Raul Yzaguirre

The U.S. Census Bureau’s standard racial classifications provide information used to enforce civil rights policies. Some policy analysts, however, advocate the addition of a multiracial category as a more accurate classification for people of mixed racial heritage. In the following viewpoint, Raul Yzaguirre contends that a multiracial census category would endanger equal opportunity for Hispanic Americans. Because the proposed category is not clearly defined, he asserts, many Latinos would classify themselves as multiracial rather than Hispanic. Such confusion, Yzaguirre argues, would cause undercounting of Hispanic populations, which in turn could allow the development of public policy that ignores discrimination against Latinos. Yzaguirre is the president of the National Council of La Raza, an organization that seeks to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Why do many Hispanics...