From Victim to Criminal and Back: The Minority Threat Framework's Impact on Latinx Immigrants

Abstract

Extreme poverty, violence, or persecution have traditionally been viewed as legitimate reasons for resettlement in another country. After all, theUnited States “founding fathers” fled Great Britain in pursuit of religious freedom. However, although countries benefit from incoming immigrants, increasing flows of migration from select “sending” countries has generated hostility from the native-born of “receiving” countries. During migration, the view of immigrants as victims needing humanitarian aid shifts to that of criminals requiring control. This shift perpetuates a feedback loop, confounding the status of immigrants as victims and criminals simultaneously. Migrants experience numerous vulnerabilities that increase victimization risk in their homeland and throughout the migration process. Meanwhile, the perceived threat of immigrants entering the United States (regardless of legality) increase restrictive policies. The enforcement and publicity of such policies simultaneously stigmatize immigrants and fuel the perception of vulnerability, leaving immigrants susceptible to targeting and victimization on U.S. soil. This essay begins with a brief overview of immigration and immigration policy, followed by a discussion on the Minority Threat Framework (MTF) (King andWheelock 2007) and its present focus on Latinx immigrants. “Solutions” to the immigrant “threat” are then examined in relation to subsequent postmigration immigrant victimization.