Henry and his friends face accusations of murdering fellow Mexican-American Jose Williams. These charges are not based on solid evidence but rather on their ethnicity and unique style of dressing and behavior. This situation is fueled by a cultural conflict between Mexican-Americans and the dominant Anglo society. A small group of Mexican-Americans, known as zoot suiters, sported ducktail haircuts and flamboyant suits, projecting a cool and self-assured image. Many Anglos saw these characteristics as a defiance of societal norms. In contrast, most Mexican-Americans in the 1940s accepted their segregation into barrios, Spanish-speaking neighborhoods, and worked in low-wage, low-status jobs. They were tolerated as long as they remained within these confines. Enrique, a well-assimilated Mexican-American, works as a street cleaner and feels proud of his son joining the Navy to fight for America; he believes Henry's enlistment would symbolize his assimilation as well.

Problems arise when groups of Mexican-American zoot-suiters, also known as pachucos, gather in dance halls and become unruly. During the wartime hysteria of the 1940s, such behavior was perceived as a significant threat, and the death of Jose Williams seemed to confirm the violent nature of the pachucos. Although the real 38th Street Gang did not carry switchblades, Valdez portrays them as quick to brandish and use such weapons, reinforcing their violent image. Lt. Edwards and Sergeant Smith arrest only the Mexican-Americans at the dance, allowing the Anglos, including the aggressive Marine Swabbie, to go free. From this point, the harsh treatment of the prisoners is evidently motivated by ethnic hatred and distrust. They are dehumanized, treated, and even referred to as animals. This issue worsens as the pachucos reciprocate the hostility by distrusting Anglos.

A pivotal moment occurs when George demonstrates his commitment, leading the boys to accept his help and form a bond across ethnic lines. Despite this progress, the cultural conflict continues as George fights for their release, and Rudy is attacked by twenty marines who strip him of his zoot suit. The boys' eventual release does not mark the end of the conflict; it persists at their celebration when police mistakenly assume Joey has stolen George's car. The challenges of the barrio extend beyond a single gang: El Pachuco declares, "The barrio's still out there, waiting and wanting, / The cops are still tracking us down like dogs, / The gangs are still killing each other, / Families are barely surviving."

For Mexican-Americans like Henry, the issue goes beyond ethnic tensions to include significant violations of civil rights. His trial is not a rare instance of judicial unfairness. The Chicano Movement sought to tackle these and other issues as part of the larger Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. The fight was complex: from courtrooms to classrooms, Hispanics, African Americans, and other ethnic groups strove to educate themselves and the public about the daily injustices happening in the United States. For Hispanics, the segregated and unequal education system—with underfunded, separate schools for Mexican children—remained in place long after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which granted legal equality in education for African Americans. Hispanic children only began attending integrated schools following a 1970 federal ruling that required the Texas school system to end segregation.

Another major civil rights challenge was police brutality. A group of notable Mexican-American citizens initially formed a forum in 1948 to address delays in veterans' rights for Mexican-Americans; they later shifted their focus to actively exposing and prosecuting police brutality cases. Police raids and mass roundups of Mexican-Americans were common at social events, where women and children were often beaten alongside men. The mass arrests depicted in Zoot Suit were not exaggerated....