[WillMalven]

Yes, at least in Texas. The state legilature gave them the status of "browns" instead of just being caucasians, or indians (of the mongoloid race).

See: Carlton S. Koons The Five Races of Man: Negroid, Caucasian, Mongoloid, Australoid, and Bushman.

[hispanarepublicana]

I thought anthropologically there were only 3 races. What's Australoid and Bushman?
I've never heard this "brown" race business, and I'm in Texas. Where/what agencies is it used?

[em2vn]

Are you sure of this?

[inquest]

I wasn't questioning whether "Hispanic" was a race. I was talking about Mexicans in particular. They're a nationality and a culture, not a race.

The difference here is this: A Mexican couple can move to the U.S., fully integrate themselves into a normal, English-speaking U.S. neighborhood, and have kids there. Those kids would grow up to be part of the culture around them. They would be Americans, not Mexicans. Even their parents would cease to be Mexican if they assimilated fully. That's because "Mexican" is not a racial designation.