Latino-led immigrant rights groups have long been a driving force in the pro-Palestine movement in the United States. The movement has gotten even bigger since the genocide in Gaza began in October 2023, especially across U.S. campuses.

In early February, Latino USA followed a delegation of U.S. and Palestinian students and academics through the occupied West Bank to learn about the roots of the deep connections between Latinos and Palestinians. Why do so many Latinos in the United States feel a deep sense of solidarity with Palestine? 

Speaking with refugees, community leaders and student activists, we look at the parallels between the two communities— from the U.S. student protest movement to shared experiences of borders and surveillance and shared cultures around family, food and friendship.

Illustration by Aya Ghanameh

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