Latest news with #Latinos
Business Wire
2 hours ago
- Business
- Business Wire
2025 U.S. Latino GDP Grows to $4 Trillion; The World's Fifth-Largest Economy is Now Projected to Surpass Japan and Germany by The End of The Decade
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC), a think tank dedicated to producing research that highlights economic opportunities for growth, has released its eagerly anticipated 2025 Official LDC U.S. Latino GDP Report™ – Part One, available for download. The eighth edition of the report highlights the unprecedented growth of the U.S. Latino cohort, outpacing national growth rates in numerous economic indexes, workforce participation, entrepreneurship, and educational attainment. The report includes a new section on American entrepreneurship, and a deeper analysis and insights of how the youngest and fastest-growing generation is changing the U.S. population and labor force. 2025 U.S. Latino GDP Grows to $4 Trillion; The World's Fifth-Largest Economy is Now Projected to Surpass Japan and Germany by The End of The Decade Share Highlights: U.S. Latino Economic Growth Now valued at $4 trillion with an annual average real growth rate of 4.4%, U.S. Latino GDP is the second-fastest growing among the world's ten largest economies, trailing only China and on par with India, and outpacing countries like France, Canada, and the rest of the United States. U.S. Latino GDP is projected to rank as the world's fourth largest by 2029, surpassing Japan and Germany by the end of the decade. Despite comprising 19.5% of the U.S. population, the U.S. Latino cohort was responsible for 28.3% of total additions to national GDP between 2017 and 2022. The 10 largest state Latino economies, including California, Texas, Florida, and New York, are all growing faster than their non-Latino counterparts. U.S. Latino purchasing power is measured at $4.1 trillion. Latino income in the U.S. grew to $3.1 trillion in 2023 and increased 4.8% per year on average between 2017 and 2022. 'The data confirms what we've seen building for years,' said Sol Trujillo, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Latino Donor Collaborative. 'Latinos in the U.S. are not just participating in the economy; they are propelling it. At $4 trillion, this economy is larger than that of entire nations, and it's growing faster than almost all of them. The strategic implications for leaders across our economy are clear.' 'This report reinforces the economic power of the U.S. Latino cohort with clarity and precision,' said Ana Valdez, CEO and President of the Latino Donor Collaborative. 'From labor force expansion to entrepreneurship to education, Latinos in the U.S. are consistently outperforming national averages. These numbers are impossible to ignore.' The LDC is the most trusted source of information and analysis on the economic impact of U.S. Latinos across all industries and levels. These reports are often relied upon by institutions such as the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Congressional Joint Economic Committee, and numerous Fortune 500 companies, which harness the data to project business trends and understand and appeal to Latino demographics. Now in its eighth edition, the 2025 Official LDC U.S. Latino GDP Report™ – Part One builds on its research foundation first established in 2017. The LDC was the original organization that published the quantification of the U.S. Latino GDP, and this report remains the authoritative source on the topic. Additional Highlights: Key Industry Sectors Manufacturing accounted for the highest share of U.S. Latino GDP in 2023 at $547 billion, growing 15.5% year-over-year, outpacing the national industry. Several other sectors contributed significantly to the U.S. Latino GDP share, including: Real Estate and Rental and Leasing: $340 billion (+23.5% YoY) Public Administration: $448 billion Health Care and Social Assistance Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation Labor Force and Population Growth Between 2022 and 2023, the U.S. Latino population increased by 1.8%, compared to just 0.2% among non-Latinos. Includes an increase of 820,000 working-age individuals, while the non-Latino working-age population declined by 560,000. In 2023, 68.1% of U.S. Latinos participated in the U.S. labor force, compared to 62% of non-Latinos. Entrepreneurship and Latino-Owned Businesses (LOBs) As of 2022, U.S. Latinos owned 5.7 million businesses, employing 3.8 million people and generating $945 billion in revenue. Educational Attainment Between 2022 and 2023, the percentage of U.S. Latinos with a bachelor's degree rose by 4.6%, outpacing national averages. Between 2010 and 2023, the share of U.S. Latinos holding at least a bachelor's degree increased significantly. 'Wells Fargo has been proud to support the LDC since it first launched this groundbreaking series eight years ago. The 2025 data reinforces the essential role of the U.S. Latino community in shaping the future of our economy,' said Patty Juarez, Executive Vice President and Head of Hispanic & Latino Affairs at Wells Fargo. 'Every year, it becomes increasingly clear that this report is a vital tool that can guide businesses and policymakers who are willing to use it to the fullest extent to inform their work in growing our nation's economy.' About the Latino Donor Collaborative The Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC) is an independently funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and think tank. The LDC has consistently provided economic and business data through meticulous research and fact-based insights. Its reports have become essential tools for U.S. resource allocators, highlighting the growing opportunities presented by the myriad contributions of U.S. Latinos across the social spectrum. Learn more at
Politico
3 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
‘It's like a game of Whac-A-Mole': How Trump's ICE raids knocked Los Angeles to its knees
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, contested reports that most people detained did not have a criminal record. She said the government's operations have arrested 'drug traffickers, MS-13 gang members, convicted rapists, convicted murderers — people you would not want to be your neighbors. And yet, Karen Bass, instead of thanking law enforcement, continues to demonize them and attack them.' The fear permeating Latino life has added resonance for Bass; her late ex-husband was Mexican American and many family members, including her late daughter, her step-children and grandchildren, have Latino heritage. 'So yes, it impacts me personally, because I know that all Latinos are suspect now, anybody that looks Latino,' Bass said, pointing to border czar Tom Homan's comments that 'physical appearance' was sufficient for federal authorities to detain someone. He later said appearance could not be the sole reason for suspicion. But the federal judge who blocked the roving immigration raids in Los Angeles said officials were relying on improper factors, such as race, occupation and speaking with an accent, during their operations. McLaughlin said it was a 'convenient and disgusting smear to say that law enforcement targets based on skin color. It is about it is about legal status, that everything and criminality. That's what we're focused on.' Beyond the family bonds, Bass said, leaning into immigrant rights is 'fundamentally who I am' — a culmination of years of community activism, of anti-apartheid advocacy, of collaborations between Black and Latino communities in the 1980s and 1990s. 'It's not because it's politically in. It's not because of some calculation of what happened in the first part of the year,' she said. 'This is an issue that has been fundamental to me for my entire adult life.' Loathe as Bass is to make comparisons to her handling of the fires, the contrast is notable, even to her closest allies. The mayor was hamstrung from the start of the blazes, when she was out of the country, and she failed to regain control of the narrative upon her return. This time, Bass has ramped up her media presence; during her brief stop at El Chapulín, she squeezed in two Zoom interviews with Spanish-language media, and she has been a regular staple on national cable. 'She is really trying to paint a different picture of what is going on here — not letting Breitbart and Fox tell the story,' said Courtni Pugh, a senior adviser for Bass' political operation. 'We really tried very hard to put a human face on the toll.' Onlookers watch as federal agents with US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) ride on an armored vehicle driving slowly down Wilshire Boulevard near MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, California, on July 7, 2025. | Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images When militarized federal agents, including officials on horseback, descended onto MacArthur Park in the heart of downtown in an intimidating though largely theatrical display, Bass rerouted from a ceremony marking the six-month anniversary of the fires to the scene, demanding to speak to whoever was in charge.
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
OCTA ridership sees early 13% ridership decline amid immigration raids
Fears of masked federal immigration agents stopping people at bus stops or boarding buses in Orange County appears to be having an impact on ridership. The Orange County Transportation Authority typically sees emptier weekday buses over the summer, but recent statistics show a 13% drop after June 20 compared to the same period in 2024. 'Similar ridership declines carried over into July,' said Eric Carpenter, an OCTA spokesperson, 'so we continue to closely monitor this apparent trend of lower ridership.' The recent wave of immigration sweeps began on June 6 in Southern California. Since then, a memo to OCTA bus drivers last month instructed them to comply with any state or federal law enforcement attempting to pull over a bus. The guidance additionally noted that law enforcement present at a bus stop or transit center can't be stopped from boarding. On July 10, a masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent and a Drug Enforcement Administration agent boarded a bus in Santa Ana. They briefly questioned one passenger and left without making an arrest. Videos of the encounter spread on social media and amplified fears. OCTA released clearer footage from a bus camera, including a passing remark by an agent about the person questioned being the 'wrong guy' they were looking for. 'We are not aware of any other instance of federal agents boarding a bus in Orange County,' Carpenter said. OCTA officials stressed that the encounter was an isolated incident, but that the federal agencies involved did not notify them of the nature of the investigation before or after it happened. 'The moment an ICE agent boards a bus, trust is lost,' said Dorian Romero, project manager for Santa Ana Active Streets, a group that advocates for progressive transportation policies. 'OCTA needs to work harder to build that trust because this is not safe mobility.' The same day as the incident, an OCTA official presented declining ridership stats to the agency's transit committee. Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, who also serves on OCTA's board of directors, noted that less ridership during the summer is normal, as students are out of school, but the stats signaled a climate of fear amid immigration raids beyond that. He urged the agency to look at responses — from adjusting the number of bus routes to informing riders of their constitutional rights — should the raids and depressed ridership trends continue. 'I want us to continue to do business as usual because we've always delivered a solid system but these are unforeseeable conditions that we may not have thought about,' Sarmiento said. 'I'm just hoping going forward, as we see now impacts to ridership, that's going to trigger a response that we make sure our riders are more informed about what's happening.' L.A. Metro, where Latinos comprise more than 60% of bus riders, saw a similar 13.5% drop in ridership from May to June, with last month being the lowest June on record since 2022. Metro has partnered with the L.A. County Office of Immigrant Affairs to distribute 'Know Your Rights' materials on buses, trains and stations. OCTA chief executive Darrell Johnson pledged to look into a possible partnership with the County of Orange on a similar initiative that could use 'public service announcement' spaces on buses for multilingual primers on riders' rights. The topic arose again during OCTA's board of directors meeting on Monday as pro-immigrant activists accused the agency of lying about the lack of ICE activity on buses and at bus stops. Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua, who serves on the board of directors, said at Monday's meeting that 'Know Your Rights' signs in English, Spanish and Vietnamese are being looked at for the county's bus fleet. 'I just want to share with the community that we, as OCTA, have been having that discussion,' she added. 'It's very important that our riders do know their rights.' Romero welcomes OCTA's efforts to look into a 'Know Your Rights' partnership, but believes more can be done to protect riders. 'Bus drivers can be trained, as first responders, on how to encounter these ICE agents, especially if they're masked and not providing identification,' she said.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Democratic lawmaker calls out party for being 'scared' to offend immigration groups
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., called out the Democratic Party in an interview on Thursday for being "scared" to offend immigration groups as they navigate the issue. "The Republicans are fomenting anti-immigrant hate as a policy and a strategy, and Democrats are so scared of offending either immigration groups or people to the left of them — maybe they're in a primary, they are concerned about saying: 'No, not everyone gets to be here. Not everyone has the right to live in the United States, and we, like every other country in the world, get to know who and what is coming across our borders,'" Slotkin told The New York Times in an interview. Slotkin argued that most Americans agree that immigrants are integral to the American economy, but they want immigrants to come here legally and through "vetted channels." "That kind of clamping down with rules tends to make a lot of my Democratic colleagues really nervous," she added. "There's been a lot of ink spilled about advocacy groups that don't seem to represent a lot of voters. We saw that in real time in this last election, when no one had a bigger swing toward Trump than Latinos. Some of these groups were trotting around Washington saying they represent the immigrant community, and they clearly did not," Slotkin said. Slotkin also said she thought Democrats had lost their "alpha-energy." The Michigan senator said "alpha-energy" was about emotion. "We respond to people's pain with a long list of wonky policies," Slotkin continued. "Alpha energy is synonymous with being bold. Call the tough play, take a risk, be bold. And don't be so damn scared of your own shadow." Slotkin delivered the official response to President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress in March. She criticized Trump's foreign policy and called for "responsible" ways to make changes to the government. "We all want an end to the war in Ukraine, but Reagan understood that true strength required America to combine our military and economic might with moral clarity," Slotkin said after Trump's address. "As a Cold War kid, I'm thankful it was Reagan and not Trump in office in the 1980s. Trump would have lost us the Cold War."
MTV Lebanon
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- MTV Lebanon
17 Jul 2025 21:47 PM Bad Bunny brings tourism surge to Puerto Rico
The day before Bad Bunny kicked off his blockbuster residency that's expected to bring hundreds of millions of dollars to Puerto Rico while showcasing its rich culture, he posted a simple message: Shop Local. The ethos is core to his 30-show concert series in San Juan which, after nine performaces exclusive to residents, will open up to fans from elsewhere -- what many Boricuas, as Puerto Ricans are known, are hoping will serve as an exercise in responsible tourism. "It's an incredible moment for the island," said Davelyn Tardi of the promotional agency Discover Puerto Rico. The organization conservatively estimates the residency will bring in some $200 million to Puerto Rico over the approximately three-month run, which falls during the typically less-trafficked summer months. Azael Ayala works at a bar in one of San Juan's popular nightlife zones, telling AFP that business was already booming even though the residency was only in its first weekend. It's "completely changed," the 29-year-old said, as crowds buzzed about La Placita where some bars were slinging Bad Bunny-themed cocktails. "We're thrilled," Ayala said. "The tips are through the roof." The fact that people are coming from across the globe to see Bad Bunny "is a source of pride for Puerto Rico, too," he added. Arely Ortiz, a 23-year-old student from Los Angeles, couldn't score a ticket to a show -- but said Bad Bunny was still the draw that prompted her to book her first trip to Puerto Rico. "I really love how outspoken he is about his community," she said. "Just seeing him, that he can get so far, and he's Latino, it encourages more Latinos to be able to go for what they want." "He has for sure empowered Latinos, like 100 percent." But while tourism has long been an economic engine for the Caribbean island that remains a territory of the United States, the relationship is complicated. Concerns around gentrification, displacement and cultural dilution have magnified on the archipelago beloved for stunning beaches with turquoise waters -- especially as it's become a hotspot for luxury development, short-term rentals and so-called "digital nomads" who work their laptop jobs remotely while traveling the world. Visiting foreigners sample the island's beauty but are shielded from the struggle, say many locals who are coping with a chronic economic crisis exacerbated by natural disasters, as rents soar and massive blackouts are routine. Bad Bunny -- who was born and raised Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio -- himself has pointed to such issues and more in his metaphor and reference-laden lyrics. "In my life, you were a tourist," reads one translation of his track "Turista." "You only saw the best of me and not how I was suffering." Historian Jorell Melendez Badillo told AFP that Puerto Rico by design has long catered to foreign investment: "A lot of people see tourism as sort of like this colonial undertone," he said. But when it comes to Bad Bunny and his residency at the affectionately nicknamed venue El Choli, "we cannot negate the fact that it's going to bring millions of dollars" to the island, he added. "We can celebrate what Benito is doing while also looking at it critically, and having a conversation around what type of tourism will be incentivized by this residency." Ana Rodado traveled to Puerto Rico from Spain after a friend native to the island gifted her a ticket. She booked a five-day trip with another friend that included a visit to beachside Vega Baja, the municipality where Bad Bunny grew up and worked bagging groceries before gaining fame. After posing for a photo in the town square, Rodado told AFP that she'd been trying to take the artist's "shop local" plea to heart. "Tourism is a global problem," she said. "To the extent possible, we have to be responsible with our consumer choices, and above all with the impact our trip has on each place." "We try to be respectful, and so far people have been really nice to us." Ultimately, Bad Bunny's residency is a love letter to his people -- a show about and for Puerto Ricans whose narrative centers on heritage, pride and joy. "We're here, damn it!" he shouted to ecstatic screams during his sweeping first show, which at times felt like a giant block party. "I'd come back for the next 100 years -- if God lets me, I'll be here."
