State sends relief checks to low-income residents

$7M in CARES Act funds going to mostly immigrant families who missed first round of federal pandemic aid checks

New Mexico is disbursing $7 million in relief refunds to more than 15,000 low-income residents who did not get a stimulus check during the first round of federal aid earlier this year, the state Human Services Department announced Wednesday.

Households began receiving the onetime disbursement of $465 this week as part of a $330 million economic relief package state lawmakers passed during a special session last month.

Legislators earmarked $5 million from existing federal CARES Act funding for mostly immigrant families without work authorization who did not receive a federal economic impact stipend. An additional $2 million also was made available from CARES Act funds.

“New Mexico is proud to be delivering millions of dollars in critical support payments to many of the state’s most vulnerable families,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement.

The state received 32,331 submissions for the economic relief program through an online portal. In addition to the onetime payment to low-income households, the package includes grants for struggling businesses, $1,200 in extra unemployment benefits for the jobless, housing assistance and allocations for food banks. The deadline to disburse the funds is Dec. 28.

The state Human Services and Taxation

and Revenue departments sent checks to 15,118 households that were bypassed for federal stimulus assistance. To qualify for the aid, applicants were required to be residents of New Mexico and provide a Social Security, individual tax identification or driver’s license number.

“The teams worked quickly to ensure as many low-income New Mexicans as possible received this financial assistance before the holidays,” said Human Services Secretary David Scrase.

Eduviges Hernandez of Hobbs was among those who received a $465 payment this week. Her diabetes has led to medical bills and debt for medicine and doctor visits. Her husband, a mechanic, has seen his income shrink because of the pandemic.

“This pandemic has impacted all of us economically and emotionally,” Hernandez said. “By providing this relief, the Legislature and the administration considered the financial hardships of New Mexicans who were left out of the federal stimulus program. I have medical bills piling up from my diabetic condition, and this money will help. It couldn’t have come at a better time.”