Undocumented workers will get financial help from California amid pandemic

In a historic move Wednesday, California became the first state to announce emergency financial support for undocumented workers impacted by COVID-19.The $125 million fund is expected to benefit some 150,000 undocumented workers in California who do not qualify for federal support. Qualified people can apply for up to $500 in individual assistance and $1,000 in household assistance, starting in May. "It has been a lot of anxiety. It has been a lot of confusion, worry," explained Yasmin Franco, a DACA recipient who wrote about the struggle her undocumented family is going through during the COVID-19 outbreak. "My parents, they both lost their jobs. So really anything the state of California gives us is a tremendous blessing," said Franco. "My dad is going to be able to buy insulin." California is home to 2 million undocumented immigrants. Some 55,000 of them live in Sacramento, contributing an estimated $60 million in tax revenue in Sacramento County in 2017."If we don't address COVID-19 in the undocumented population, it will impact all of us," said Sacramento City Councilman Eric Guerra. His office works with undocumented families."This fund the governor is putting forth is a great move forward. But the needs of this community are significant," added Guerra. "They are working in agriculture. They are also the ones doing janitorial work, cleaning all of our essential buildings, doing frontline work." Wednesday's announcement comes as the number of Californians filing for unemployment insurance reached 2.7 million. Undocumented workers do not qualify. W2lmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vZDJjbXZicTdzeHgzM2ouY2xvdWRmcm9udC5uZXQvZW1haWwvcHJvZF9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1c19pZnJhbWVfYXJ0aWNsZS5odG1sIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjQxNCIgc3R5bGU9IndpZHRoOjEwMCU7Ym9yZGVyOm5vbmU7b3ZlcmZsb3c6aGlkZGVuIiBzY3JvbGxpbmc9Im5vIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgYWxsb3dUcmFuc3BhcmVuY3k9InRydWUiXVsvaWZyYW1lXe+7vwo=

In a historic move Wednesday, California became the first state to announce emergency financial support for undocumented workers impacted by COVID-19.

The $125 million fund is expected to benefit some 150,000 undocumented workers in California who do not qualify for federal support. Qualified people can apply for up to $500 in individual assistance and $1,000 in household assistance, starting in May.


"It has been a lot of anxiety. It has been a lot of confusion, worry," explained Yasmin Franco, a DACA recipient who wrote about the struggle her undocumented family is going through during the COVID-19 outbreak.



"My parents, they both lost their jobs. So really anything the state of California gives us is a tremendous blessing," said Franco. "My dad is going to be able to buy insulin."

California is home to 2 million undocumented immigrants. Some 55,000 of them live in Sacramento, contributing an estimated $60 million in tax revenue in Sacramento County in 2017.

"If we don't address COVID-19 in the undocumented population, it will impact all of us," said Sacramento City Councilman Eric Guerra. His office works with undocumented families.

"This fund the governor is putting forth is a great move forward. But the needs of this community are significant," added Guerra. "They are working in agriculture. They are also the ones doing janitorial work, cleaning all of our essential buildings, doing frontline work."

Wednesday's announcement comes as the number of Californians filing for unemployment insurance reached 2.7 million. Undocumented workers do not qualify.