Utah is a “pre-emergent” gateway: a place with fast-growing immigrant populations as of the 1990s that may continue to grow as a destination. Latinos make up slightly more than 11 percent of the population in the state, up from 4.9 percent in 1990. About 47 percent of them are undocumented. To many outsiders, Utah calls to mind images of the Mormon Church, large and close-knit families, and a socially conservative electorate.
While blatant discrimination and racial harassment are stymied by strong social norms, a stealthier form of racism persists in America today. According to a 2001 Gallup poll, 55 percent of white and 83 percent of black Americans believe that racial profiling is widespread. This may be seen as a first step on a long path that leads young men of color to high rates of incarceration and low levels of trust in public authorities.