A new study shows that Latino nationalities now account for 40 percent of all federal inmates, making them the largest oppressed group in federal prison. In 2007, Latinos accounted for only 13 percent of the general population of the United States. In the federal prison population, they are overrepresented by over 300 percent.
According to the Pew Research Foundation, U.S. Sentencing Commission data from 1991 to 2007 showed that nearly half of all Latinos in federal prison were convicted of immigration violations, followed closely by non-violent drug crimes at 37 percent. Latinos convicted of federal offenses are more likely to be sentenced to prison than people of other nationalities.
Between 1991 and 2007, the law enforcement budget ballooned, and the number of federal inmates sentenced for immigration violations spiked by approximately 267 percent. The federal government has expanded its war against immigrant workers, particularly Latino workers, resulting in the growing incarceration of Latinos. The exploitation of oppressed communities is intrinsically tied to the prison system, where African Americans represent about 39 percent of all inmates.
