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B Stands for Brighter
Good afternoon,
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all segments of our communities, including immigrants.
For immigrants with limited English language proficiency, accessing information about COVID-19 in their native language has been difficult. Concerns about presenting government identification at vaccination sites has been a barrier preventing some immigrants from receiving vaccines. Like other small business owners, immigrant
business owners and entrepreneurs have been hit hard by the pandemic, with many making the difficult decision to close their doors.
Yet immigrants have been essential to our country during the pandemic. For example, 28% of all physicians and 73% of the agricultural labor force are immigrant workers. These heroes worked alongside other essential workers to keep the American public healthy and safe while also taking care of their own families. Some – like a cohort of Whole Foods Market employees enrolled in the National Immigration Forum’s English at Work program – did all this while learning English virtually. Even in the face of unprecedented challenges, immigrants want to excel and contribute to our communities.
As more people become vaccinated and we enter a "new normal," immigrants will continue to play a critical role in our country’s recovery. As the Forum’s President & CEO Ali Noorani put it:
To overcome this pandemic, all of us must work together and realize the promise of America; live up to the spirit of our founding ideals, the spirit of a more perfect union, the spirit of America.
Join us in thanking immigrant essential workers for their contributions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery. By working together and advocating for sensible immigration reforms, we can build a brighter future for all of us.
Stay healthy and hopeful,
Adam
Adam Estle
Vice President of Field and Constituencies
National Immigration Forum
P.S. Join us tomorrow (Friday, July 16) at 11:45 AM ET for our monthly BBB National Conversation. This month, we’ll provide an update on the Biden administration’s efforts to relocate our Afghan allies who are in immediate danger as U.S. troops leave Afghanistan. Register for the webinar here.
NEWS CLIPS TO NOTE:
BLOOMBERG: Immigration Faces Challenging Path to Spending Package Inclusion
ASSOCIATED PRESS: US says order coming this week on border asylum restrictions
NBC NEWS: Biden administration still debating internally how to evacuate Afghan interpreters
CBS NEWS: Homeland Security chief says U.S. will not give refuge to those fleeing Cuba and Haiti by boat
LOS ANGELES TIMES: Immigrant victims of rape or gang violence now have a better shot at getting asylum
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