James can’t afford to quarantine: he lost his job as a waiter in a Los Angeles restaurant and is two weeks away from running out of money for rent and food.
But as an undocumented immigrant, the 30-year-old Colombian cannot turn to the social aid programs being offered by the US government to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
James is not his real name. It is the name on his fake social security card that, like many in his precarious position, he uses to get low-paying, hourly jobs.
He usually gets by on around $400 a week.
“I have to find a way to at least cover rent and food, and with this situation, getting a job is complicated,” he told AFP.
Life as an undocumented immigrant is always anxiety-inducing, especially since Donald Trump became president having campaigned on a promise to crack down on illegal immigration.
Now there is the extra pressure of the pandemic, which has killed 417 people in the US out of more than 33,000 confirmed cases.
‘Health first’
Luz Gallegos, from the TODEC non-profit which provides legal help to immigrants, held a workshop last weekend in a rural community north of Los Angeles.
Questions included: can I go to the hospital without insurance? Am I in danger of being deported? If I use government services for coronavirus, will it hurt me later applying for residency?
“COVID-19 is an additional stress for the community,” Gallegos said. “It’s a community that doesn’t trust the government.” TODEC’s message is “health first” — but that does not erase the issue.
Many immigrants’ chief concern is the new “public charge” rule, which allows health issues to be considered when granting visas or permanent residency.
