La Opinion (Editorial)
July 12, 2015
The
Census Bureau this week confirmed what has been said: Latinos now make
up the largest population group in California. Or, in other words, no
single race or ethnic
group holds the absolute majority in our state. This has serious
implications for the present and the future.
This
demographic change has been slow but unstoppable marked by significant
moments of transformation. One such moment happened in July 2014 when
the numbers of Latinos
reached 14.99 million compared to 14.94 million whites. According to
observers, this growth has less to do with immigration and more to do
with the families established by the second and third generations of
these immigrants. This counters the anti-immigrant
theories that blame the population increase on unsecured borders.
These numbers represent a challenge for Latinos and for California in general.
For
Latinos, the population growth is out of sync with political
representation because of the gap the exists between those who live in
the state and those who are voters.
Partly this difference owes to the large number of undocumented
Hispanics, but it also has to do with the large number of legal
residents who don't even dare seek citizenship. Yet, in the case of
Mexico and other countries, doing so does not mean renouncing
one's birth land. In addition we need to get citizens of voting age to
register and go to the polls.
The
demographic shift also presents a challenge to California since it must
integrate Latinos as fully as possible in order to thrive without
creating a caste system.
Legalizing driver's license for the undocumented was one important step
to enable their participation in the economy. Accepting that legal
residents can work at the polls offers them a role in the electoral
system. Meanwhile Governor Brown vetoed having residents
serve on juries but voting in local elections, such as for school
districts, has been under consideration.
In
setting priorities California must take into account the demographic
reality and work in order to prepare and incorporate Latinos fully in
this society because the
of Californians are Latinos, with or without papers.
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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