New York Lawmakers Will Pay Thousands To Undocumented Workers Hit Hard By the Pandemic

Undocumented workers who lost jobs or income due to the coronavirus pandemic will be eligible for payments of up to $15,600 in New York, thanks to a bill passed by state lawmakers this week. 

Money from the $2.1 billion Excluded Worker Fund will go to workers who have been ineligible for unemployment insurance due to their immigration status and have also been excluded from all three stimulus payments. It’s the largest such fund in the country.  

The legislation passed after weeks of hunger strikes by undocumented organizers in New York. It was negotiated with Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), who hasn’t yet signed it into law.

Nearly 300,000 workers could potentially benefit, according to the Fiscal Policy Institute.