Undocumented immigrants can start applying for financial aid

California’s undocumented immigrants can begin applying today for disaster relief payments of up to $1,000 per household under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s coronavirus emergency assistance plan.

In April, Newsom announced a one-time $75 million fund for undocumented adults who are not eligible for other forms of government assistance, such as unemployment benefits and federal stimulus checks. A qualifying undocumented adult can receive $500, with a maximum of $1,000 per household.

Since the announcement was made, many undocumented immigrants have been waiting for information to apply as soon as the application period opens.

California has more than 2 million undocumented immigrants. Nearly 1 in 10 workers are undocumented.

With the funds spread among so many people, most families will not receive the funding. Applications are approved on a first-come, first-served basis, until the money runs out.

“In the best-case scenario, these funds would reach 1 in 10 people,” said Unai Montes-Irueste, director of communications with United

Ways of California.

Magdalena, 47, an undocumented essential worker who until recently worked making face masks in a sewing factory, hopes to receive the assistance.

“I haven’t worked for about a week because my 74-year-old mother became ill and we don’t know if she has the coronavirus,” said Magdalena, who preferred not to give her last name because of her undocumented status.

Magdalena said if she receives help from the state government, she could close the gap on her lack of income, which affects her family of four.

“This money would help me pay the rent,” she said.

Another possible beneficiary is Julio Peralta, 45, a single father of a 16-year-old son and a 12-year-old daughter with spina bifida. Peralta said none of them has a legal status in the country since they arrived in Los Angeles from Guatemala five years ago in hopes of obtaining a cure for his daughter.

“But right now with the pandemic, I already fell behind on my rent payments for April and May,” said Peralta, who is not working.

Peralta said that if he receives the financial aid from the government, he would use the money to find a place to live in Los Angeles because his daughter is receiving treatment at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

“But I don’t know how it is applied,” he said.

Montes-Irueste of United Ways of California, which has helped undocumented immigrants without bank accounts during

“I haven’t worked for about a week because my 74-yearold mother became ill and we don’t know if she has the coronavirus.”

the pandemic, said it is important for people to know where to get help and avoid being scammed.

Called the Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants Project, the $75 million in state funding will be distributed to 12 organizations throughout California.

Additionally, the governor said $50 million would be available from philanthropy groups to be supervised through the organization Grantmakers Concerned

with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR). However, as of Thursday, only $13 million had been collected from philanthropy through immigrantfundca.org.

The organizations were selected from among Immigration Services Financing contractors who have existing agreements with the state.

The state Department of

Social Services also selected nonprofits that have the ability to provide a high volume of application assistance services to undocumented populations in specific geographic locations.

Applications will be available until funds for each region are exhausted.

An applicant must be undocumented, older than 18, ineligible for federal assistance related to COVID-19 such as the stimulus check or unemployment benefits, and able to demonstrate that they have faced financial difficulties as a result of the pandemic.

Organizations will verify

applicants’ documents to ensure they match the information provided and will make the final decisions.

This report is part of The California Divide, a collaboration among newsrooms examining income inequity and economic survival in California.