LATINO IMMIGRATION
An Interview with Rogelio Saenz, Ph.D
Rogelio Saenz is currently Professor in the Department of Sociology at Texas A&M University and a Rural Fellow with the Carsey Institute. Dr. Saenz has two decades of experience as a sociologist specializing in the areas of demography, Latina/os, immigration, and social inequality.He is on numerous editorial boards including that of the Journal of Latina-Latin American Studies, Social Science Quarterly, and Southern Rural Sociology. He is a past president of the Southwestern Sociological Association and a past vice president of the Rural Sociological Society.
Interviewed by Amy Seif on 3/05/07.
Amy Seif: Is the Latino population in the United States growing and, if so, what regions are experiencing the highest growth?
Rogelio Saenz: The Latino population is the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States. Over the last 25 years (1980-2005), the Latino population nearly tripled from 14.6 million to 42.7 million, while the U.S. overall population only increased by about 30 percent. Latinos have accounted for approximately half of the national population growth in recent times (2000-2005). While the population has traditionally been concentrated in particular regions of the country, the Latino population has fanned out into areas that have historically not had a significant Latino presence. These new destinations are primarily located in the Midwest and South, but also in the Northwest and Northeast.
AS: How is immigration contributing to this population growth?
RS: Immigration is playing a major role in the growth of the Latino population, as it accounts for about 46 percent of the overall growth in the Latino population today. The prevalence of immigration in Latino growth is particularly apparent in new destination areas of the country, where Latino newcomers have been disproportionately immigrants.
AS: Who are the Latinos in the United States and where are they working?
RS: One of the key distinguishing features of the Latino population is its youthfulness, portending future growth. Children make up one-third of the Latino population compared to one-fourth of the overall U.S. population, with the median age of Latinos being 27 versus 36 for the U.S. population. Nonetheless, Latinos are diverse in numerous ways. For example, they originate from Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Spain. In addition, their presence in the United States varies tremendously. While some Latinos can trace their presence in this country over numerous generations, others have immigrated to this country only recently. Furthermore, Latinos work in a wide variety of occupations and industries but tend to be concentrated in blue-collar jobs such as in construction, services, and food processing.
AS: What about the special case of Mexicans, who have spent increasing time in the United States? Are they achieving the “American Dream?”
RS: Among the Latino groups, Mexicans have been in the United States the longest. The annexation of Texas in 1846 and the acquisition of most of the southwest land through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 (after the U.S.-Mexico War) and the Gadsden Purchase in 1853 illustrate that the United States came to Mexicans in these areas rather than vice versa. Despite their long presence in the United States, Mexicans are situated near the bottom socioeconomically within the larger Latino population and in the overall U.S. population. Furthermore, there is significant evidence showing that third-and-higher generation Mexican Americans fare less well socioeconomically compared to their second-generation counterparts.
AS: Will the population of Latinos in the United States continue to rise?
RS: Yes, most definitely. This is due to the group’s young age structure, high fertility, and large volume of immigration, all which forebode future population growth. The strength of Latinos in the changing demography of the country can be illustrated by examining the birth-to-death ratio which represents merely natural change (e.g., births and deaths). Over the 2000-2004 period, there were 8 births for every 1 death among Latinos compared to a 1-to-1 ratio among non-Hispanic whites. In addition, the movement of Latinos to new destination areas suggests that the increasing Latino presence will occur across the country.
AS: What are the implications of increasing “Latinoization” of the United States for the future?
RS: The disproportionate growth of the Latino population will have significant implications for the future of the United States. Latinos will have an impact on the different societal institutions. For example, Latinos will comprise an increasingly larger segment of the nation’s future workforce, consumer markets, student body, and healthcare providers, especially in light of the aging of the U.S. population as baby boomers reach retirement age beginning in 2011. Similarly, political parties and religious denominations will increasingly recruit from the expanding Latino population. Indeed, Latinos represent the engine of U.S. population growth. Thus, the future direction of the United States will increasingly be tied to the Latino population. As such, it is of utmost importance that investment be made in developing the human capital of Latinos and to remove institutional and structural barriers (e.g., racism and discrimination) that have impeded their access to the opportunity structure.