Assemblyman Miguel Santiago’s measure is already on the governor’s desk.
SUMMARY: Given the overwhelming demand for help during the pandemic, undocumented Californians hope that the governor will authorize a second round of emergency grocery money. But it is still unclear where the funding will come from.
The line began to form at midnight, hours before the food bank opened at dawn to distribute food to residents of Assemblyman Miguel Santiago’s Los Angeles district.
“Every now and then you will see a mother with two children wrapped in blankets on the floor waiting,” said the Democratic lawmaker, saying that this was what inspired him to push for a new round of emergency food assistance for Californians in low income, regardless of immigration status.
Help could be on the way for those ordered to stay home or lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this week, the Legislature passed Stantiago’s bill, AB 826, that will allow nonprofits, such as food banks, to distribute $ 600 prepaid grocery cards to every qualifying adult.
If Governor Gavin Newson signs the bill authorizing Emergency Food Assistance it would mark the second round of emergency aid to Californians, including the undocumented, since the pandemic struck earlier this year.
In April, California authorized a $ 500 one-time assistance program for 155,000 undocumented adults. That only helped 7% of California’s 2 million undocumented residents.
Santiago, whose district encompasses some of the poorest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, including Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, Pico-Union and Huntington Park, said immigrants are among those hardest hit by the coronavirus recession. Many are essential workers, who are often the most food insecure and do not qualify for financial assistance, such as unemployment benefits.
Hopeful immigrants for help
Immigrant and activist Elsy Pérez said that it is only fair that undocumented residents be included in the emergency food assistance program because, like any other worker, they pay taxes but rarely receive aid in return.
“The pandemic does not verify whether you have papers or not, and those of us who do not have a social security number could not get the stimulus check,” said the 37-year-old woman. “For now we are very happy that the food banks are providing help. It is very good, but it is not enough ”.
Pérez lost her job as a caregiver for seniors when the pandemic struck this spring. She said that for safety reasons for the elderly and for herself, they have not allowed her to return to work.
Last year Pérez worked seven days a week at two jobs to save money. Little did he know that most of his money would be used for rent, food and other bills now that he is out of work.
Older people like Juana Martinez are also very hopeful that Newsom will sign the bill. The 60-year-old has been living in the low-income housing project, Estrada Courts, in Boyle Heights for the past 11 years.
She currently shares the apartment with her daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren, ages 1 and 2, because they have not found an affordable place on their own. Her daughter and son-in-law are not working and barely getting by on unemployment benefits, which are around $ 300. Martinez receives $ 220 a month from government aid and $ 100 from food stamps which he tries to make for the entire month.
To make ends meet, Martinez volunteers to pack groceries at a food distribution center, and in exchange, she can take a bag home to share with her family.
Monetary aid proved to be a great need
Joseph Villela, legislative director of the Coalition for the Human Rights of Immigrants (CHIRLA), said that in a recent survey they found that immigrant women have been the most affected by the pandemic.
The organization also found that people who received the above $ 500 in disaster assistance used the money on housing and food. Defenders took notice and began pushing for a new round of assist.
“This is a great victory. One because it essentially recognizes the humanity of immigrants who have been affected by COVID-19 and two, it actually recognizes their contribution, ”Villela said. “We’ve been asking the state legislature to really take concrete action.”
The emergency food assistance program is supported by CHIRLA, the California Food Bank Association, and the Western Center on Law & Poverty. It would function in a similar way to CalFresh, the California food stamp program, and would be overseen by the state Department of Social Services.
You have to find the money
Santiago acknowledges that his bill would only authorize the program; does not include financing.
“It is not unusual for bills like this to be made because when we did the free community colleges bill, we included the policy piece and it gave us the ability to fight tooth and nail to get funding,” he said.
The assemblyman said the Legislature would still have to authorize the funding. Still, he remains optimistic that the Newsom administration allocated $ 75 million for the disaster relief program as part of the state’s multi-billion dollar pandemic response.
Although he could not specify an exact number of people who could benefit from this bill, Santiago said he assumes that it will be for everyone who is below 80% of the poverty line in the area. In fact, the bill authorizes a second round of $ 600 cards if sufficient funds are available.
“Remember that these are unprecedented times,” Santiago said. “Under normal circumstances, I will tell you that this is not going to work, but in the times of COVID we have been able to move budgets.”
This article is part of The California Divide, a cross-newsroom collaboration examining income inequality and economic survival in California.
