Latinos widely agree that the immigration system in the United States needs a large overhaul, according to a new survey by PEW Research. “A majority of Latino immigrants and those born in the U.S. share the view that the country’s immigration system needs fixing, and this sentiment extends across all ages and education levels,” according to researchers Jens Manuel Krogstad and Mark Hugo Lopez. While most Latinos agree changes are needed in immigration policy, priorities differ depending on political party and legal status. This survey of Latinos on immigration comes four months into the Biden presidency, which has promised to enact various changes that would help Latino immigrants. These include defunding the U.S. and Mexico border wall, ending family separation at the ...
President Joe Biden has vowed to completely reform how the U.S. handles immigration. In the first two weeks of his presidency, Biden has begun taking action to stop the border wall, family separation, support DACA recipients, reverse the public charge rule, and is planning further legislation to create an easier path to citizenship for immigrants. How does Biden’s immigration reform affect Latino immigrants? Let’s take a look at the different immigration policies Biden has in store. Update 3/10/21: Biden's administration stopped enforcing the public charge rule first enforced by Donald Trump's administration, according to CBS News. Update 7/22/21: The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reaffirmed that the public charge rule is no longer in effect and ...
Immigration is difficult and often traumatic. People who immigrate to the U.S. often face a dangerous journey only to be met with aggression and xenophobia at the border. It can lead to loss of hope, anxiety, depression, and even suicide. Cheryl Aguilar wants to help families experiencing the trauma of immigration and adjusting to new life in the U.S. Aguilar immigrated from Honduras as a teenager, an experience that helped guide her to give back to immigrant communities. Aguilar is a clinical social worker and founding director and therapist at the Hope Center for Wellness. “As a therapist, one of the things that I do is help individuals, families, and communities heal from whatever distress, trauma, or experiences they might have encountered. I believe in holistic healing, ...
This is part of the Salud America! Achieving a Cohesive Culture for Health Equity in Latino and All Communities: A Research Review»
Impact of the Affordable Care Act
The Patient Accountability and Affordable Care Act, generally referred to as the Affordable Care Act, or ACA, was signed into law in March 2010. The ACA was designed to expand insurance coverage, improving access to health care. Key provisions were included to benefit those of lower SES, including Medicaid expansion and federal health subsidies for those living at 138% of the federal poverty level, and large subsidies for those at 100% to 400% of the federal poverty level who purchased insurance plans through ACA exchanges. In January 2014, the most impactful ACA provisions took effect, including the expansion of ...
U.S. leaders have "failed miserably" in planning and executing a cohesive national response to COVID-19, which has killed over 170,000 people here, according to a new report. The report is Public Health Law Watch's Assessing Legal Responses to COVID-19. It features 50 top national experts evaluating the policy response to the pandemic. The experts blame neither resources nor individual courage, but rather "a failure of leadership and the implementation of an effective response." COVID-19 revealed weaknesses in the nation’s health care and public health systems. It also worsened existing health inequities for Latinos and other people of color—even creating new disparities. Still, the report offers 100+ recommendations on how federal, state, and local leaders can better ...
Nearly 1 in 4 Latinos reported that the Coronavirus pandemic was affecting their mental health, according to an April 2020 poll. Of those surveyed many reported high levels of psychological distress. Job loss, immigration status, returning to school or work, a lack of childcare, and even the health status of loved ones are all concerns for Latinos across the U.S. On Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020, let’s use #SaludTues to chat about ways to help promote healthy minds for Latino youth and their families. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: Healthy Minds for Latinos Amid COVID-19
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, Sept 1, 2020
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludAmerica
CO-HOSTS: Association for Behavior Health and Wellness (@ABHWorg); Stamp Out ...
The current novel coronavirus afflicts more than just the lungs. For Latinos and other people of color, COVID-19 has caused disproportionately higher rates of cases and death, job loss, and other inequitable impacts. These groups are also experiencing more mental health issues than in previous eras, according to Dr. Madeline Aviles-Hernandez, the Outpatient Services Director at the Gándara Center. “This crisis is making life much more difficult for [Latinos, African-Americans and other culturally diverse populations] we serve, including those in recovery and people who have yet to be treated for such problems as anxiety and depression,” Aviles-Hernandez said in a statement. “Minorities have been—and continue to be—less likely to receive mental health ...
U.S. Latinos already bear an extraordinary burden of COVID-19 cases and deaths and health and social inequities. Now job loss and stress are piling up for Latinos, according to new surveys.
What about Latino Job Status, Finances amid Coronavirus?
The financial toll of the coronavirus outbreak has hit Latino Americans especially hard, according to a Pew Research Center survey on May 5, 2020. Here are some key survey findings: 61% of Latinos report they or someone in their household experienced a job or wage loss due to coronavirus. Only 38% of white adults report the same. These shares were up from 49% and 29%, respectively, in a March 2020 survey.
70% of Latinos report they did not have emergency funds to cover three months of expenses. This compares to 47% of whites.
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Millions of unauthorized, taxpaying immigrants will not receive any financial support from the U.S. government through its recent stimulus package. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided most Americans with $1,200—as well as an additional $500 for each child under 17—to provide some economic security in the wake of the pandemic. Still, undocumented residents who pay taxes using a taxpayer identification number did not receive any help. Worse, children in that household, whether they are American citizens or not, won't receive aide either — and these families are suing the government over this issue. "The refusal to distribute this benefit to U.S. citizen children undermines the CARES Act's goals of providing assistance to Americans in need, ...