ones have. Another common stereotype is that all Latinos speak Spanish. Not all Latinos speak Spanish. 75.1 percent of Latinos speak Spanish at home (According to the U.S. Census Bureau). This statistic shows that about a quarter of them don’t! It’s believed that all Latinos look the same. When someone thinks of a Latino, they think of someone with dark hair and eyes, and tan/olive skin. This is very untrue. Some Latinos look European or …show more content…

The OECD conducted a study in three dozen countries on the work trends (paid and unpaid work included). Mexicans were on top of the list. They beat Americans in both of the categories. The U.S actually came in 9th place!! This proves that the stereotype that Mexicans are lazy and terrible workers is completely ridiculous. There is a stereotype that Mexicans/ Hispanic Americans are uneducated just because they don’t speak English. Of course, if you’re new to the country you won’t know the language at first. Surprisingly, a study shows that many more Hispanic Americans are better at speaking in English than they were 10 years ago. Hispanic Americans are known to be very poor. It’s not surprising to see photographs of them sitting in big groups living in small residences or trying to fit into a van. Even though it is often true that they are low on money, it is important to keep in mind that Hispanics are very close to their culture and traditions. To them, family is extremely important. Sharing homes and vans shows that they are trying to save money to support their family. Also, it shows their culture, and them being used to being close to each