Immigrant groups in Detroit are set to distribute 750-thousand dollars to people without legal immigration status. The money was provided by the philanthropic group Open Society Foundations.
Detroit Councilwoman Raquel Castañeda-López says this donation picks up where the federal government left off.
“We know that throughout the country there’s roughly 15.4 million families and individuals of mixed status who were not supported by federal CARES Act money," says Castañeda-López. "They were left out of programs created to support other families throughout the pandemic.”
Castañeda-López went on to continue her point.
“So we know that the pandemic does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, nationality – but unfortunately, our federal government does," Castañeda-López said. "So this fund is an attempt to right the wrong committed by our federal government and make sure nobody is left behind.”
It’s estimated there are 15 to 25-thousand undocumented immigrants in the City of Detroit and over 15 million undocumented workers across the country.