Broadway in Elmhurst (Photo: Queens Post)
April 1, 2021 By Ryan Songalia
Undocumented immigrants and formerly incarcerated inmates in New York state could soon receive unemployment benefits that they had been ineligible for under earlier federal aid packages.
State Sen. Jessica Ramos, who represents a portion of western Queens, has been an outspoken advocated for the proposal known as the Excluded Workers Fund. On Wednesday, she took to Twitter, urging that it be included in the state budget.
“Every [New Yorker] should have access to the meaningful relief they need to provide for their families, regardless of documentation,” wrote Ramos.
Ramos was not immediately available for comment when the Queens Post reached out to her office this morning.
State legislators and the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo are already discussing how the plan would be implemented, reported Politico on Tuesday.
Senate and Assembly Democrats have proposed $2.1 billion to be included for the Excluded Workers Fund, which would make some recipients eligible for more than $27,000 in relief.
Undocumented immigrants–and those who have been released from incarceration since October 2019 and therefore did not have the sufficient work history— would be eligible for unemployment benefits backdated to the time when the pandemic struck in March.
Benefits would include retroactive payments of $600 for each week they were unemployed from March 27 through July 2020, and $300 for each week from August 1, 2020 through September 6, 2021. Therefore, someone who has not worked the entirety of the pandemic would be eligible for an immediate payment of $20,700 and an additional $6,600.
“These are the folks who have been starving and have been on food lines on a daily basis, sometimes for hours, just to guarantee some food on the table for themselves and their families for the same night,” New York Immigration Coalition’s Vanessa Agudelo told Politico.
We need to #FundExcludedWorkers in this budget & figure out a way to get money into the pockets of those who need it the most ASAP. Every NYer should have access to the meaningful relief they need to provide for their families, regardless of documentation. https://t.co/o6Suxtmaz7
— Jessica Ramos (@jessicaramos) March 31, 2021
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18 Comments
Who here saved 28,000 last year ?
Who will pay this back ? Why don’t we just use the money to build new schools . 2 billion dollars can build 30 schools in NYC
well who voted for this governor and Legislature, maybe it is time to vote them out. If can’t do that, we deserve what we get.
i think its time to stop paying state taxes.
Who the hell votes for these people. I’m leaving NY I paid $26,000 in taxes last year for this! I’m done!
You’re not a new yorker anymore then. Why does your opinion matter?
People are moving to Alabama! Mobile is a LOVELY CITY. Too bad you’re stuck here with your bigotry.
It’s a lovely state; have you visited? People actually GET ALONG AND ARE NICE TO EACH OTHER which I can’t say of this state.
*Now* you think elections are stolen?
I can see taxes rising rapidly if these types have their way.Time to move.
Trump had 4 years to get the “one-time payment” from Mexico he promised. Don’t try and shift the blame.
You say that as if he had no opposition and powerful forces against him on that issue.
If all their people work here???
Lemme guess…
The taxpayers!!!!
Nope!!!
Out tax dollars at work ! New York is finished and will continue to be a magnet city to lawbreakers
Lawmakers rewarding lawbreakers.
What ? Am I reading this correctly ?? Or is it a April Fools joke
No, no NO!
That’s nice. Good job Senator Ramos! Next stop – eliminate all taxes for those making $75k or less or for those in the unions, double taxes for those making $200k or who is a member of law enforcement, hire social workers, and sit down to await impending socialist paradise.