Representation for Latine immigrants on TV has hit a new low, according to a report from Define American, conducted in partnership with USC's Norman Lear Center.

The  Change the Narrative, Change the World  report assessed 201 immigrant characters across 80 episodes of 62 scripted series, all of which aired between July 2023 and June 2025. Latine people made up 23% of all immigrant characters, down drastically from the 50% found in 2020. Meanwhile, Latine immigrants make up 44% of all immigrants living in the U.S.  FBI  and  FBI: Most Wanted made up a large portion of Latine immigrant characters in the sample; without the franchise, the report notes, representation falls to just 17%.

Additionally, the report noted that out of all immigrant characters, one in four were portrayed as a criminal, drug addict or human trafficker, perpetuating negative stereotypes on-screen.

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 No force in culture shapes how we see each other quite like Hollywood, which is exactly why representation must be a priority,  Define American founder Jose Antonio Vargas said in a statement about the report.  Our research is clear: the stories we see on screen have the power to change how we view people in real life. It's time the industry moves beyond meeting a quota and embraces its responsibility to accurately reflect the complexity of the American people. When Hollywood tells these stories, we will be able to build a more welcoming America for all. 

The Netflix series  Mo,  which aired for two seasons and featured 13 immigrants and two children of immigrants (the most of any show studied), was hailed as a standard for immigrant and Middle Eastern representation. According to Define American's research, 62% of viewers  reported increased understanding of the challenges immigrants face,  while 54% of viewers  said they were more likely to support refugees in their own communities after watching. 

 Deli Boys,  which airs on Hulu and follows two Pakistani-American brothers, was cited as a strong example of AAPI immigrant representation. Additionally, Black immigrant representation held steady at 

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