When Congress extended stimulus relief to struggling families, over 11 million immigrants were left out. Drawing on one of the largest national surveys of immigrants excluded from federal aid — more than 11,000 responses — MAF documents the real cost of that exclusion: decimated incomes, depleted savings, and communities left to catch each other. This brief makes the case for inclusive financial relief, grounded in data and the voices of families navigating an unequal crisis.
What’s inside- How COVID-19 drove an 11-fold increase in immigrants reporting zero income
- The bills unpaid, meals skipped, and savings drained to fill the gap
- Why community support surged sixfold when government relief fell short
- The case for cash assistance — and what $1,200 could have changed
The pandemic recovery story has a missing chapter. While many Americans emerged financially stronger, 11.5 million immigrants were excluded from federal relief — even as three in four worked frontline and essential jobs that kept the country running. Drawing on MAF’s survey of 11,677 immigrants left out of federal aid, this brief tells the other story of recovery: one defined by impossible trade-offs, depleted savings, and a debt that will shadow families for years to come.
What’s inside
- How exclusion from $11,400 in federal aid widened the gap between immigrants and everyone else
- Why immigrant families were 1.6x more likely to lose income — and 4x more likely to miss rent
- The cascading financial toll of COVID-19 illness on families already living without a safety net
- A roadmap for rebuilding: debt relief, safety net expansion, and comprehensive immigration reform
