Federal Programs Lift Latinos Out of Poverty: Spotlight on New Jersey

Abstract

For more than 50 years, anti-poverty programs have helped ensure that working families are lifted out of poverty when times are tough or their wages are too low for them to be able to make ends meet. These programs are collectively known as the “social safety net” and are at risk. The Congressional budget aims to undermine these programs by imposing unprecedented cuts to fund tax breaks for both corporations and the extremely wealthy on the backs of the most vulnerable members of our communities. Proposed cuts to these programs would have a significant effect on the millions of Latinos who struggle to make ends meet, including the estimated 460,000 Hispanics in New Jersey who live under the supplemental poverty threshold. Using data from the U.S. Census Supplemental Poverty Measure, this fact sheet provides evidence of the strong anti-poverty effect of selected supports in New Jersey, including the number or share of New Jersey Latinos participating or lifted out of poverty.