Press

LPPI experts Leisy Abrego and Cecilia Menjívar discuss the Central American migration conference at UCLA, whose purpose was to show that Central Americans are not newcomers to the U.S. or to Mexico.

Press Release & Media Advisory → Environment & Climate Resilience

Boyle Heights Fire Smoke Advisory Zone Is Home to More Than 31,000 Workers, Most of Them Latino

LPPI researchers examined the communities living and working within the smoke advisory zone, which includes much of Boyle Heights and portions of East Los Angeles. Their analysis shows that the fire is not only a public safety and air quality emergency, but also a worker exposure, workplace disruption, and environmental justice issue.

Medi-Cal Expansion Enrollment Fell by Nearly 71,000 Amid Heightened Immigration Enforcement Activity

Findings suggest ICE raids may have influenced decisions to enroll in or maintain Medi-Cal.

New Federal Loan Caps Could Further Narrow the Path to Law School for Latino Students

New analysis shows Latino law students relied more heavily on federal loans, received less grant aid, and were more likely to turn to credit cards to finance legal education.

Latinos already spend more on gasoline, face higher housing burdens, and have fewer options to avoid rising fuel costs

Gas prices may have started to ease, but the pressure on household budgets is far from over.

Latino Workers Central to Wildfire Recovery in Los Angeles County Face Lower Wages and Weaker Economic Safety Nets

The analysis examines the workforce connected to the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades wildfires. It shows that recovery depends heavily on Latino workers who are already economically vulnerable for debris removal, construction, utility repair, landscaping, and other rebuilding needs.

Discriminatory Policy, Not Individual Circumstance, Created Today’s Latino Wealth Gap

The landmark analysis examines how deliberate decisions across five policy systems — immigration, housing, labor, public benefits, and education — shaped wealth inequality for Latino households across 175 years of U.S. history.

Closing Latino Opportunity Gaps Is Key to California’s Long-Term Economic Prosperity

A new report from the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (LPPI) shows that Latinos are central to California’s workforce and its future growth. However, deep and persistent gaps in wages, housing, health coverage, and environmental exposure continue to hold many families back, limiting the state’s ability to fully realize its economic potential.

Pico-Union’s Community-Based Organizations Were a Lifeline for Residents Excluded From Federal Relief

The case study examines the experiences of three longstanding nonprofit organizations —Inclusive Action for the City, Central City Neighborhood Partners, and the Central American Resource Center—whose deep roots in the community made them uniquely equipped to respond when formal systems could not reach residents most in need.

Most Fire-Impacted Rental Housing In Altadena Shows No Signs Of Rebuilding One Year After The Eaton Fire

Analysis shows that nearly 7 in 10 severely fire-damaged homes show no progress toward rebuilding, with Black and Asian homeowners most likely to remain stalled.

Advisory Board to Guide Research on Altadena Housing Recovery is Formed

The newly formed Board is dedicated to grounding the research in community experience and ensuring local data is accurate, timely, and relevant to recovery partners, residents, advocates, and policymakers. Every member brings expertise in housing, land use, tenant protection, small-business recovery, and community-led rebuilding.

Immigration Crackdown Could Undermine State Economies

This brief highlights the essential role Latino immigrant workers play in sustaining state economies and shows the economic risks states face if this workforce is reduced.

Younger, Latino, and Moderate Republicans in California Diverge from Party Line on Immigration Enforcement

The analysis examines partisan responses across ten immigration-related questions. The poll results show that Democratic opposition to current immigration enforcement never falls below 88 percent and reaches up to 95 percent on some items, while Republican responses reveal significant fractures in support for some enforcement measures.

New Policy Toolkit Centers Community-Informed Solutions to California’s Air Pollution Crisis

The Latino Air Pollution and Health Policy Toolkit builds directly on insights from advocates, organizers, and environmental justice leaders.

Community College Bachelor’s Degrees Can Drive Economic Mobility and Strengthen Workforces

Accessibility and affordability is a key factor in Latino students pursuing CCB programs across states.

Latino Workers Power the Inland Empire’s Growth, Yet Struggle to Get Ahead

The factsheet—which includes interviews with workers—reveals how wages, education gaps, and housing costs are shaping the lives of the region’s Latino workforce.

The Impacts of Los Angeles Wildfires on Small Businesses

The series provides the first integrated look at the pre- and post-fire business. The first brief establishes a baseline of the business landscape before the fires; the second quantifies structural damages; and the third examines short-term outcomes such as business closures and parcel sales.

Altadena Faces Uneven Wildfire Recovery as Black, Latino, and AAPI Homeowners Struggle to Rebuild

Analysis shows that nearly 7 in 10 severely fire-damaged homes show no progress toward rebuilding, with Black and Asian homeowners most likely to remain stalled.

LPPI Awarded $500,000 from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

The project focuses on how communities recover from shocks to the housing system, such as climate disasters or rapid policy changes, and how these disruptions affect long-term housing affordability and stability for Latino and Black residents. The initiative will generate neighborhood-level data insights to inform policies that strengthen resident resilience and prevent displacement.

Latinas Remain the Lowest-Paid Group in the U.S. Workforce, Despite Historic Gains in Education

LPPI’s national data analysis shows that in 2023, Latinas earned a median wage of just $17 per hour, compared to $25 for all men. When measured against their white male peers, the gap translates into more than $1 million in lost income over a lifetime — money that could have supported housing, health care, and wealth-building for their households.

Data shows Latinos in Inland Empire face higher heat and air pollution risks

KVCR (NPR), September 18, 2025

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