Next COVID-19 Relief Package: Immigrants Must Be Included

By Madelaine D. First Posted: Sep 05, 2020 03:46 AM EDT

The next COVID-19 relief package should include immigrants, according to a professor in the Law Department at Albany Law School.

Over two months ago, the House of Representatives passed a COVID-19 relief package known as the HEROES Act that provides necessary relief for families, regardless of their immigrant or mixed-status.

However, Sarah Rogerson, director of The Justice Center at Albany Law School and Immigration Law Clinic, said many undocumented immigrant and mixed-status families were left out of economic relief from the earlier CARES Act.

"In fact, it was estimated that 1,159,000 people living in mixed-status families in New York, including 359,000 children and spouses who are U.S. citizens or green card holders, did not receive these crucial payments," Rogerson said in a letter published at the Times Union.

Next COVID-19 Relief Package: Immigrants should be Included

(Photo : John Moor)
Immigrants Naturalized As US Citizens Despite Government Shutdown NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 22: Immigrants fill out documents before a naturalization service on January 22, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. Although much of the federal government was shut down Monday morning, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), offices remained open nationwide.

According to Rogerson, Congress must ensure that the next COVID-19 stimulus package will include broad economic and health relief for everyone who needs it.

She noted that economic stability must be provided to all those who file taxes, including U.S. citizen spouses and children in mixed-households.

She added that the next bill must also ensure coronavirus testing and coverage for all who need it with the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services office adequately funded to ensure that the immigration system remains intact.

Rogerson urged communities and leaders to ban together to support immigrants who came to America to seek a new beginning.

She said Congress must act now to provide relief and certainty to immigrants by passing a new COVID-19 relief package that doesn't leave anyone behind.

In New Jersey, protesters led by the Make the Road New Jersey held a rally on Tuesday after not hearing from Governor Phil Murphy that immigrants will be included in the coronavirus federal relief.

Protesters gathered outside the Passaic City Hall to demand state relief for immigrants ineligible for COVID-19 federal benefits. They are particularly pushing for action on S2480, legislation that will provide one-time payments to eligible and undocumented taxpayers.

"Families urge action to create a COVID-19 relief fund for excluded families and workers, including $600 weekly stimulus payments for excluded workers who are unemployed and stimulus payments to families excluded from federal aid," the Make the Road New Jersey said in a statement, as per a NorthJersey report.

"One first step is to pass S2480/A4171, which now has 19 Senate sponsors and nearly as many in the assembly, but has not had a single committee hearing," the group added.

New Jersey has the fourth-highest rate of undocumented workers in the labor force, according to SB2480. These undocumented state residents pay $1.1 billion in federal taxes and $600 million in state and local taxes.

Meanwhile, there are almost 52,000 state residents who are undocumented immigrants but married to U.S. citizens. Despite their vast contributions, ITIN holders and their families are not qualified for the COVID-19 relief package or unemployment insurance.