Landmark New England Journal of Medicine Paper Reveals Facts: Latinos in U.S. Indispensable to Nation's Prosperity, Health, Future

WASHINGTON, July 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The conventional narrative that Latinos are taking more from the United States than they contribute is not just wrong—it is dangerous. In a new "Medicine and Society" analysis published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers from the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health (CLAFH) at John Hopkins University School of Nursing report that Latinos are among the nation's most important contributors to economic growth, workforce participation, and population health. At the same time, they warn that false narratives and discriminatory policies are exacting a measurable toll on Latino communities, contributing to rising rates of preventable illness, psychological distress, and death.

In "Correcting False Narratives—Indispensable Latino Contributions to U.S. Population Health," Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, PhD, RN, founding director of CLAFH and executive director of the Institute for Policy Solutions at the School, and colleagues document the breadth and depth of Latino contributions across economic, social, health, and political sectors—and make clear that addressing the health and social needs of the U.S. Latino community is not about serving outsiders: Latinos are not loose fringe at the edges of the great United States of America tapestry, they are essential threads woven throughout its core.

The paper presents striking data that overturn prevailing assumptions about the U.S. Latino community and what they contribute to the nation's well-being:

• Four in five Latinos in the United States—approximately 79%—are U.S. citizens by birth or naturalization, and one in four U.S. children is of Hispanic origin. Latinos are the second-largest racial/ethnic group in the country; by 2060, they are projected to reach nearly 100 million, or 27% of the U.S. population.
• The U.S. Latino economy generates more than $4 trillion in annual economic output. If measured independently, it would rank as the world's fifth-largest economy—larger than the United Kingdom, Germany, India, or France.
• Latinos hold the highest labor force participation rate of any racial or ethnic group. They represent more than one-third of the U.S. construction workforce, making crucial contributions to combating the nation's housing shortage. They also are contributing to U.S. wealth creation through higher rates of new homeownership than any other racial or ethnic group.
• Far from draining the healthcare system, undocumented immigrants (a small share of the overall Latino population) contribute more than $50 billion annually in health insurance premiums and taxes, five times as much as the system spends on their care. They effectively subsidize the care of U.S.-born citizens and sustain the system for everyone.
• Politically, a record 16.6 million Latinos voted in the 2024 presidential election—the highest U.S. Latino participation ever recorded, and a decisive factor in several key states. With approximately 1.4 million more becoming eligible to vote each year, Latinos are the second-largest racial/ethnic voting bloc in the country and a growing force in shaping federal national and state policies.

"Latinos are not peripheral to the American story; they are indispensable to it," said Guilamo-Ramos. "Latino health is U.S. health. That means the U.S. can only truly thrive when the contributions and needs of Latinos are recognized and prioritized. Any serious account of American prosperity, resilience, and future well-being must fully recognize these facts."

The paper also highlights what is at stake for all people in the U.S. when Latinos are not valued and protected. One example is that Latinos make up 27% of home health aides and 22% of personal care aides, a workforce that is essential to the nation's ability to care for its rapidly aging population. With demand for long-term care growing sharply, policies that threaten this workforce could impose severe costs on U.S. families and the broader healthcare system, as older adults are forced into nursing homes rather than aging in place.

Despite their extraordinary contributions, false narratives and discriminatory policies have taken a measurable and preventable toll on Latino communities. Between 2015 and 2023, the age-adjusted suicide mortality rate among Latinos rose 32%—compared with just 5% among non-Latinos—and overdose deaths climbed 187%, more than double the rate seen elsewhere. Hate crimes targeting Latinos more than tripled between 2015 and 2025, and a 2025 survey found that 51% of Latinos reported increased stress, anxiety, disrupted sleep, and worsening health conditions linked directly to anti-Latino rhetoric and policies. These are the measurable costs of false narratives that treat indispensable insiders as threatening outsiders.

"Latinos are an asset to the United States—not a threat, and not a burden," said co-author, Brenda Amezquita-Castro. "Our contributions help sustain many essential sectors that keep this country functioning and support the well-being of all people across the United States. Ensuring that Latinos have the conditions needed to thrive is not at odds with the needs of the broader population; it is an investment in the nation's shared prosperity, resilience, and future."

The paper concludes with a call to action directed at policymakers, health systems, media organizations, and civic leaders to actively and publicly correct false narratives about Latinos; defend evidence-based protections against discriminatory policies that harm health; increase investment in Latino behavioral health, workforce development, and community supports; and ensure linguistically and culturally appropriate care for Latino patients. The authors note a recent national survey conducted by CLAFH that found a majority of adults in the U.S. already support prioritizing the elimination of health inequities.

Read the full paper

About CLAFH: For more than two decades, the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health (CLAFH) has generated research, training, and interventions to advance the health and well-being of Latino adolescents, families, and communities across the United States. CLAFH closely partners with the Institute for Policy Solutions (IPS) at Johns Hopkins University to advance evidence-based policy, research, and action to eliminate health inequities, starting with those furthest from opportunity. Visit clafh.org to learn more.

SOURCE Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing; The Institute for Policy Solutions at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing