The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the American economy into deep waters, forcing many businesses to shut down and lots of employees were laid off. Amongst the groups that suffered greatly during the crisis is that the vast Latin community.  

The U.S. government acknowledge that several within the undocumented community frame an enormous a part of the 'essential' workforce. However, it's denied helping the undocumented migrants directly.

Many within the Latin community were excluded in the government's recent stimulus bill. The financial relief is not accessible to immigrants without social security numbers. U.S. citizens with at least one undocumented family members were also denied access to the stimulus package.

According to the middle for Migration Studies of New York report  there are over 19 million immigrant laborers employed in 'critical infrastructure' within the country. 

All findings were supported data from the 2018 Bureau of the Census. The report also highlighted the role undocumented employees play in "keeping America safe, healthy, and fed." 

Immigrants frame 31 percent of the country's farmworkers and agricultural employees. they create up 26 percent of workers within the food and beverage industry. Twenty-six percent of workers in grocery wholesalers, and 17 percent of these employed in retail groceries also are undocumented immigrants.  

In the Big Apple, undocumented migrants frame one-third of their health care sector workers. This includes home health care workers, aides, workers in medical equipment manufacturing and employees in pharmaceuticals manufacturing. Many also are employed as janitors and building cleaners.     

A recent Washington Post-Ipsos poll, showed members of the Hispanic community are almost twice as likely as whites to have been let go or furloughed amid the coronavirus lockdown. Unemployment among Hispanics surged to 18.9 percent. 

Hispanics also reported receiving unemployment benefits that were 10 percent but their white counterparts and 5 percent but African Americans. However, only 47 percent of all Latin workers got the federal stimulus-a stark difference to the 67 percent of whites.    

The coronavirus pandemic has been cruel to the many undocumented people living in the United States. Many were deported, carrying the virus with them. They were sent back to countries that did not have adequate resources to deal with the virus. 

Advocates are now calling for the government officials to include the immigrants in future relief packages as the Congress weighs another federal stimulus bill. 

The New York Immigration Coalition launched an ad on Monday where they urged lawmakers to take action and give aid to undocumented residents who have been excluded from previous relief packages. 

The group believes the immigrants who are "risking their lives to pick, cook, and deliver food and clean our hospitals and more" should be given access to the upcoming coronavirus financial package. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to announce the parameters of the new bill in the coming days. The upcoming stimulus relief will reportedly be in the $3 trillion range. 

Previous stimulus packages, such as the CARES Act worth $2 trillion and included $1,200 cash payments to taxpayers, did not assist the immigrant communities. Want to read more? Check these out: