Immigrants are a vital and large part of L.A. County, and have played a critical role in helping L.A. weather through the COVID-19 pandemic. A large share of “essential” jobs in L.A. County are held by immigrant workers; however, immigrants are disproportionately affected by the consequences of this global pandemic. Immigrants, especially undocumented immigrants, disproportionately lack access to health insurance, are less likely to have a financial safety net, and are less digitally connected. The State of Immigrants in Los Angeles County (SOILA) 2021 builds on the framework from SOILA 2020 by making immigrant integration the focus while examining how the data is now colored by the various impacts of COVID-19.

Many Angelenos know how important and expansive L.A. immigrants are in our communities—not only for their large numbers, but inherently as people who choose to live their lives, follow their dreams, and provide for their families in L.A. County. Immigrant Angelenos deserve dignified relief to weather through the COVID-19 pandemic—relief that is funded by local, state, and federal governmental bodies and is in partnership with immigrant-serving organizations. As a new administration transitions in, L.A. County, containing a large share of undocumented immigrants, must be ready to respond to any changes that emerge at the federal level, including affirmative immigration relief.

Included in a more equitable recovery for immigrants is a commitment to racial justice. The same white supremacist systems that detain immigrants in horrific conditions and exclude them from all areas of life are also over-policing and incarcerating Black and Brown communities within our cities. COVID-19 scapegoating and hate crimes against Asian Americans not only harm Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants, but affects all immigrants and non-immigrants alike.

Our second SOILA report attempts to better understand how immigrants are faring economically, if they are connected to and engaging in civic life, and how L.A. County creates a welcoming environment, within the challenging context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

banner graphic of diverse people wearing masks

Download report links

SOILA 2021 Report
Executive Summary

Videos and Media

2021 Los Angeles Immigration Summit (Day 1): STATE OF IMMIGRANTS IN LA – SOILA 2021 REPORT

Watch ERI’s Cynthia Moreno and Manuel Pastor present the report findings at #ImmigrationSummit2021

Screenshot of the webinar from the first day of SOILA highlighting the purpose of the report

2021 Los Angeles Immigration Summit (Day 3): Investing in the Power and Promise of Our Future

#ImmigrationSummit2021 panel with local elected officials Holly Mitchell, Hilda Solis, Nury Martinez, and Gil Cedillo, moderated by Manuel Pastor

GIF image of day 3 of the Immigrant Summit switching between speakers

ABC 7 News Segment, Los Angeles – June 11, 2021

State of immigrants in LA County: USC report shows disparities in COVID pandemic’s impact

Downtown Los Angeles skyline from ABC 7 News highlighting how

Data Visuals

Our analysis of worker status by gender and nativity in Los Angeles County based on data reflecting a 2014-2018 average. For immigrant women, 63% work full-time and 37% work part-time; immigrant men, 78% work full-time and 22% work part-time; U.S.-born women, 62% work full-time and 38% work part-time; and for U.S.-born men, 72% work full-time and 28% work part-time.
quote from Aquilina Soriano Versoza, Executive Director at Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California, on pandemic recovery for immigrant workers,
infographic detailing lessons for our immigrant future on addressing anti-Blackness, tailoring resources and services linguistically and appropriately, providing intentional support, ensuring COVID-19 treatments and vaccines are widely accessibly, providing rent relief, cash assistance, and food security, protecting immigrants from deportation and supporting those in proceedings, promoting business and labor engagement, leading on immigrant inclusion with flexible and transparent funding, investing in data collection, and partnering with community-based organizations for strengthen immigrant services infrastructure
Our analysis of educational attainment for immigrants of AAPI ancestry ages 25 through 64 in Los Angeles County. Disaggregating data revealing disparities among racial and ethnic groups based on data reflecting a 2014-2018 average.
State of Immigrants in L.A. County 2021 graphic with a caption,

@eri_usc

Data 4 the Day: Learn more about the challenges that different groups of immigrant workers face in our upcoming SOILA 2021 report!

Our analysis of worker status by gender and nativity in Los Angeles County based on data reflecting a 2014-2018 average. For immigrant women, 63% work full-time and 37% work part-time; immigrant men, 78% work full-time and 22% work part-time; U.S.-born women, 62% work full-time and 38% work part-time; and for U.S.-born men, 72% work full-time and 28% work part-time.

@eri_usc

Data 4 the Day: Stay tuned to read more about the Pilipino Workers Center @pwcsc and their work supporting immigrants during the pandemic in our SOILA 2021 report! Check out their work here.

quote from Aquilina Soriano Versoza, Executive Director at Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California, on pandemic recovery for immigrant workers,

Ten Lessons for our Immigrant Future

With equity and full inclusion in mind, we encourage L.A. County institutions, organizations, elected leaders, and constituents to consider the following recommendations in our movement toward immigrant integration and inclusion in the wake of COVID-19.

Download the infographic >>

infographic detailing lessons for our immigrant future on addressing anti-Blackness, tailoring resources and services linguistically and appropriately, providing intentional support, ensuring COVID-19 treatments and vaccines are widely accessibly, providing rent relief, cash assistance, and food security, protecting immigrants from deportation and supporting those in proceedings, promoting business and labor engagement, leading on immigrant inclusion with flexible and transparent funding, investing in data collection, and partnering with community-based organizations for strengthen immigrant services infrastructure

@eri_usc

Data 4 the Day: A teaser from our upcoming State of Immigrants in Los Angeles (SOILA) 2021 report! Stay tuned for report release and event details! #ERI #Data4theDay #dataviz #SOILA2021 #AAPIHeritageMonth
Our analysis of educational attainment for immigrants of AAPI ancestry ages 25 through 64 in Los Angeles County. Disaggregating data revealing disparities among racial and ethnic groups based on data reflecting a 2014-2018 average.

@eri_usc

Immigrants are a vital and large part of L.A. County, and have played a critical role in helping L.A. weather through the COVID-19 pandemic #SOILA2021 #Immigrationsummit2021
State of Immigrants in L.A. County 2021 graphic with a caption,

California Immigrant Data Portal graphic to promote USC Equity Research Institute's tool that provides resources and data on California's immigrant populationsERI’s California Immigrant Data Portal

 

Some of the charts from the SOILA 2021 report can also be found in the California Immigrant Data Portal.

For more data and downloadable charts, check out our Data Portal!

 

Visit immigrantdataCA.org

 

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.

    Publications Directory

    In 2020, the USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) and the USC Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII) merged to form the USC Equity Research Institute (ERI).

    The full list of publications published under our previous and current names can be found in our publications directory.

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