Programs Available to
Immigrant Families During COVID-19

Dear Allies,

We know that many of you are getting calls from individuals who want to know what their options are now for health care, food and income assistance. In today’s newsletter, we are sharing some new resources from the PIF Campaign and our partners to provide information on the impact of COVID-19 on immigrant families as well as existing and new programs available during this unprecedented time. We also have information on some promising new legislation and a chance to learn more about the recent PIF funding announcement. 

NEW RESOURCES 

• The PIF Campaign has developed a quick reference guide on immigrant eligibility that provides a general overview of some of the federal public programs available to support individuals and families during the COVID-19 crisis. In light of implementation of public charge regulations, we have also included clarification about whether certain public programs are taken into account for public charge purposes. The guide includes links to deeper dive resources on eligibility from our partners. 

• A new policy brief from NILC provides information on the COVID-19 relief package’s impact on low-income immigrants and suggestions for urgently needed improvements in any future relief bills, with a focus on health, public benefits, economic support, and employment protections.

• A new fact sheet from Migration Policy Institute highlights the ways in which immigrant workers are vital to the U.S. COVID-19 response, but disproportionately vulnerable. The paper explores the crucial roles immigrant workers serve in industries at the frontlines of the COVID-19 response as well as the jobs immigrant workers fill within industries that are laying off large numbers of workers.

NEW LEGISLATION SUPPORTS
IMMIGRANT FAMILIES

On Friday, Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Kamala Harris and Representatives Judy Chu, Raul Grijalva, and Lou Correa unveiled new legislation to ensure that everyone in our country can access health care and other critical resources during the coronavirus pandemic. The Coronavirus Immigrant Families Protection Act would, among other provisions, suspend policies that discourage immigrant families from using essential services, ensure everyone has access to COVID-19 testing and treatment, expand language access programs, and codify access to coronavirus relief measures for vulnerable communities. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON PIF FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT

Last Monday, we announced that the PIF Campaign is now inviting proposals from community-based non-profit organizations. A copy of the Request for Proposals (RFP) is available here and applications are due by 5:00 pm ET on Friday, April 24. Groups interested in applying for support are invited to join us for an FAQ session on Friday, April 10 at 12:30pm ET, 9:30am PT. On the call, we will provide an overview of the funding opportunity and answer questions related to the grant deliverables and application process. If you are interested in applying for these funds, we encourage you to attend this event.

Thank you for your continued partnership!

Madison Allen & Connie Choi, on behalf of the PIF Campaign Co-Chairs

Visit us at https://protectingimmigrantfamilies.org/