Dear John, 

The third time’s a charm—unless you’re an immigrant. Congress just passed the third in a series of massive relief packages providing trillions of dollars for COVID-19 relief —and still failed to include a single penny in the $480 billion package for undocumented workers who are on the very frontlines of this crisis. 

To add insult to injury, last night Trump announced he will temporarily suspend immigration to the United States by executive order, a callous distraction tactic meant to scapegoat immigrants and obscure his failure to manage this crisis. Not only will it affect tens of thousands of people waiting to immigrate to the US, including family members of US citizens, but it also erases the massive contributions of immigrants who are putting their lives on the line to fight the virus and to keep our country afloat. 

Our communities don’t have time for partisan games. We’re dying at disproportionately higher rates and need action now to ensure that we can keep a roof over our heads and provide food for our families—without a single cent in relief coming from the Federal government. 

It’s up to us to fight this pandemic together because we are only as safe as our most vulnerable neighbors. Will you join us by donating $5 to provide cash assistance to immigrants and the nonprofits that serve them?

Millions of families are excluded from crucial COVID-19 relief efforts because Congress capitulated to Trump’s racism. Despite the essential contributions of immigrant workers, the Federal government has deemed noncitizens ineligible for stimulus relief—meaning over 22 million people who are integral members of our communities, are being left behind when they need support the most.

Immigrants make up the majority of frontline workers—in New York, they make up over 50% of medical professionals, grocery store employees, sanitation workers, and other laborers working around the clock to serve our community in these dire times. They are the ones risking their health and safety for the rest of us.

We’re providing direct cash assistance to immigrant New Yorkers affected by this crisis. Your contribution helps to guarantee that immigrants bearing the brunt of the pandemic will be able to stay in their homes, buy groceries, and pay for proper burials for their families and loved ones. 

Across the country and across the state, immigrants are putting their lives on the lines. We can weather this storm, but we have to do it together. If all New Yorkers chip in now, we can build a community that values the contributions of each and every New Yorker while we continue to fight for a fair and just immigration system.

In solidarity, 


Steve Choi 
Executive Director