National data show many immigrants have feared accessing safety net supports because of the public charge rule. One in six adults in California immigrant families reported avoiding public benefits in 2019. The implications of avoiding these benefits during COVID-19 are alarming.
Data from the Urban Institute’s Health Reform Monitoring Survey collected at the early stages of the pandemic showed disproportionately high rates of job and income loss and material hardship among Hispanic families with noncitizens.
Latinx workers are overrepresented in the lowest-paying essential industries and face disproportionate likelihood of coronavirus exposure. Equitable outcomes for Latinx workers and their families are important for the country’s economic recovery.
Urban partnered with the Protecting Immigrant Families campaign to collect perspectives from community-based organizations as they pivoted to respond to urgent need in immigrant communities.
Inclusive response and recovery efforts require attention to the needs and circumstances of immigrant communities and a combination of accessible mainstream and targeted supports.
Based on the experiences of immigrant communities, service providers, and government agencies in Houston and Las Vegas, Urban researchers highlight four strategies that can inform local leaders aiming to support immigrants in crisis-response efforts.
