April 16, 2020
Yesterday Governor Newsom announced the creation of a one-time, $125 million public-private partnership to provide disaster relief to undocumented workers affected by the COVID-19 crisis. This direct cash assistance is a crucial stopgap for many immigrant workers who have lost their jobs and for families living without safety net support. The announcement comes on the heels of immigrant justice advocates and members of the Latino and Asian Pacific-Islander Caucus calling for direct support of immigrant workers. Our coalition is greatly appreciative of this support from the Governor and his philanthropic partners, and we applaud his administration’s commitment to the undocumented community in California. However, more must be done to support the state’s immigrant communities in this time of crisis. As Governor Newsom noted, the emergency relief fund’s designated $125 million will only be enough to assist about 150,000 individuals, a fraction of the state’s 1.5 million undocumented workers.
Cynthia Buiza, CIPC’s Executive Director, said:
“We are grateful for the Governor’s continuing support of immigrant communities. From COVID-19 to environmental disasters, now is the time to build a resilient infrastructure for all Californians, including making this fund permanent. Undocumented immigrants contribute $3.2 billion to the state’s economy every year. We look forward to working with the administration, the Legislature, and our partners to continue this important work.”