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The Massachusetts UndocuFund supports undocumented children, families and communities affected by the pandemic

Words by Smiley Team

The Massachusetts UndocuFund for Covid-19 Relief has been founded as a direct response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Launhed by a coalition of immigrant service providers the fund works to support undocumented children, families and communities affected by the pandemic to recover and rebuild. 


In March 2020, the Massachusetts UndocuFund Massachusetts was launched by three leading immigrants service providers and advocates.  Massachusetts Jobs with Justice is a coalition of community, faith, and labor groups in Massachusetts organising working people to advocate for their rights, whilst the Mata Hari Women’s Workers Center supports women of colour and immigrant women. These organisations, alongside ONE FAIR WAGE - the campaign for creating policy and driving change to ensure all workers in America are paid the full minimum wage rather than relying on tips for income - form the founding organisations behind the fund. 

Supporting undocumented people is more important than ever before. 


Undocumented immigrants who are residents of Massachusetts and heads of household who have experienced loss of housing, vehicles, other possessions, wages, and/or jobs due to the pandemic will be eligible for a grant of around $300. 


In Massachusetts, there are an estimated 250,000 undocumented workers, who primarily work in the sectors most impacted by the pandemic such as hospitality, child and elder, day labour and agriculture. There are approximately 64,821 service workers are immigrants in Massachusetts. Across the state, there are around 41,000 undocumented immigrants who have at least one child living with them.  


Immigrants Rights organiser Yessenia Prodero tells us that ‘‘In the US, at least, undocumented immigrants don’t have  a safety net, though they still pay taxes. They’re not eligible to receive things like unemployment benefits or a pension. We are trying to provide some sort of relief to people that have very limited resources as is’ 


In Massachusetts, undocumented immigrants contribute about $184.6 million in state and local taxes (in addition to federal taxes), but as undocumented immigrants do not qualify for federal assistance, they and their families are placed at great risk. Even when there are services or resources which they are eligible for, their lack of immigration status, limited proficiency in English and fear of immigration enforcement stops them from accessing help, particularly when that comes from mainstream aid organisations, county government or organisations associated with law enforcement.


The fund urgently needs donations and awareness about the plight of undocumented immigrants during the pandemic. They also need volunteers and accepting applications here.


By Ellen Jones


This article aligns with the following UN SDGs

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