Dear Lawmaker,
We pull through by pulling together, like we have done in the past. Millions of immigrants are on the front lines confronting this pandemic as hospital workers, harvesting our food, delivering our groceries, and caring for our loved ones. The COVID-19 pandemic shows how critical it is for everyone to have access to quality, affordable health coverage and care regardless of their immigration status. Indeed, our own health depends on the health of the person next to us, and the person next to them. Ensuring others can access care is how we take care of ourselves. This is why it is critical for you to co-sponsor and pass the Coronavirus Immigrant Families Protection Act which will:
- Modify immigration policies that would deter immigrants from seeking health services for the duration of the coronavirus emergency and for 60 days after the emergency ends, including suspending the public charge rules, in-person ICE checks, the immigration detention and deportation of survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking who have pending immigration applications; and suspending immigration enforcement actions at or in transit to/from sensitive locations, such as hospitals, courthouses, domestic violence shelters, and other sensitive locations.
- Ensure that everyone has access to COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccines by providing Medicaid coverage of COVID-19-related services to everyone, regardless of immigration status; and prohibiting discrimination in any program funded by a coronavirus relief bill based on actual or perceived immigration status.
- Provide $100 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide language access and public outreach on coronavirus preparedness, response, and recovery to hard-to-reach populations—including minorities, those with limited English proficiency, and those with disabilities.
- Ensure access to COVID relief measures for vulnerable communities by allowing immigrant taxpayers to access cash relief benefits with an individual tax identification number (ITIN); and automatically extending expiring work authorization for immigrants during the coronavirus emergency for the same time period as was previously authorized.
Thank you for your work on behalf of America’s families!