Effects of anti-immigrant policy on perceived discrimination among U.S. Latinos: A multilevel analysis

Experiences of discrimination are common for racial/ethnic minorities, including Latinos, and a well-documented risk factor for myriad adverse health outcomes. Exposure to discrimination is likely shaped by a group’s social status; however, data on predictors of discrimination are lacking. While discrimination occurs at multiple levels, most studies have examined this phenomenon at the individual level, leaving fragmented our understanding of how the larger social context, including social policies, affects discrimination. Anti-immigrant policies stigmatize foreign and US-born Latinos by creating a hostile social environment, and increasing exposure to discrimination. Using data from a 2013 nationally representative sample of Latino adults in the US (n=719), merged with an index that measures immigrant policies, we investigated the effects of state-level anti-immigrant policy on discrimination, and tested whether this association differed by individual-level socio-demographic variables. We fit hierarchical logistic regression models with random intercept terms to account for clustering within states. In fully adjusted models (individual and state covariates), more anti-immigrant polices were associated with increased discrimination (OR=1.86, 95% CI 1.55-2.44, p=0.01). This association was strongest for third generation Latinos relative to first and second generation. Among Puerto Ricans, more anti-immigrant policies were associated with lower discrimination. Our study demonstrates that anti-immigrant policies directly impact experiences of discrimination among immigrant and non-immigrant Latinos in the US. In turn these experiences likely explain some of the health disparities among Latinos. We discuss the implications of our findings, and draw implications for understanding the impact that anti-immigrant policies may have across different Latino sub-groups.