Undocumented Left Out of Pandemic Relief

California’s Undocumented Workers and Mixed Status Families Are Locked Out of Safety Net and Federal COVID-19 Support

State leaders can help all Californians by making support systems more equitable and inclusive

Economics, Health & COVID-19 · April 2020 · By Sara Kimberlin and Aureo Mesquita

California is home to an estimated 2 to 3.1 million individuals who are undocumented immigrants, making up approximately 6% of the state’s total population. These workers, parents, children, and their family members – many of whom are US-born citizens – are deeply integrated in the state’s communities and vital to the state’s economy. 

California’s undocumented workers are especially hard-hit by the economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis, and yet they are locked out of most of the federal and state public supports available to help workers and their families weather this pandemic. State leaders should prioritize supporting this essential group of Californians who are at severe risk of financial and health hardship but blocked from COVID-19 public relief efforts. 

In this fact sheet you will learn about:

1. How: Undocumented Immigrants Are Deeply Integrated in California’s Communities 
2. Why: Undocumented Immigrants Are Essential to California’s Economy
3. What’s Happening Now: California’s Undocumented Workers Are Hit Hard by the COVID-19 Economic Crisis 
4. Exacerbated Inequality: Undocumented Workers and Mixed Status Families Continue to Be Locked Out of Most Public Supports During the COVID-19 Crisis 
5. Opportunities Now & Beyond: State Leaders Should Prioritize Addressing the Needs of California’s Undocumented and Mixed-Status Families