The more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States are being hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic as that population deals with the fears of being deported and economic hardship as a result of the outbreak.
According to a recent survey by the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights in California, undocumented immigrants and their relatives are more worried about the economic toll of the coronavirus than actually becoming infected. Among those surveyed, 95 percent were worried about paying bills while 89 percent of the population was more concerned about losing work.
Andrea Flores, the deputy director of policy for the Equality Division of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the virus is weighing on the immigrant population.
"This is preventing immigrant families from being able to support themselves and to take care of their families in terms of accessing care and buying groceries," said Flores. "They won't have access to the same safety net benefits that Congress may be putting forth for citizens."
While President Trump has said undocumented immigrants should be able to get tested without the threat of being arrested or deported, many immigrants are still living in fear of ICE. Currently, the ACLU's position is that ICE enforcement that could deter people from seeking care should be suspended . The ACLU agrees that the last thing ICE should be doing during a 'stay at home' order is making immigrants feel scared to access healthcare or be afraid to go to the grocery store.
"Immigration status doesn't matter at a time like this," said Flores. "This public health crisis impacts everybody and it's important for your neighbors to be tested."
Mona Shaikh, stand-up comedian and host of 'Minority Reportz,' joins Cheddar News to discuss her recent guest column in The Hollywood Reporter titled "Blame Louis C.K.'s Grammy Comeback on Comedy's Gatekeepers."
Mark Murrell, founder and CEO of Get Maine Lobster, joins Cheddar News to discuss the launch of the company's NFT, which is inspired by a cotton candy lobster named Haddie.
Brittan Heller, founder of the Center for Digital Civil Rights and a fellow at the Atlantic Council, joins Cheddar News to discuss the rise of sexual assault in the metaverse.
President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, have kicked off the first White House Easter Egg Roll since before the coronavirus pandemic, welcoming 30,000 kids and adults for the all-day event.
A container ship the length of more than three football fields has finally been pried from the muddy bottom of the Chesapeake Bay more than a month after it ran aground.
Christine Moore, a celebrity hat designer and featured milliner for the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby, joined Cheddar News to talk about how her headwear became a staple of race day fashion and what Derby watchers can come to expect at this year's horse racing event. “It's always go big or go home," she said. "And it's also very Southern belle style for the first leg of the triple crown, which is the Kentucky Derby." The race will be held on Saturday, May 7.
Content creator, rising musician, and star of the TikTok and Netflix reality show "Hype House," Alex Warren joined Cheddar to talk about overcoming the many challenges in his life in his rise to fame and discussed "Locked In," his new podcast. “All I had was a camera and a computer to my name, and it only made sense to film my experience of going house to house of my friends and saying this is what I can do in this situation," he said, explaining how he got his start.
