Alders lobby Lamont for virus relief for undocumented immigrants

NEW HAVEN — Two dozen members of the Board of Alders have written to Gov. Ned Lamont, lobbying him to provide $20 million in funds to help undocumented immigrants in Connecticut during the pandemic.

According to the alders, there are roughly 100,000 undocumented immigrant workers in Connecticut. They have, so far, been explicitly excluded “from receiving federal stimulus payments, state unemployment benefits, federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, and most temporary leave and disability payments,” which has caused unnecessary suffering.

The alders said undocumented immigrants are “disproportionately likely to own small businesses and to work in sectors that have been hardest hit by COVID-related closures,” with thousands losing their jobs, and thousands more “risking their health and the health of their families on a daily basis in order to carry out essential services that ensure key components of our economy can continue to function.”

“Undocumented Connecticut residents pay approximately $400 million in federal, state, and local taxes annually. More importantly, they are invaluable members of our communities. They are our neighbors and our colleagues. They are our kids’ classmates in school and our fellow parents on the

PTA. They coach our kids’ sports teams and attend our churches, synagogues, and mosques,” alders said in the letter, according to a release. “In New Haven, we are uniquely situated to understand the great harm that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused to immigrant families.”

The letter was signed by alders Eli Sabin, Frank Douglass, Ron Hurt, Kampton Singh, Carmen Rodriguez, Abby Roth, Ellen Cupo, Charles Decker, Anna Festa, Rosa Santana,

Paola Acosta, Ernie Santiago, Jose Crespo, Jody Ortiz, Sal DeCola, Kim Edwards, Delphine Clyburn, Steve Winter, Jeanette Morrison, President Tyisha WalkerMyers, Evette Hamilton, Darryl Brackeen Jr., Adam Marchand, Majority Leader Richard Furlow and Brian Wingate.

Unidad Latina en Accion, a New Haven-based group, has also urged Lamont to help undocumented immigrants and others in need during the pandemic. Carmen Lanche, a leader of the group, spoke in approval of the alders’ sentiments in the release.

“Immigrant workers are putting their lives on the line every day, but they are excluded from relief,” said Lanche.

James Bhandary-Alexander, a staff attorney at New Haven Legal Assistance who has coordinated the campaign for a disaster relief fund, did as well.

“The Alders are saying loud and clear that the time is now for Governor Lamont to act, to do right by the tens of thousands of taxpaying New Haven residents intentionally excluded from economic relief by cruel, stupid, and racist, federal government policies,” said Bhandary-Alexander. “Thank you, Alders.”