Latino Survivors of Covid 19 in New York Find Themselves Adrift – Thousands of Latino workers have been among the hardest-hit victims of the coronavirus in New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States. Latinos represent a very disproportionate one third of the deceased. Many die ignored, while survivors struggle to pay their hospital bills. Most are undocumented immigrants who cannot afford to stay home and must go out to perform “essential” jobs, risking contagion and lacking health insurance or social assistance. Marco Vinicio González brings this report from New York City.
Border Shelters Close Doors to New Migrants During Emergency – Fearing an outbreak of the coronavirus, crowded Tijuana shelters have ceased to accept new migrants. These shelters are experiencing dramatically diminished support from charitable organizations in the United States during the emergency, and aid from the Mexican government is very limited. To address their shortfalls, managers are seeking support on social media and border residents have begun to respond. Jessica Bedolla visited two of these shelters and reports from Tijuana, on the border of Mexico and California.
Urgent Calls for Support for Essential Workers – To support healthcare workers, first responders, supermarket employees, agricultural workers and others considered “essential workers” who are in the line of fire during the coronavirus pandemic, a member of the US House introduced a resolution calling on Congress to provide protection for workers in distress. In California, and since undocumented workers and families were left out of the federal emergency aid law, Latino lawmakers urged Governor Gavin Newsom to create a special fund to help undocumented workers affected by the coronavirus to cope with the crisis. Meanwhile, to prevent a devastating outbreak of the coronavirus in immigration jails and amid reports of an alarming increase in the number of coronavirus cases among personnel and immigrants held in various detention centers, Hispanic members of Congress are calling on federal authorities to release detainees to continue their process in freedom. Comments from Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García, Democrat from Chicago, Rep. Salud Carbajal from California, and State Sen. María Elena Durazo from Los Angeles.
