The inability to keep up with the sharp rise in costs is forcing far too many Latino parents to make difficult decisions that may have long-term consequences for their families. This stark warning comes directly from the findings of the "National Latino Family Report 2026," a comprehensive new study released by AP-OD, UnidosUS, and BSP Research. Centered heavily on key states with large Hispanic populations, including Texas, California, and New Mexico, the report captures an increasingly familiar and distressing reality: Latine families across the United States are facing deepening financial hardships while simultaneously bearing a disproportionate brunt of enforcement actions and deportations nationwide.
The findings illuminate a profound paradox at the heart of the modern American economy. Despite serving as a massive economic engine and driving over $4 trillion in economic activity through the U.S. workforce in 2025 alone, an overwhelming 78 percent of the Latine community reports experiencing living conditions that they describe as "only fair or poor." These insights were gathered through a detailed survey of 1,300 Latine parents and primary caregivers who are raising young children. When asked to look ahead and define their most urgent legislative priorities for Congress and the president, the respondents pointed firmly toward foundational survival and stability issues. Immigration reform emerged as the leading priority for 42 percent of those surveyed, closely followed by jobs and the economy at 38 percent, the broader cost of living and inflation at 37 percent, housing affordability at 25 percent, health care at 20 percent, and border security at 15 percent.
If everyday essentials such as groceries, health insurance, or childcare feel completely out of reach, millions of families know they are not alone in this struggle. Nearly half of all survey respondents, accounting for 49 percent, reported that their overall financial situation had actively worsened over the course of the past year. To cover basic monthly expenses and bridge the widening gap between income and expenditure, households have been forced to tap into fragile safety nets. The survey reveals that 40 percent of respondents had to borrow money from friends or family members, 29 percent relied on credit cards to stay afloat, 21 percent were forced to draw down what little personal savings they had accumulated, and 23 percent resorted to selling their personal belongings. These mounting financial pressures heavily underscore urgent calls for structural action on the broader economy, runaway living costs—with a specific emphasis on the crushing burden of childcare—and accessible health care. Across the board, wages simply are not keeping pace with the demanding work people perform every single day.
Beyond the immediate financial strains, immigration policy and enforcement loom as deeply pressing and anxiety-inducing concerns for these communities. The survey details alarming shifts in enforcement dynamics, noting in particular that mothers of U.S. citizens have been deported at a rate four times higher than what was observed under President Biden. Furthermore, about 23 percent of respondents reported that friends or family members had been directly detained or deported over the past year alone. The pervasive fear surrounding President Trump’s ongoing mass deportation plans and the looming threat of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids have had a profound chilling effect on daily life. Families with children have increasingly altered their routines out of self-preservation, with 35 percent of respondents admitting they avoid taking their kids to school, 24 percent avoiding any contact or communication with the police, 21 percent declining to sign up for vital public benefits they are otherwise entitled to, and 16 percent skipping necessary visits to doctors and medical professionals. Consequently, an overwhelming 75 percent of respondents now actively support comprehensive immigration reform, including the expansion of protections for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
Despite navigating these compounding challenges, Latines continue to demonstrate remarkable determination in finding viable paths forward for themselves and their dependents. Rather than succumbing entirely to economic and political uncertainty, the report shows that 44 percent of respondents are actively seeking better-paying jobs or striving for career promotions, 21 percent are taking the initiative to start a business or launch a side enterprise, and 14 percent are investing their time and resources into career-building education, professional certifications, or trade training programs. These proactive efforts vividly underscore the enduring resilience of communities striving to build a secure future amid a landscape marked by profound economic and systemic tests.
