Gain insight
Gain insight into key priorities such as inflation, rising housing and health care costs, good jobs, and where the Latino electorate stands on issues like immigration.
These stories illuminate the diverse voices and experiences of Latino voters, revealing how personal struggles intersect with national issues — and how, together, they are reshaping the political landscape.
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Chapter 1: The Weight of the Grocery Bag
Lucía Alvarez held the handles of her grocery bags tightly, her knuckles pale against the weight. Each step toward her apartment felt like a balancing act — not just for the groceries but for her everyday life. Milk, eggs and bread seemed heavier today, not because of their weight but because of their cost.
Her neighbor, Doña Rosa, waved from her stoop, clutching her coupon book like it was a lifeline. “Inflation is like a thief in the night,” she murmured. Lucía nodded, thinking of the extra hours she picked up at the diner just to keep up. Another bill unpaid means another sleepless night, she thought.
At the kitchen table, Lucía glanced at her pocketbook. Empty. Every dollar spent echoed the struggle of her family and the millions like hers across the country. The cost of living wasn’t just a phrase — it was the thin line between dreams and survival.
And yet, Lucía voted. She remembered her grandfather’s words: “Mija, we plant seeds with our ballots, even if the harvest comes late.” This year, more than ever, she hoped Congress was listening.
52% of Latino voters like Lucía prioritized inflation in 2024. For her, it’s not about numbers — it’s about survival.
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UnidosUS has conducted extensive research on the growing economic concerns among Latinos, particularly among working-class families, and has offered a forward-looking economic agenda that responds to the challenges Latinos face in making the country stronger.
Chapter 2: Dreams Built on Shaky Foundations/Adequate Housing
“My son deserves his own bedroom,” vented Alma, a single mother and factory worker living just outside of Buffalo, NY.
Since his days as a toddler, Alma’s 9-year-old son Ricardo (“Ricky” as he likes to be called) was raised in homes that were never enough for him and his devoted parent.
In one home, Ricky was nearly a 50-minute bus ride from his bilingual school, sometimes missing out on the free breakfast provided and arriving to class well after his lessons had started.
In another, they were lucky to even get a bus to show up. Public transportation was so underdeveloped that Alma was never certain if she could make it to work on time.
And in their current home, a growing boy and his mother are crammed into a one-bedroom basement unit and forced to make do.
Not much else is affordable for a single parent family, but Alma has had enough. She and Ricky deserve a home that meets their needs and dreams.
Alma is part of the 27% of Latino voters who saw housing affordability as a critical issue. She hopes her vote can give Ricky the home he deserves.
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On housing, UnidosUS is dedicated to advancing the economic prosperity and building the generational wealth of Latinos by advocating for bold public policies, investing in community solutions and supporting research that expands Latino homeownership opportunities for more families like Alma’s and Ricky’s.
Chapter 3: Families Living in Fear No Longer
Mateo Rodríguez sat at his desk, gripping his pencil so tightly it snapped in two. The sudden noise startled his classmates, drawing the teacher’s gaze. “Are you okay, Mateo?” she asked softly. He nodded, forcing a smile. But inside, his heart raced.
The night before, his parents whispered in hurried tones, speaking of another workplace raid nearby. Mateo didn’t understand every word, but he caught enough: ICE, deportation, families separated. His chest tightened as he imagined coming home to an empty house. With this fear, how could he focus at school?
According to our Hispanic electorate poll, the Latino community prioritizes a path to citizenship for long-residing undocumented immigrants. Many children like Mateo live in mixed-status families with TPS holders, DACA recipients or undocumented loved ones.
Hispanics are also the second-largest group of voting-age Americans, and every election will see a significant number of new Hispanic voters. Mateo made a promise to himself: one day, he would grow up and vote to change the system. He thought of his parents, who worked so hard yet lived in constant worry. It wasn’t fair. Mateo wants to help build a world where families like his could thrive without fear of being torn apart.
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UnidosUS has consistently championed a path to citizenship for the long-settled undocumented communities in the U.S. as a crucial component of modernizing our outdated immigration system. Central to this effort is UnidosUS’s Border Plan, a policy roadmap that would bring lasting order to the southern border through legal immigration reforms that support both our national security and economic growth.
Chapter 4: The Decision That Costs a Fortune/Health Care Cost
In her hands, 37-year-old wife and mother Maria Victoria holds a mountain of medical bills slowly tearing her life apart.
For years, she and her husband Pedro have relied on tax credits to afford health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. But with the threat of some tax credits ending after this year, Maria Victoria is terrified of losing the support they depend on to make ends meet.
When Pedro experienced a painful fall at work, their insurance made his recovery possible. But as Pedro continues to recover, Maria Victoria feels stretched out between two less-than-perfect options.
In one hand, she holds Pedro’s health: the key to a stable home, but their possible downfall if they lose coverage. In the other, she holds nothing: a grim reminder of the uncertainty that would follow if health care financial programs expire.
Maria Victoria’s family is one of millions that could be forced to choose between their health and financial stability. They represent the one-quarter of Latino voters who made health care costs their deciding factor when casting ballots in 2024.
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UnidosUS has long championed solutions to rising health care costs, like ensuring financial assistance for health insurance remains available beyond 2025. We remain committed to fighting cuts to health care protections so families like Maria Victoria’s won’t have to choose between essential care and providing for their loved ones.
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Visit the Hispanic Electorate Data Hub for detailed insights into the perspectives and priorities of Hispanic voters, including the makeup, distribution, and participation trends of the Latino electorate, nationally and in the states, spanning the last two decades; multi-year dynamic polling data on leading issues and concerns for Hispanic voters, their views on parties and candidates, and outreach received; and the potential impact of this fast-growing electorate in competitive districts.
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