Just like every individual in the United States, the desire to provide a better life for their families is a driving force for the Latino population. Latino immigrants not only face discrimination when they arrive, but they also face the emotions of being far from their home country, the safety of their families, friends, culture and traditions. The welcome they experience upon their arrival is anything but welcoming. “Negativity towards immigration, justified or not, is not good for our country. It fuels segregation, racism, prejudice and discrimination” (Lopez, 2010). Illegal immigration has become such a hot topic for many that even when immigrants arrive legally they are still greeted with suspicion. I think one of the most offensive titles given to a group of people is illegal “aliens.” These individuals are not aliens; they are human beings who dream of a better life, just like everyone else. Today, Latinos are proud of their culture and heritage, and even as they attempt to assimilate into American culture, through pluralism they also maintain their own. They continue to converse in their native language within their families, listen to music and watch Spanish television programs. Where in the past the melting pot theory led many to discard their native language and culture to integrate, today many are embracing these ideals, which may be a contributing factor to continued discrimination (Lopez, 2010). most suffer from the highest unemployment rate, but Latinos are not far behind. Many get paid much less for the same work as others. There are few Latinos in management positions, and many feel there are very few opportunities for career advancement. Latinos are one... half of the paper... The Latino presence is leading to greater political representation and the needs of their communities can no longer be ignored. Both the Democratic and Republican parties have come to recognize the growing involvement of the Latino community due to assimilation, as well as pluralism (Schaefer, 2012). While many improvements have been made in education, healthcare, political representation and employment opportunities, there is still a long way to go to close the gaps so evident in our society. Works Cited Cardenas, V., Kerby, S. (2012). The state of Latinos in the United States. Retrieved from www.americanprogress.org Lopez, R. (2010). A collection of Latin opinions. Retrieved from www.latinoopinion.com/category/prejudice-and-discriminationSchaefer, R. (Ed.). (2012). Racial and ethnic groups. (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education