|
COVID CARE — Around 20% of Hispanic people in the United States lack health insurance — and the proportion is far higher among undocumented immigrants. With high COVID-19 infection rates and limited access to health care, some immigrants have turned to "unregulated drugs because mainstream medicine is too expensive or is inaccessible because of language or cultural barriers," Amy Maxmen reports for The New York Times. While health and consumer protection agencies have repeatedly warned that several of these types of treatments are not backed by reliable scientific data, Maxmen notes that many immigrants feel they have no other alternative, and even turn to places like Facebook for medical advice. "People are desperate and bombarded with misinformation and may not have the skills, time or context to interpret medical evidence," said Rais Vohra, the interim head of the Fresno County, California, health department. NEBRASKA TO THE BORDER — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) announced Saturday that he is sending around 25 state troopers to the Texas-Mexico border to provide law enforcement assistance, reports Kylee Haueter of the Omaha World-Herald. Ricketts joined fellow Republican Govs. Ron DeSantis (Florida) and Brad Little (Idaho) "in stating his plans to send law enforcement officers to the area after Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey [R] and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott [R] sent a letter requesting that other governors send available law enforcement resources to the border." The Nebraska troopers will be deployed to Del Rio, Texas, for no longer than 16 days. Logistical details are still being worked out, and Ricketts has yet to address how the deployment will be funded.
EMPLOYMENT — As part of its new America Works campaign, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (USCC) is calling on the government to double the number of H-1B visas and employment-based green cards issued annually and to remove per-country visa caps, reports the Economic Times. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said last week it had already received more than 300,000 petitions for the 85,000 H-1B visas it issues annually, indicating the "huge demand" for high-skilled foreign workers to help fill the U.S. labor gap. "We must arm workers with the skills they need, we must remove barriers that are keeping too many Americans on the sidelines, and we must recruit the very best from around the world to help fill high-demand jobs," said USCC President and CEO Suzanne Clark. Business voices are also calling on Congress to boost the economy by providing a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants: "If we can give a path to legalizing those who are undocumented, our workforce will grow, and our employees will be more productive," said Texas entrepreneur and Republican donor Woody Hunt, per Martin Woolridge of The Daily Guardian. ENGLISH AT WORK — An estimated 300 Haitian refugees have moved to Charleroi, Pennsylvania — a town of around 4,000 — in the past few years for affordable housing and work opportunities, reports Scott Beveridge of The Observer-Reporter. In response, Kris Drach, board president of the Literacy Council of Southwestern Pennsylvania in Washington, and Getro Bernabe, a Haitian refugee, have been holding large English classes to help refugees adapt to their new home — and currently have around 70 students enrolled. For many immigrants, English language training is vital to their ability to thrive in the U.S. One example? The Forum’s English at Work Program, which was the subject of a case study by EdTech Center at World Education highlighting innovating approaches to remote English training for immigrants, refugees and asylum-seekers. Read the full case study here. Thanks for reading, Ali |
