Mexican-Origin & Latino GDP in U.S.–Mexico Integration
Comparative Analysis of Economic Contributions, Trade Integration, Investment Potential, and Alternative Policy Scenarios
Latest Research
(2026) Mexican-Origin & Latino GDP in U.S.–Mexico Integration
This working paper presents the 2026 edition of the UCLA North American Integration and Development (NAID) Center’s comprehensive tracking of U.S.–Mexico and broader Latin American economic integration across four dimensions: trade, migration, remittances, and investment.
Drawing on 30 years of NAID Center research — including the CGE modeling partnership with INEGI and the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) — and a new AI-agent data query and reporting capability, the paper documents that the 38 million residents of Mexican origin in the United States collectively generate approximately $2.27 trillion in GDP (2024).
This constitutes the eighth-largest economy on Earth, 54 percent of all U.S. Latino economic output ($4.2 trillion), and 11 percent of the entire U.S. economy.
Report to be presented in Mexico City with partners on May 8, 2026.
LA100 Equitable Strategies Report Released
Green Jobs Workforce Development
This report focuses on creating an equitable workforce development strategy that should accompany a "Justice Transition" to 100% renewable energy generation by the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The report has two major parts. The first presents a LA100 Public Access Data Analysis Platform and Calculator that allows for multiple community stakeholders (including ratepayers) to engage in environmental and energy justice planning. The second part presents a Community Case Study of Wilmington and a Community Engagement Approach to identify multiple pathways to community engagement and planning for energy, ecological, and environmental Justice Transitions with a primary focus on jobs and workforce development connected to LADWP investments, policies, and existing programs.
Written by Raul Hinojosa, Abel Valenzuela, Leticia Bustamante, Rafael Barrientos, Marcelo Pleitez, Magali Sanchez-Hall, Saul Ruddick-Schulman. Produced by UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, UCLA Department of Social Science, and the UCLA North American Integration and Development Center.
Download the LA100 Report Here: https://naid.ucla.edu/la100
Research For Students and Scholars
Innovative Research for a Brighter Future with UCLA NAID Center Research Foundation
Indigenous populations and front-line communities face many challenge in the age of climate change, population growth and immigration crisis issues. The UCLA NAID Center provides in-depth on-the-ground opportunities and access to scholars, students and experts at UCLA to explore the growing challenges we face in the 21st century.
Recent Publications from the UCLA NAID Center
Essential But Disposable
This report finds that despite being the demographic group most concentrated in employment sectors determined by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be “essential and critical” to the economy, undocumented immigrants receive the lowest wages, are most concentrated in jobs with high risk of various hazards.
Research Highlights
Immigration Research
With an impending surge of Latin American diaspora migrating to the United States, innovative and necessary policy is required in this time of crises.
Remittance Research
Financial technologies and global banking have transformed the remittance markets. These innovations continue to make impacts on the development of North America and beyond.
Mapping & GIS Projects
Tracking migrations and leveraging Big Data that transform the way we see the economic impacts of immigration and policy.
Climate Research
Creating an equitable workforce development strategy that should accompany a "Justice Transition" to a 100% renewable energy generation.