4
BROOKLYN WEEKLY, MAY 3, 2020
deemed essential, such as delivery
workers, food service,
and construction — subjecting
them to increased risk of
contracting the virus.
“Many of the community
members do work in delivery,”
Perez said. “For businesses
that are open, they
are having to work through
the new conditions as it
is their only means of income.”
Compounding the problem,
Perez said many of the
city’s undocumented immigrants
lack insurance and
do not have easy access to
a doctor in the event they
show severe symptoms.
“Even being able to provide
or get access to a doctor
is already a huge obstacle for
them to begin with,” Perez
said.
Perez and her team counsel
families to consult the
city’s helpline, 311, which
can connect individuals
with a NYC Health and Hospitals
clinician — but that
resource hotline is overwhelmed,
resulting in excruciatingly
long waits for
assistance, said Perez.
“It defi nitely becomes a
waiting game for them to get
even a hold of the doctor or
some kind of commission
that will be able to support
them in managing symptoms
or getting their questions
answered,” she said.
To make matters even
worse, many undocumented
immigrants are spending
the rest of their savings in
order to survive, according
to Perez, who noted that noncitizens
are not eligible for
unemployment benefi ts, as
well as the $1,200 stimulus
checks granted by the federal
government’s coronavirus
related relief package.
“Many families are using
up their savings as a last
resort,” Perez said. “They
don’t qualify for any relief,
any stimulus package and
so that puts them at an even
greater disadvantage.”
Perez said many organizations
like hers are
preparing relief funds in
an effort to provide suffering
families some support
through the pandemic.
“A lot of local-based nonprofi
ts have been trying to
step up. A lot of them are,
like us, trying to set up
emergency relief funds,”
Perez said “And because
there is no type of relief
funds...we found ourselves
organizing to get at least
some kind of economic support
for them.”
Immigrants
Continued from page 1
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Heights. Photo by Jessica Parks
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