Introduction of HEAL for Immigrant Families Act of 2021

Dear Allies,

This week, we are excited to share some recent developments around the re-introduction of the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act of 2021. Among other things, this piece of legislation would dramatically improve immigrant access to health care benefits. Keep reading for more information on the bill. 

We are also sharing information about a new funding opportunity to support collaboration between CBOs and local health departments, as well as an exciting webinar series from the American Bar Association for AAPI Heritage Month. 

Earlier this month, DHS published a Request for Public Input on how USCIS can reduce administrative and other barriers that prevent people from obtaining available immigration services and benefits. The deadline to submit a comment online to regulations.gov is Wednesday, May 19. PIF is encouraging partners to use this request as an opportunity to recommend that USCIS prioritize engaging in outreach to communicate to immigrants and their family members that they are safe accessing health, nutrition, and housing benefits, and swift rulemaking that builds on the policies in the 1999 Field Guidance.

PIF congratulates the bicameral introduction of the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act of 2021, led in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Nanette Barragán and in the U.S. Senate by Senator Cory Booker. This important legislation would dramatically improve immigrant access to health care benefits and would: 

• Remove unnecessary barriers to health care access for immigrant families;

• Provide access to public and affordable health coverage for Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients;

• Provide access to Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to lawfully present immigrants without a five-year waiting period; and

• Allow undocumented immigrants to purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace and obtain premium-tax credits and cost-sharing reductions.

More information about the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act of 2021 is available here and a social media toolkit and messaging can be found here. Over 250 organizations, including many PIF Active Members, have supported the bill--and endorsements are being taken on a continuous basis through this form.  

PIF would like to celebrate the leadership and dedication of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice for advancing the HEAL legislation, as well as the many other close partners who have worked tirelessly on reintroduction. 

In the next few weeks, we anticipate that Representative Jayapal will introduce another critical piece of legislation on immigrant access to benefits, the LIFT the BAR Act. Stay tuned for more information about this next piece of critical legislation to support immigrants and their families. 

Celebrated in May, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month recognizes the challenges faced by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and their vital contributions to the American story. In this engaging series, the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice and the ABA Coalition on Racial and Ethnic Justice will dive into the experiences of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities along with the social, political, and economic issues they have and continue to face.

• May 13 | The Model Minority Myth: The Impact on AAPIs in the Legal Profession and Beyond

• May 14 | Building Asian American and Black Solidarity for Racial Justice in Today's America

• May 18 | Invisible Apartheid: What You need to Know to Be an Ally in the Fight Against Caste Discrimination

• May 20 | Native Hawai'ian Experience (Information forthcoming)

• May 24 | Intersection of Identities: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and the Asian American and Pacific Islander Experience

• May 25 | Dignity Rights in Asia: Humanitarian Toll of Economic Sanctions

• Forthcoming | Stop AAPI Hate Teach-In

With support from CDC and in partnership with NRC-RIM, NACCHO is pleased to announce a funding opportunity for local health departments (LHDs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) to partner to rapidly to scale up innovative COVID-19 education, testing, contact tracing, vaccination, and other prevention and mitigation strategies with refugee, immigrant, and migrant (RIM) communities. With support from CDC, NACCHO will provide funding and technical assistance to LHDs and their RIM community partners to implement at least one primary prevention strategy (for up to $175,000) with the option of implementing a secondary primary or secondary prevention activity (for up to $250,000).

Potential applicants are encouraged to reach out to the LHD in their jurisdiction or the RIM-serving organizations to partner to submit an application. LHDs and CBOs/RIM communities applying for this funding opportunity do not need to have a history of partnership, but must demonstrate the intent to partner (i.e., through a Memorandum of Understanding or Letter of Support).

Applications are due June 11, 2021 at 11:59 PM PT. Access the Request for Applications here. 

Register for an optional webinar, to be held on Monday, May 17 at 1 PM ET, here. 

In Solidarity,

Eddie Carmona & Renato Rocha, on behalf of the PIF Team

Visit us at https://protectingimmigrantfamilies.org/