Scholars and Advocates Hold Roundtable Media Briefing on Impact of Exclusion from Aid on Immigrant Women in New Jersey Under COVID

Scholars from Bloustein and Rutgers Center on Women and Work Join with Immigrant Advocates to Consider Impact of Exclusion from Pandemic Aid on Immigrant Women in New Jersey

(Trenton, NJ, October 22, 2020) Rutgers University scholars and advocates for immigrant rights hosted a roundtable media briefing on immigrant women in New Jersey during the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic and health impacts of their exclusion from most safety net programs and aid. The panel was sponsored by Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Make the Road New Jersey, Center for Women and Work at Rutgers University,  New Jersey Policy Perspective. Click here to watch the panel.

Featured speakers:

• Dr. Yana Rodgers, Professor in the Department of Labor Studies and Employment Relations and Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Faculty Director of the Center for Women and Work at Rutgers University
• Dr. Andrea Hetling, Associate Professor and Chancellor Scholar and Director of the Public Policy Program at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University;
• Alejandra Sorto, Campaign Strategist at the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey;
• Vineeta Kapahi, Policy Analyst, Immigration and Economic Security, at New Jersey Policy Perspective.

Dr. Yana Rodgers, Professor in the Department of Labor Studies and Employment Relations and Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Faculty Director of the Center for Women and Work at Rutgers University said, “New Jersey needs to prioritize a care-led and human-centered recovery from the pandemic that involves meaningful allocation of resources to sustain and nurture all residents, including undocumented workers and their families.”

“The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been uneven across the state, with certain groups experiencing worse economic and health outcomes. The severe negative impact of the pandemic on Immigrant women is made worse by barriers to accessing financial support — support needed to make healthy choices for both their families and our communities,” said Dr. Andrea Hertling, Associate Professor and Chancellor Scholar and Director of the Public Policy Program at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.  

“The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic amongst immigrant communities across the country and in our state are intrinsically linked to the deep-rooted racial and social inequities that have long impacted communities of color and immigrants at a disproportionate rate. The exacerbation of existing social inequities by this crisis, coupled with the federal government’s deliberate exclusion of thousands of community members from critical economic relief due to their immigration status, has created devastating consequences for thousands of immigrant families across New Jersey.  As a state, we must address the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis and prioritize support to communities that have been hit the hardest in terms of their health and the economy, and we must take the necessary steps toward building a stronger and more equitable state,” said Alejandra Sorto, ACLU-NJ Campaign Strategist.

“Immigrants, who are disproportionately vulnerable to the harms of COVID-19, are critical to the economic and social fabric of New Jersey. During a global pandemic, access to public programs is more important than ever, yet over half a million New Jersey immigrants and their families continue to face barriers to economic relief as a result of their immigration status. To ensure a strong recovery from the current crisis, it’s critical that no New Jerseyans are left behind – regardless of their documentation status or where they were born,” said Vineeta Kapahi, Policy Analyst, New Jersey Policy Perspective.

In New Jersey, undocumented immigrants have been disproportionately harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic and are excluded from nearly every form of government aid. Exclusion from income replacement and safety net programs increases burdens on undocumented immigrant women who face job loss and are at a higher risk of gender-based violence. Many undocumented immigrants work in essential occupations, including delivery, warehouse, health care, and cleaning professions, which have allowed millions of New Jerseyans to shelter in place during the worst months of the pandemic. Legislation has stalled to address this issue.

Despite their contributions, undocumented immigrants are ineligible for unemployment insurance, TANF, SNAP, and most other safety-net programs. In addition, the federal CARES Act stimulus payments excluded undocumented immigrant taxpayers and their US citizen spouses and children. In New Jersey, by some estimates, 604,615 people in New Jersey, including 262,527 U.S. citizens, lived with at least one undocumented family member.

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