Civil Rights Group Says Park Rangers’ Uniforms Are ‘Threatening’ to Latinos for Absurd Reason

A coalition of lawmakers and civil rights groups has a message for the National Park Service: your uniforms and vehicles are “very threatening” to Latinos.

Maite Arce of the Hispanic Access Foundation delivered the “really tough” message during a press conference on Thursday:

It’s such a shame that something as simple as the uniform and it’s similarity to the border patrol’s uniform–in the coloring–could be very threatening to certain segments of the Latino population. So a discussion about that is going to be really tough.

National Park Rangers…

ICE Agents…

The coalition made multiple recommendations to the Park Service, including:

Assess the cultural implications of existing agency uniforms, offices, signage, and other facilities. For example, the Park Service law-enforcement vehicles look like those used by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and uniforms have law enforcement connotations, both of which present a significant impediment to engaging all Americans.

Review names of sites throughout system for cultural bias. Some may require comprehensive name changes to reflect a broader and more inclusive history.

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