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American Dream Out of Reach for Most Latinos, U.S. Report Finds
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

American Dream Out of Reach for Most Latinos, U.S. Report Finds

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Documents & data Context piece
  • Only 19% of Latinos in the U.S. believe the American Dream is achievable for most people today.
  • Nearly a third feel it was possible in the past but is no longer attainable, according to a Navigator Research report.
  • Despite economic pessimism, over 80% of Latinos consider being American an important part of their identity, valuing shared principles like freedom and diversity.

A new report reveals a significant decline in optimism among Latinos in the United States regarding the American Dream. Only 19% of Latinos believe the dream remains attainable for the majority of the population. Conversely, nearly a third of respondents feel that while it was once possible, it is no longer within reach.

Only 19% of Latinos in the U.S. believe the American Dream is achievable for most people today.

— Navigator ResearchReporting findings on the American Dream's attainability

The study by Navigator Research, conducted through national surveys and focus groups, indicates that rising living costs, stagnant wages, and diminishing purchasing power have eroded perceptions of economic opportunity. For Latino participants, the core tenets of the American Dream, earning a decent wage, owning a home, and supporting a family, are increasingly difficult to achieve.

Despite this economic pessimism, a strong sense of national identity persists. More than 80% of Latinos affirm that being American is a crucial aspect of their personal identity. Focus group participants often defined this identity not by ethnicity, but by shared values such as freedom of expression, the right to vote, diversity, and the opportunity to build a better life. Only a small fraction, 15%, stated that being American is not important to their identity.

For the participants, the American Dream still means earning a decent wage, buying a home, and supporting a family, goals they consider increasingly difficult to achieve.

— Navigator ResearchDescribing the core components of the American Dream for Latino participants

The report also highlights a growing sense of lost rights and belonging. Some participants expressed concern over political polarization, where dissent can lead to questioning one's American identity. Others voiced worries about changes in electoral norms and a perceived weakening of civil liberties. While 47% of Latinos believe the United States is currently in decline, a moderate optimism for the long term remains, with 36% anticipating a better future in twenty years, compared to 31% who foresee a worse scenario.

More than 80% of Latinos affirm that being American is a crucial aspect of their personal identity.

— Navigator ResearchHighlighting the strength of American identity among Latinos
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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