Hispanic Immigrants in South
Florida
By: Allison F.
South Florida, specifically in Miami, is the only large U.S
area with a hispanic Majority. America's Hispanic population, now 10 percent
of the total, is expected to grow to 24.5 percent in 2050. In Miami, non-hispanic
whites have now become a minority, whereas in 1960, they made up 80 pecent
of the population.
Dade county's 2 million people now include
some 669,000 of Cuban origin, 110,000 Haitians, 74,000 Nicaraguans, 54,000
Colombians, 23,000 Dominicans, 18,000 Hondurans, and 16,000 Peruvians. Many
immigrants bring with them the old-fashioned values many Anglo- Floridians
fear America is losing: hard work, family loyalty, and religious faith.
It has also been observed that the struggles and sucesses of Miami's newest
newcomers are very similar from those of earlier generations of immigrants.
Between 1977 and 1987, when Haitians and
other Caribbean immigrants poured into Miami, black owned businesses rapidly
grew. They more than trippled the size! Haitian immigrants tend to be more
upwardly mobile than African Americans, which creates conflict between the
two groups. On the other hand, homestead's migrant workers are on the bottom
rung of the immigrant ladder.
As a result of the arrival of so many
immigrants, various institutions, such as schools and hospitals, became
overcrowded. Employment oppurtunities became more limited for current residents.
Hispanic immigrants had both a positive
and sometimes a negative influence on South Florida. The Hispanic immigrants,
as well as the non-hispanic residents, continue to shape theie area's identity.
