70+ Immigrant, Faith, Labor and Advocacy Organizations Call on Gov. Murphy, Leadership, to Include Half Million New Jersey Immigrant Workers and Families Excluded from COVID-19 Stimulus

Immigrant Workers are Excluded from Unemployment Benefits, Federal Stimulus Payments and Most CARES Act Relief

NEW JERSEY– Tuesday, April 14th, 2020–  More than seventy organizations sent a letter to Governor Murphy, Senate President Sweeney and Speaker Coughlin urged immediate action to address the gap in critical support and relief programs that leave behind nearly half-million undocumented immigrants in New Jersey and their US citizen children. As federal and state governments pass urgent economic relief legislation to keep the economy and households afloat during the coronavirus pandemic, nearly half a million New Jersey residents are left out of the stimulus packages. Also left behind are the 128,000 US citizen children who have an undocumented parent. In response, these organizations are calling on New Jersey lawmakers to provide disaster relief through state assistance.

Of the nearly half-million undocumented residents left out of relief programs, many are essential workers on the frontline of COVID-19 work, in industries such as warehouse, healthcare, and food packaging. Others have lost their jobs in industries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic economic downturn, such as retail and restaurant, and are ineligible for unemployment benefits. Undocumented immigrants from New Jersey contribute approximately $604 million in state and local taxes in New Jersey and $1.1 billion in federal taxes. Many file taxes with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). Undocumented immigrants’ purchasing power is approximately $10.5 billion in New Jersey, according to the New American Economy Project. Despite significant contributions, immigrants are currently left out of federal and state relief programs even as many are working on the front lines of the crisis.

“In order to address our current economic crisis and effectively spur demand in our local communities, it is critical that New Jersey provide safety net support to all individuals, regardless of federal immigration status,” the letter states.

Maria Perez, member of Make the Road New Jersey said:

“I worked in a food processing plant through the quarantine until I started to get COVID-19 symptoms. I’m a single mom of three kids who were born in the United States. I pay taxes every year. We haven’t received any relief and I’m ineligible for unemployment. Every day I worry about how I will buy medicine, keep my kids fed and stay safe. I urge New Jersey to stand up for the half-million undocumented immigrants and our kids.”

Sarah Fajardo, Policy Director, ACLU-NJ said, 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has starkly highlighted social, racial, and economic inequality in our society. Economic relief must reach all community members in this crisis who need it, and our state and federal governments must actively include community members who have been historically marginalized in their emerging relief efforts. A just and inclusive economic response for those in need, regardless of immigration status, will help stabilize our communities, our state, and our nation.”

Charlene Walker, executive director of Faith in New Jersey  said, 

“The xenophobic exclusion of immigrant families and their loved ones from the CARES act sends a message that their lives are expendable. As people of faith we call upon New Jersey legislatures to ensure this false narrative is countered by implementing equitable aid and support for all residents in need that were left out of the CARES act. We are Jersey Strong when we have equity in our response to COVID-19. “

Kevin Brown, Vice President and NJ State Director of 32BJ SEIU said,

“We urge the state to provide disaster relief benefits to all immigrant families— these benefits are a matter of survival for hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans, including those who are undocumented. Undocumented members of our community are often working on the frontlines  at our hospitals, schools, busy commercial buildings and residential buildings. COVID-19 does not discriminate between those who have documentation and those who do not, and therefore we are all at risk. We must not leave vital members of our community behind.”

Maneesha Kelkar, Interim Director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice said,

¨New Jersey´s economic vitality is bolstered by the contributions of our immigrant residents who are continuing to work in essential industries that keep our hospitals and grocery stores open, allowing most of us to stay at home, put food on our tables, and practice social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. New Jersey must take immediate action to ensure income relief for all residents. ¨

Jorge Torres East Cost Coordinator National Day Laborer Organizing Network NDLON said, 

“Y nosotros que? In this crisis, with white supremacy in the power, racism, hatred and exclusion “solo el pueblo salva al pueblo” there is no such thing as ‘them.’ They deserved! There is only us. It is about us. For everyone’s safety, for our health, for our economy, and for our security, all immigrants must get access to relief. No exceptions. “

Salvador Conde Unidad Latina en Accion NJ said,

“We, day laborer workers are on the frontlines of the Corona Virus response in NJ and across the country. We won’t receive a penny from the Congressional Relief Package and NJ is leaving us behind.”

The full letter can be viewed here.