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NPR recently interviewed Dr. Nancy Lopez. She shared her perspective on the racialization of Latinos and proposed changes to standards for how the U.S. asks about race and ethnicity might affect data about Latinos.

Press Release & Media Advisory → Jobs & Labor

Severe Gaps in Protections for Altadena Wildfire Recovery Workers

The findings are based on 11 in-depth interviews conducted nine months after the Eaton Fire with outdoor workers who were employed or seeking employment during cleanup and recovery. Eighty-two percent of participants had worked directly in fire-affected areas, while 64 percent reported witnessing or experiencing immigration enforcement during the wildfire recovery period. The study is based on a limited qualitative sample intended to document workers’ experiences rather than represent all workers involved in recovery.

Altadena’s Recovery Extends Far Beyond Rebuilding More Than 18 Months After the Eaton Fire

The analysis combines campaign-level data with narratives describing the circumstances households faced while displaced, including efforts to secure stable housing, replace necessities, manage mental health concerns, and sustain caregiving arrangements.

Immigration Enforcement Surge Triggered Immediate and Lasting Economic Disruption Across Los Angeles County’s Latino Business Corridors

Analysis shows 46,000 fewer business visits and an estimated $3.16 million in accumulated losses near nine enforcement sites within two weeks. Latino entrepreneurs reported continuing financial, psychological, and physical consequences nearly one year later.

Latino Data Hub Expands Analytical Capabilities with 2026 Annual Update

The updates reflect LPPI’s ongoing commitment to providing timely, accessible, and reliable data that informs research, policy, and community action.

Introducing the 2026 Field Fellowship Cohort

This summer leadership program offers students from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs the opportunity to gain hands-on public policy experience through placements at government offices and community-based organizations across Los Angeles and Southern California.

New Federal Loan Caps Could Further Narrow the Path for Latino Medical Students

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

Lineage Logistics Fire Smoke Advisory Area Faced High Pollution, Health, Housing, and Economic Burdens Before the Fire

The analysis—second in a series examining the impacts of the Lineage Logistics fire—examines the demographic, socioeconomic, housing, health, and environmental conditions in the smoke advisory area, which includes much of Boyle Heights and portions of East Los Angeles

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.

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