American Dream

In the article “Economics of Being Hispanic” the author describes the hardships of being a migrant worker in the U.S. he provides statistical evidence stating that “According to the U.S Department of Labor, median weekly earnings in 1988 for a full time worker 16 years of age or older were $572, or about $30,000 a year. The median for a Hispanic worker, in contrast, was $398, or about $21,000 per year” (421). He goes on to explain some of the factors that are currently harming Hispanic earnings, lack of education being a primary source. “And as improved living standards become more dependent on education and skills in an informative- base economy, immigrants (half of them Hispanic) are falling further and further behind” (422). The author sums up the article by proclaiming that despite people’s negative attitudes towards migrant workers, Hispanics are “actually a net revenue generator and not just a “fiscal burden”.



Another ethnic group that faces these economic controversies is Native Americans. Despite the fact that they have been pushed to reservations, people still often view them as a threat to the “American economy”. They feel they take jobs away from “American born citizens” by working for cheap labor and neglect to see the individuals who contribute to society. The reservations themselves generate jobs through the casinos and restaurants. Although these are just two groups of the immigrants mentioned, all ethnic groups face economic scrutiny at one point or another.



I feel the major issue associated with immigrant workers is that a lot of times they are treated as if they are illegal even when they are not. What people need to realize is that, when an immigrant worker is a legal citizen and they are paying taxes, they are contributing just the same as everyone else. It is ridiculous to blame the falling economy on immigrants, just because they are working cheaper. Instead we should look at the business owners who are paying illegal immigrants under the table in order to save money. I really enjoyed John Maggs article and felt he portrayed a real problem that particularly effects a western state such as Arizona.