Please note: reports dated earlier than June 2020 were published under our previous names: the USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) or the USC Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII).

Resilience in an Age of Inequality report cover featuring graphic of a hand holding a dandelion being blown away
Looking Forward 2014 report cover of window letting light in
Looking Forward 2012 report cover featuring a dated image from the Library of Congress of people
Resilience in an Age of Inequality report cover featuring graphic of a hand holding a dandelion being blown away

Resilience in an Age of Inequality: Immigrant Contributions in California

January 23, 2017

By the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) with research by the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration at USC

CIPC and CSII release “Resilience in an Age of Inequality: Immigrant Contributions to California,” amidst the threat of mass deportations from the incoming administration.

The report, the latest in a decade-long series of studies examining immigrants’ profound contributions to California’s economic, social, and community fabric, will analyze demographics, labor force participation, GDP, and household incomes for the state’s ten million immigrant residents—including 2.7 million undocumented Californians.

For the first time, this report will place these contributions in the context of the growing crisis of severe economic inequality. The report finds that immigrant Californians share a common experience with other workers: helping to generate significant wealth for the state’s industries, yet facing exploitation and displacement.

“Resilience in an Age of Inequality” highlights the stories of several immigrant Californians who are pursuing creative solutions to these challenges and working to build a better world for all.

Looking Forward 2014 report cover of window letting light in

Looking Forward 2014: Immigrant Contributions to the Golden State

September 2014

By the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) and USC Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII)

This report by CIPC and CSII is the third in a series of bi-annual “Looking Forward” reports that explore the economic, civic, and social impacts of immigrants in California. In addition to statewide research, it also includes more in-depth looks at the data across different regions.

Regional data inserts are available for the following regions: Central CoastCentral ValleySacramento regionGreater Los AngelesInland Southern CaliforniaSan Diego/Border region, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Check out the media coverage of this report >>

Looking Forward 2012 report cover featuring a dated image from the Library of Congress of people

Looking Forward: Immigrant Contributions to the Golden State 2012

June 2012

In collaboration with the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC), data analysts from the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII) provided the analysis to produce the report Looking Forward: Immigrant Contributions to the Golden State 2012.

Looking Forward is an update to a previous report with the same purpose: to document immigrant economic contributions to the state, their interwoven nature in our communities, and their major electoral potential. In addition to an update of the statewide analysis, this year’s report features six regions—some new to this analysis—where immigrants represent an important and growing segment of the population. They are Kern, Tulare, Los Angeles, San Joaquin, and Santa Barbara counties.

Read our other publications by research area

    Immigrant Integration & Racial Justice

    Our work on immigrant integration and racial justice brings together three emphases: scholarship that draws on academic theory and rigorous research, data that provides information structured to highlight the process of immigrant integration over time, and engagement that seeks to create new dialogues with government, community organizers, business and civic leaders, immigrants and the voting public to advance immigrant integration and racial equity.

    Economic Inclusion & Climate Equity

    In the area of economic inclusion, we at ERI advance academic theory and practical applications linking economic growth, environmental quality, and civic health with bridging of racial and other gaps; produce accessible and actionable data and analysis through the data tools; and establish research partnerships to deepen and advance the dialogue, planning, and actions around racial equity, environmental justice, and the built environment.

    Social Movements & Governing Power

    ERI’s work in the area of governing power includes: conducting cross-disciplinary studies of today’s social movements, supporting learning and strategizing efforts to advance dialogues among organizers, funders, intermediaries, evaluators, and academics, and developing research-based social change frameworks and tools to inform—and be informed by—real-world, real-time efforts towards a vision of deep change.

    Earlier Reports

    From 2008 to mid-2020, ERI published reports under our previous names, the USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) and the USC Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII). For a directory of these reports, please visit:

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