OUR POLICY STATEMENT ON COVID - 19

OUR POLICY STATEMENT ON COVID - 19 

Dear Friends and Partners,

The COVID-19 pandemic knows no borders, nationalities, race or class. The virus threatens us all, and only together can we mitigate the enormous risks faced by our communities – and weather the social and economic impact of the extreme measures needed to control the virus spread. Immigrants and refugees are on the frontlines of responding to this crisis and in sustaining our economy.

From hospitals, to grocery stores, to cleaning services, to home care facilities immigrants are on the front lines of this crisis, and because they disproportionately work in jobs that require physical presence, they will be among the hardest-hit by layoffs and closures. Those in lower income brackets are also very economically insecure, particularly those who are undocumented, and their families.

The Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center (IWC) calls on policy-makers at the federal, state and local levels to ensure that the implementation of COVID-19 emergency response programs is equitable and inclusive, and pays special attention to the needs of vulnerable populations, including immigrants and their families.

ALL people should have access to free COVID-19 testing and treatment. ALL should have access to cash and food assistance programs if they need them. And ALL should be protected by emergency measures aimed at preventing displacement, loss of vital services, and other crises triggered by financial distress. 

The IWC supports a broad range of policy interventions to protect public health and to reduce the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis both at the state and federal levels. In the sections that follow, we focus on IWC advocacy priorities at the federal, state and local levels with specific relevance to immigrants:

We call on the Federal Government to:

• Exempt not only COVID-19 testing and treatment, but all emergency assistance received during this crisis - including cash and food assistance provided via federal, state or local programs - from the public charge test. Make a clear, unambiguous public statement outlining the exemption, preferably in multiple languages, and reiterate prior guidance that unemployment benefits and Emergency Medicaid are also exempt, to address widespread fear and confusion.

• Given the enormous chilling effect of immigration enforcement on our communities, especially at a time of heightened fear, declare a moratorium on ICE civil enforcement operations across Maine and nationwide. We trust our state and local law enforcement agencies to keep us safe, and enforcement of civil immigration law is not a key component to public safety.

• Given that we urgently need to minimize the number of people held in immigration detention, it makes no sense to make new arrests at this time.

• Release all immigration detainees who cannot reasonably be deemed to pose a public-safety risk - including all those who have no serious criminal records. Jails should be holding as few people as possible at this time, for the sake of both inmates and staff. 

• To the extent that immigrants remain in detention, heed the advice of public-health experts and advocates to ensure that detainees health and well-being are adequately protected. In some facilities, this will require significant improvements and oversight.

• Largely suspend the operations of immigration courts, and only conduct the most necessary hearings for individuals who remain in detention. Liberally grant continuances upon request, and continue to allow telephonic appearances by counsel, as was authorized by the Boston Immigration Court on March 23, for as long as the COVID-19 crisis continues. 

• Automatically extend DACA for all whose coverage would otherwise expire in 2020, recognizing that timely renewals are unlikely to be feasible due to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office closures. 

We urge the Maine Legislature to:

• Ensure that COVID-19 response legislation addresses the diverse needs and situations of all Maine residents, including immigrants who work as independent contractors, domestic workers, caregivers, business owners, etc. We recognize that different bills will target different demographics (e.g. workers entitled to earned sick leave), but urge legislators to take special care not to add language or provisions that needlessly prevent these vulnerable groups from benefiting.

• Recognize the critical importance of community-based organizations, mutual aid groups, and municipal programs in ensuring that all families’ basic needs are met and include support for these programs in the COVID-19 response package. We need multiple safety nets so that everyone can get help, even if they are unable to access specific benefits such as unemployment, cash assistance, or food stamps.

We call on the Janet Mills administration to:

• Widely disseminate clear, easy-to-understand information, in multiple languages, to ensure that ALL Maine residents know how to protect themselves from COVID-19, how they can get tested, and that they can safely access free testing and care, regardless of their insurance or immigration status. The IWC recognizes and appreciates the administration’s quick efforts to expand coverage through multiple mechanisms. Now it is crucial to ensure that everyone knows that care is available and how to access it, especially the most vulnerable populations. 

• Ensure that all updates on COVID-19 response measures are translated into multiple languages and disseminated through channels that will reach immigrant communities. This is crucial to ensuring that immigrants know how to protect themselves and can comply with new mandates.

• Require essential businesses and other public- and private-sector employers whose workers cannot practice social distancing to provide adequate protective equipment as well as clear guidance on how to minimize exposure risk, and in collaboration with the Maine Attorney General’s Office to provide a safe and easy-to-access mechanism for workers to report violations.

• Prioritize small businesses for emergency assistance by not only making funds available, but widely disseminating information, in multiple languages, on how to access funds.

We urge local governments to:

• Ensure that information about local COVID-19 response measures and resources is widely disseminated in multiple languages, in collaboration with local nonprofits.

• Ensure that local COVID-19 relief programs, including assistance to families, school-based programs, and support for small businesses, are equitable and inclusive. This means policy- makers should avoid any provisions that needlessly exclude specific groups (e.g. family-run businesses), and should ensure that information about available relief is widely disseminated in multiple languages, to reach all potential beneficiaries.

• Recognize that many immigrant parents will face particular challenges during the COVID-19 crisis, including lack of child care for those who can’t stop working, and the need for additional support to successfully home-school their children

The IWC invites all stakeholders to continue working together to ensure we overcome this crisis TOGETHER as a community.

Sincerly,

Alain J. Nahimana

IWC Executive Director