Hispanics and Latinos in Houston

Part of a series on
Ethnicity in Houston

The Hispanic population in Houston is increasing as more immigrants from Latin American countries come to work in the area. As of 2006 the city has the third-largest Hispanic population in the United States. As of 2011, the city is 44% Hispanic. As of 2011, of the city's U.S. citizens that are Hispanic, half are age 18 or older, and are therefore at the age range eligible to vote. As of 2011 many Hispanics in Houston are not U.S. citizens, especially those living in Gulfton and Spring Branch, and are therefore ineligible to vote in elections. As a result, Hispanics have proportionally less representation in the municipal government than other ethnic groups. As of April 2011 two of the Houston City Council members are Hispanic, making up 18% of the council.[1]

As of 2010, John B. Strait and Gang Gong, authors of "Ethnic Diversity in Houston, Texas: The Evolution of Residential Segregation in the Bayou City, 1990–2000," stated that Hispanics and Latinos had "intermediate levels of segregation" from non-Hispanic whites.[2]

As of 2006 Karl Eschbach, a University of Texas Medical Branch demographer, said that the number of illegal (undocumented) immigrants in the Houston area was estimated at 400,000.[3]

  1. ^ Casey, Rick. "City Hall Latino win may end up as a loss instead," Houston Chronicle. April 28, 2011. Retrieved on June 6, 2011. "The biggest factor is that while Houston is now about 44 percent Hispanic, only about half are citizens of voting age. Many are not citizens, especially in the Gulfton and Spring Branch areas."
  2. ^ Strait, John B; Gong, Gang. "Ethnic Diversity in Houston, Texas: The Evolution of Residential Segregation in the Bayou City, 1990–2000." Population Review, 2010, Vol.49(1). cited: p. 58.
  3. ^ Hegstrom, Edward. "Shadows cloaking immigrants prevent accurate count.", Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine Houston Chronicle (February 21, 2006).