A study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine challenges claims that Latino immigrants and Latino Americans drain resources, presenting data showing that Latinos are fundamental to U.S. economic vitality, workforce stability and public health.
The research, led by the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health at Johns Hopkins University, comes as anti-Latino rhetoric has intensified over the past decade alongside worsening health outcomes in Latino communities. Between 2015 and 2023, suicide mortality among Latinos rose 32 percent while climbing just 5 percent among non-Latino Americans. Overdose deaths in Latino communities jumped 187 percent—more than double the rate elsewhere.
"Latinos are not peripheral to the American story; they are indispensable to it," said Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, the study's lead author.
Latinos comprise 27 percent of home health aides and 22 percent of personal care aides nationwide, according to the research. As the U.S. population ages, this workforce will become increasingly essential. Immigration policies targeting Latino workers directly threaten elder care infrastructure, the study warns.
The research documents the health toll of discriminatory policy and rhetoric. A 2025 survey found that 51 percent of Latino respondents reported increased stress, anxiety, sleep disruption and worsening health conditions directly connected to anti-Latino messaging and policy threats. Hate crimes targeting Latinos more than tripled between 2015 and 2025.
The study's publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal carries significant weight, as the New England Journal of Medicine is among the world's most prestigious medical publications.
The paper calls for action including correction of false narratives about Latinos, evidence-based protections against discriminatory policies, increased investment in Latino behavioral health services, and culturally and linguistically appropriate healthcare.
A recent Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health survey showed that a majority of American adults already support prioritizing the elimination of health inequities, suggesting that public opinion may be ahead of elected representatives on the issue.
