Stimulus Checks For Americans in Mixed-Status Families On The Way As Trump Approves COVID Relief Bill
Bill ends ‘marriage penalty’ and allows families to recover previously denied covid-relief checks
WASHINGTON, DC — Americans in mixed-status families will receive payments of $600 per adult and $600 per child in households with an undocumented spouse as part of a bill approved by Congress last week. On Sunday evening, President Trump signed the bill averting a government shutdown. The payments will cover about 3.5 million people who were previously denied $1,200 stimulus checks per U.S. citizen adult and $500 per citizen child. The new bill allows them to recover that money when they file their 2020 taxes in the Spring.
Passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate, the bill also includes direct relief for small businesses, replenishes the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and a streamlined loan forgiveness. It does not include stimulus checks for some 3 million American children who had the misfortune to be born to non-citizen parents who filed taxes using ITIN numbers. This exclusion denies them crucial survival funds and deprives the economy of $1 billion in sorely-needed economic activity.
The American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) offered a webinar last week to Americans in mixed-status families to help explain the eligibility and distribution of stimulus checks while answering many frequently asked questions.
The American Business Immigration Coalition applauds the leadership of Senator Marco Rubio and 7 other Republican Senators who took a stand for U.S. Citizens and decided that it was unjust to punish people for who they love; S 4071 cosponsors Senators Thom Tillis, John Cornyn, Susan Collins, Bill Cassidy Lisa Murkowski, Rick Scott. ABIC applauds leaders Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer, Kevin McCarthy and Secretary Steve Mnuchin for including mixed status families in the final deal. ABIC thanks Senators Dick Durbin, Ron Wyden, Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart, Mike Quigley, Jan Schakowsky, Nydia Velazquez, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Chairman Richard Neal, Problem Solvers Caucus, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and the Congressional Progressive Caucus. ABIC thanks the leadership of key partners including the New York Immigration Coalition, The National Immigrant Law Center, The Immigration Hub, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the SEIU. ABIC thanks other coalition partners such as CHIRLA, MIRA, FLIC, FIRM/CCC, Unite Oregon, NPNA, CASA, NIF, FWD.us, UWD, UnidosUS, CAP, AFP/Libre and No Labels, among many others.
If you’re interested in interviewing U.S. citizens impacted by this, please email hsoto@americanbic.biz or call 858 349 7940
“The bill passed overwhelmingly by Congress and now signed by President Trump shows how Congress can work together across party lines to the benefit of families, small businesses and our economy at a great time of need. This bipartisan leadership is a promising first act for immigration solutions in 2021. We need to urgently reform our immigration laws so that individuals, small businesses and our economy can reach their full potential,” said Rebecca Shi, Executive Director of the American Business Immigration Coalition.
“We are thankful to our elected leaders for reaching across the aisle to get this done. We want to thank Sen. Marco Rubio for his leadership, as well as Leaders McConnell and Schumer, Pelosi and McCarthy, and so many others, for their work to ensure more Americans get relief. Like Sen. Rubio said: ‘If you can vote and you can fight for your country, then that should also entitle you to the same rights and obligations that citizens at large have,’” said John Rowe, Exelon Corporation Chairman Emeritus and & ABIC Co-Chair.
“I am overwhelmed with joy to know that my family counts too, and that I am not being punished simply because of who I married. Families like mine should have never been excluded from stimulus checks, and we are happy to know that this is being corrected. We look forward to using our stimulus check for what it is intended to do: feed our families at this time of great need,” said Lily Guido, a U.S. citizen and nurse who lives in Santa Rosa, California.
“Our economic recovery depends on making sure that all Americans receive the help they need during this time of need, regardless of who they married or where their parents were born. I applaud our elected officials for putting aside politics and ensuring that 3.5 million more individuals are now eligible for stimulus checks. These payments will not only help families weather the pandemic, but they will also boost the small businesses across the country that are the backbone of our economy,” said Woody L. Hunt, Hunt Companies Inc. Board of Directors Senior Chairman & ABIC Co-Chair.
“This is an example of what happens when we put partisanship aside and put families, small businesses and our economy first. May this be a model on how we can work together across party lines to create an immigration system for the 21st century,” said Mike Fernandez, MBF Healthcare Partners Chairman & ABIC Co-Chair.
Josh Hoyt, Democracy Partners and ABIC Co-chair said: “This proves that even in this horrible environment that bipartisan solutions to immigration challenges are possible.”