Public Benefit Avoidance And Safety Concerns Among Mixed-Status Latino Families In California, 2021-22

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Immigration Policy
• Socioeconomic Determinants of Health

Background:

• Anti-immigration rhetoric heightens fears among Latino immigrants regarding public benefit access.
• Immigration status concerns deter eligible Latino families from applying for vital noncash public benefits.
• Understanding these barriers is crucial for ensuring equitable resource distribution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine decisions of income-eligible Latino families in California to forgo public benefits.
• To analyze the influence of parental citizenship and household language on benefit application decisions.
• To assess safety perceptions and deportation fears among these families.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Latino Youth Health Study and the 2021-22 California Health Interview Survey.
• Analyzed factors influencing decisions not to apply for noncash public benefits (e.g., Medicaid, food assistance, housing subsidies).
• Compared outcomes based on parental citizenship status and household language.

Main Results:

• Families with noncitizen parents were significantly more likely to avoid public benefits due to immigration concerns (38.4-46.7 percentage points higher).
• Noncitizen parent households reported higher fears of deportation for themselves or loved ones.
• Similar patterns were observed in Spanish-only and bilingual households.

Conclusions:

• Immigration-related fears create substantial barriers to accessing essential public benefits for Latino families.
• Targeted outreach and clear information on benefit eligibility and immigration policies are needed.
• Addressing these fears is vital for ensuring Latino immigrant families receive entitled health care and resources.