Nonprofit organization American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is urging U.S. Congress to include millions of undocumented immigrants in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test under emergency coverage of Medicaid.  

(Photo : Reuters Connect)

The ACLU released a series of advertisements to call the attention of Congress to look into unrestricted COVID-19 tests. The group wanted all immigrants, regardless of status, to be included in the coronavirus testing across the country under emergency Medicaid.

To carry out their message, they wrote on their five still-image ads on Facebook and Instagram, "Tell Congress: Make COVID-19 testing available to everyone;" "Tell Congress: Until all of us are covered, all of us are at risk;" and "Tell [member]: Everyone, including immigrants, needs access to COVID-19 testing and treatment."

According to Yesenia Chavez, the immigrants' rights policy analyst at the ACLU who led the campaign, emergency Medicaid does not have immigrant eligibility restrictions that Medicaid does. This means it can include undocumented immigrants.  

Chávez said there are more than 1.7 million immigrant healthcare workers in the country. They are taking care of COVID-19 patients. Some of the immigrants also work as grocery store employees, farmers, caregivers, and more.

The Hill news outlet reported that many of the country's immigrants, either documented or undocumented, are having essential jobs in the country. They are most of the time exposed to the public. Thus, they can easily catch the virus.

It is not surprising anymore why Latinos in the country are disproportionately infected. There have been many reports, where Latinos have the highest numbers of infections in a county, and sometimes within the state. 

Chavez added that millions of immigrants are risking their lives without enough protection against COVID-19. Now, they are also left out of access for COVID-19 testing and treatment. 

Immigrants without legal status including certain green card holders and visas holders are barred from using regular Medicaid services. This is where the COVID-19 testing and treatment were placed in the new coronavirus response bills passed last April.

The immigrants' rights groups noted that the exclusion could make the immigrants more susceptible to the virus. This also places at risk the fight of the government to flatten the curve of COVID-19 infections. 

The Congress is now divided on the new coronavirus response bill, partly because of the growing infections in various states like Arizona. 

The Democrat lawmakers passed a bill in May titled "HEROES Act" that aims to extend the unemployment aid. However, this was opposed by the Republican lawmakers and offered instead a "back-to-work bonus."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate will not approve the Democrat-led bill, but they will likely look into a Republican-led bill this month. 

Chavez said McConnell has made it clear that the HEROES Act will no longer be approved. However, Chavez still hoped that all immigrants, regardless of status, will be included in the Republican-led bill for the next coronavirus response. 

"It is important that the senators that we're targeting that day become the advocates of including an immigration provision in this Senate federal relief package," Chavez said.

With millions of immigrants working in the country, most especially the Latino and Hispanic farmworkers, there should be an assurance that they will be treated once they get infected. They sustain the food chain in the country and hence they deserved to be protected.