Undocumented Latino Immigrants and Research: New Challenges in Changing Times

Latinos are the largest immigrant group in the United States, representing 17.6% of the total U.S. population, and are therefore critical to include in research. However, Latino immigrants—and particularly those who are undocumented residents—may be increasingly wary of participating in research amidst hostile anti-immigrant rhetoric and high profile cases of deportation. In this commentary we discuss challenges of conducting research with undocumented Latino immigrants in the current sociopolitical climate. We provide suggestions for data collection, data protection, and research recruitment techniques that may mitigate some of these challenges.