“Coronavirus does not care about an individuals immigration status,” Democrat Rep Judy Chu said on Monday.
As first reported by John Solomon, a group of Democratic lawmakers are advocating for undocumented immigrants to qualify for direct cash assistance due to coronavirus.
Currently the $2.2 Trillion stimulus package does not allow any individuals who used an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) which many illegals use in place of a social security number to collect a check.
Democrat congressional members Raul Grijalva, Arizona and Lou Correa, and Judy Chu both from California introduced the “Leave No Taxpayer Behind Act.”
The new act would amend the coronavirus stimulus bill to allow every taxpayer to recieve a $1,200 stimulus check, including undocumented immigrants who filed taxes with an ITIN.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (Maryland) formerly joined the bill as a co sponsor on Sunday.
“COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate. It impacts all communities and people of all backgrounds. Our relief programs shouldn’t discriminate against those who need help during this crisis, and this legislation ensures that immigrants with ITINs can get the economic relief they deserve,” Grijalva said in a statement.
To support her position on stimulus checks, Chu said coronavirus “does not care” about an individual’s immigration status.
“The CARES Act is meant to help our whole economy survive this crisis. You cannot do that by excluding entire segments of the population. This virus does not care about immigration status,” she said.
“Making it impossible for them to receive the same benefit we are sending to everyone else just means those immigrants will have a harder time affording food or rent, and that leaves us all worse off. I hope to see this corrected in the next relief package,” Chu added.
You can read more from our friends at Just The News.
