Half of Latinos identify as 'some other race'

Half of Latinos identify as ‘some other race’

The nation's Hispanic population grew by 2.2 percent to 56.6 million, and New Mexico had the largest percentage of Latinos in the country at 48 percent, according to new information from the U.S. Census Bureau. Data also showed New Mexico has one of the highest percentages of minorities in the country. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras)

In a report that heralds encouraging results in a test of new identifying terms, the Census said that 43.5 percent of “self-reported Hispanics did not report belonging to any federally recognized race group.”In fact, “some other race” has become the third largest race in Census calculations, driven by the surge in Hispanics who chose the category.

And with the Hispanic population growing far faster than any other, their refusal to identify with the race terms used by the federal government is developing into a potential crisis since the numbers are used in many federal calculations.

As it readies for the next national count in 2020, however, the Census is working to fix the issue by expanding the choices for Hispanics and others, such as those from the Middle East and North Africa, to include race and origin.

Results from the 2015 test just revealed in the report showed that many more Hispanics identified as Hispanics, a positive trend.

A new Pew Research Center analysis of the results found that a large majority of Hispanics chose “Hispanic” in the new questionnaire that allowed them to choose several boxes that, for example, allowed them to choose “Hispanic,” then an origin, like “Dominican.”

The Census test report also sounded positive.

“By combining the race and Hispanic origin questions into one question on race/ethnicity, the research has shown that Hispanics can better find themselves among the race and ethnicity categories,” said the report.

Source:Washington Examiner