Latino Voters Speak
UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization, released its “Bipartisan Poll of Hispanic Voters: The Road to 2026” in early November.
Here are some key takeaways from the California sample:
- Half (50%) of Latino voters in California fear political violence could affect them or someone close.
- 82% say Congress is failing to check executive power and want stronger oversight of the presidency.
- 60% feel their rights and freedoms are less secure today—a signal of institutional distrust.
- Top priorities remain economic: cost of living, housing, jobs and healthcare.
- Most voters disapprove of how Republicans are leading Congress and blamed them for the shutdown.
“Even in a state like California, where we’ve worked hard to pass strong protections for immigrants and expand opportunity, families are still afraid,” says Esmeralda Lopez, UnidosUS California policy director. “That tells us the fear is not just about policy, it’s about the erosion of trust in our institutions
“Californians are demanding more from Congress. They want leaders who will put aside the political theater and focus on keeping communities safe, making life affordable, and defending the democracy we all depend on.”
Latinos are the nation’s second-largest voting-age population and a critical group whose priorities should carry significant weight, particularly in an environment of razor-thin margins.
Learn more at unidosus.org.
Dangerous Air Pollution Levels in Latino Communities
On Nov. 4, the Hispanic Access Foundation released new findings from its El Aire Que Respiramos (The Air We Breathe) air quality monitoring program, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The results from the data collected confirm that several Latino communities across California, Idaho, Nevada and Texas are regularly exposed to airborne fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels that exceed the EPA’s safety threshold of 9 µg/m³—posing serious risks to public health.
Latinos are twice as likely to visit an emergency room for asthma, and Latino children are twice as likely to die from asthma compared to their white counterparts.
“PM2.5 affects our health, our families, and of course, our future generations,” said William Carcamo, air quality monitoring site manager in Commerce, Calif. “It’s a reality we can’t ignore.
“It’s very sad because it shortens our lives, and the Latino community often doesn’t know about this; there is a great lack of awareness about how polluted the air is.”
“Through El Aire Que Respiramos, we collected data, made it accessible to the communities, and provided knowledge, evidence, resources and training to empower clean air advocates,” said Hilda Berganza, Hispanic Access Foundation climate program manager.
“Community awareness of PM2.5 pollution and advocacy has greatly increased along our different sites, with site managers and residents directly engaging with their elected officials, communicating their concerns and pushing for stronger air quality protections.”
Learn more at hispanicaccess.org.
