Why do people think that "Hispanic" is a race?

thats how the american government puts it down on many forms "hispanic" or "non-hispanic" so the average person or even white puerto rican has bought into the hype....if you haven't noticed this country loves to slap a label on you and throw you in a category.....any category they darn well please so if tomorrow they started saying either your purple green blue or grey people would become purple green blue or grey