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Statement on MI Sens.
Stabenow and Peters’ vote to withhold COVID Relief from
Undocumented Immigrants
Feb. 5, 2021: The U.S. Senate voted on the Young Amendment,
to withhold COVID relief from undocumented immigrants.
Exec. Dir.
Lonnie Scott responds for Progress Michigan:
“COVID has impacted people in every community. The virus
doesn’t distinguish by immigration status––and neither should
our response to it.
Undocumented immigrants, just like everyone else in Michigan and around the country,
have struggled with this pandemic for nearly a year and they
need just as much help as anyone else.
Undocumented immigrants contribute taxes which are being used to fund this relief, and
many work on the frontlines fighting this pandemic. They deserve
access to relief, but more than that they deserve our humanity.
We’re incredibly disappointed that Michigan’s Democratic Senators
voted with Republicans to withhold this relief and urge them to
reconsider their position and apologize to the communities who
will be harmed by their decision.”
Update on Michigan’s vaccine prioritization for food and ag
workers.
Farm workers now among first to receive COVID-19 vaccine
Feb. 15: On Monday Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and
the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)
announced a revision to the state’s COVID-19
vaccine prioritization guidance that
gives food processing and agricultural workers access to
vaccines starting March 1, 2021. There are an estimated 79,000
workers in food processing and agricultural settings across
Michigan. Food processing and agricultural workers, designated
to Phase 1B Group C, previously would not have been
eligible for vaccines until May 2021. The change in the
prioritization schedule comes after pressure from advocates and
community health experts. The UFW Foundation, Michigan
Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC), Progress Michigan, and
Farmworker Legal Services (FLS) applaud the latest move by
the state of Michigan. |
