Excluded Workers

Chhaya is a member of the Coalition for Excluded NYers, fighting to protect those excluded from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), passed on March 27th of this year. Over one million undocumented New Yorkers, mixed-status families and cash economy workers, including those who pay taxes using Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN), were completely excluded from relief. We want New York City to ensure a just recovery for all New Yorkers and not rely on the state and federal governments to provide relief for New Yorkers.  

New York City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has failed immigrant New Yorkers. Immigrants, regardless of their legal status, are disproportionately leading the response to the pandemic, keeping not just our city, but our country afloat in areas such as public health, construction, food preparation and delivery, and home care. New York City’s undocumented residents have been essential to the continued well-being of our city. At the same time, they are treated as disposable— not receiving access to the same basic protections and cash assistance as their documented neighbors.

We call on New York City to immediately ensure that all New Yorkers have access to equitable resources and benefits by:  

• Creating a fund for individual payments to New Yorkers excluded from the federal stimulus package in amounts that match those set by the CARES Act, following the eligibility requirements set for IDNYC application, and
• Expanding unemployment benefits to include all workers, including those who are paid in cash and/or who pay taxes using an ITIN.

For more information about this campaign, reach out to Jose Miranda at: jose@chhayacdc.org

Coalition Members: Asian American Federation, Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, Human Rights Watch, NYC Artist Coalition, Street Vendor Project, TakeRoot Justice, The Municipal Art Society of New York, United for Small Business NYC, Volunteers of Legal Service.