Red Banks' Hispanic Community

Illicit immigration to New Jersey has risen at an unprecedented pace over the years. The population of illegal immigrants has tripled in the last 25 years, according to Ewing, Martinez, and Rumbaut (2015). Hispanic immigration to the United States has been correlated with rising crimes in the country on an ongoing basis. Stereotypes and fear associated with crime levels in Mexico have affected the enactment of immigration policies and laws. Threats to security and drug trafficking have therefore caused the federal government to criminalize unregulated immigration, resulting in illegal Hispanic populations in the United States, including the Red Bank. Trump_x0092_s administration is putting tough measures that will criminalize all the illegal immigrants living in the United States, a move that will affect the Hispanic community, mostly. This paper discusses how population growth, societal changes, and technological developments have changed the Hispanic community in Red Bank. The paper will also analyze how these changes have enabled this community to be relevant as well as overcome racism and marginalization that is being influenced by tough immigration policies.
Red bank lies 2000 miles from the Mexico border where the proposed wall to control immigration will be built. In spite of the distance, the Hispanic community accounts to about a third of the entire Red Bank community. A majority of the Hispanic community here and half a million more in New Jersey will be affected by the tough measures being enacted by the Trump administration and the discrimination that tags along. The population of the Hispanic community has almost doubled in ten year; the 2000 census indicated that the Latino were 17% of the population whilst by contrast, the 2010 census show that they now account for almost 33% of the entire population (United States Census Bureau, 2017). Their rising populations have consequently increased their representation in every sector in Red Bank town, making them an integral part of the social-economic growth of the Red Bank as well as the entire New Jersey.
According to Guion and Zimmer (2017), there is a huge Hispanic presence in Borough_x0092_s downtown where there are many Hispanic business and restaurants. 50% of students in Borough school are of Mexican origin indicating that this community is becoming more educated and efforts to emancipate themselves from poverty are in progress (Guion and Zimmer 2017). The Latinos have previously been blamed for being a liability since they did not pay taxes yet they benefited from Medicare, which is funded by American tax payers. A majority of Hispanic immigrants were uneducated hence they worked in low paying jobs such as casual labor. However, the scenario is changing in Red Bank due to concerted efforts to empower and educate all Red Bank children without discrimination.
High enrollment by children of Hispanic origin in schools is an indication of a more literate society. Social acceptance by the other Red Bank citizens has improved to a point that there is a widespread call for Red Bank to join other towns that are against criminalization of immigrants (Guion and Zimmer, 2017). Technological development and innovation have been instrumental in bringing awareness on the level of immigration, economic contribution by Hispanic immigrants and the general economic status of different communities in Red Bank. With technology, it is now known that financial burden created by Hispanic immigrants on New Jersey residents, amount to $3.5 billion (Lang, 2013). E-verify is a technology that is being developed to be used in hospitals to recognize non-tax payers who are mostly immigrants (Rafter, 2017). To prevent this, the Hispanic community has embarked on getting educated so that they may get better jobs where they pay taxes. The Mexican_x0092_s businesses in borough and the celebration of Mexican culture in Red Bank and the entire New Jersey have increased integration and contributed to reduced racism and discrimination._x000c_Reference
Ewing, W. A., Martínez, D. E., & Rumbaut, R. G. (2015). The criminalization of immigration in the United States. American Immigration Council. Retrieved from https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/criminalization-immigration- united-states
Guion, P. & Zimmer, R. (2017). Red Bank moves toward protections for undocumented residents. App. Retrieved from http://www.app.com/story/news/local/communitychange/2017/02/27/red-bank-moves- toward-protections-undocumented-residents/98472778/
Lang, M., L. (2013) Illegal Immigration_x0092_s Impact. The Washington Free Bacon. Retrieved from http://freebeacon.com/politics/illegal-immigrations-impact/
Rafter, M. (2017). Trump Immigration Plans Could Usher in Nationwide E-Verify Rollout. Talent Economy. Retrieved from http://www.talenteconomy.io/2017/02/28/trump- immigration-nationwide-e-verify/
United States Census Bureau (2017). Red Bank borough, New Jersey. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/redbankboroughnewjersey/PST045216