Latinos in the South Facing Widespread Abuse and Exploitation, New SPLC Report Finds

April 21st, 2009

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE               Contact:
Apr 21, 2009                                         Marie Watteau 
                                                                 (202) 785-1670

LATINOS IN THE SOUTH FACING WIDESPREAD ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION, NEW SPLC REPORT FINDS

Washington, DC-NCLR (the National Council of La Raza), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, today joined the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for the release of SPLC's new report, Under Siege: Life for Low-Income Latinos in the South. The report found that Latinos in the South are encountering widespread hostility, discrimination, and exploitation.

"For nearly 40 years, SPLC has done groundbreaking, heroic work uncovering and fighting discrimination, hate crimes, harassment, and worker abuse in our nation. This report continues that tradition and provides invaluable insight into the troubling conditions facing the South's newest residents," stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.

The report interviewed more than 500 immigrants currently living in Charlotte, NC, Nashville, TN, New Orleans, LA, North Alabama, and South Georgia. Among the survey's results:

• 68% of respondents said they have suffered racism in their daily lives.
• 41% have experienced wage theft, and one-third have been injured on the job. The death rate for Mexican workers is more than double that of the national average.
• 47% know someone who has been treated unfairly by the police; 47% cited traffic stops as the most common form of unjust treatment. Only 46% of total respondents expressed confidence in the police; that number dropped to 27% in South Georgia.
• 77% of Latinas said that sexual harassment was a major problem at their workplace.

"This report is stark evidence of how a broken immigration system is affecting not only Latinos, but all workers. A system that tolerates or condones widespread worker abuse, exploitation, and harassment undermines working conditions for everyone," concluded Murguía.

For more information, visit http://www.wecanstopthehate.org/.