WASHINGTON – Yesterday the U.S. Senate voted on the Young Amendment, to withhold COVID relief from undocumented immigrants. The following response can be attributed to Lonnie Scott, Executive Director of Progress Michigan:
“COVID has impacted people in every community. The virus doesn’t distinguish by immigration status––and neither should our response to it. Undocumented immigrants, just like everyone else in Michigan and around the country, have struggled with this pandemic for nearly a year and they need just as much help as anyone else. Undocumented immigrants contribute taxes which are being used to fund this relief, and many work on the frontlines fighting this pandemic. They deserve access to relief, but more than that they deserve our humanity. We’re incredibly disappointed that Michigan’s Democratic Senators voted with Republicans to withhold this relief and urge them to reconsider their position and apologize to the communities who will be harmed by their decision.”