Sanders has called for a robust coronavirus relief package that would include direct monthly payments for undocumented people, who were left out of the CARES Act.

By Julia Conley, staff writer – Common Dreams

Sen. Bernie Sanders will be joined by national immigrant rights advocates Monday evening for a livestream discussion about the effects of the coronavirus on the undocumented in the United States.

At 7:00pm EDT, the Vermont senator will speak with Make the Road member Perla Silva; executive director of the National Immigration Law Center Marielena Hincapié; and president of 32BJ SEIU Kyle Bragg.

Human rights advocates—including the United Nations’ top expert on the rights of migrants—have implored the Trump administration in recent weeks to release immigrants who are detained or are being “held for processing” in order to prevent a coronavirus outbreak in the nation’s immigrant detention facilities.

Tens of millions of undocumented immigrants also risk being excluded from testing and treatment for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, because relief spending on testing passed by Congress is only to be used for people who are eligible for Medicaid.

Sanders has been a strong proponent of passing a robust coronavirus relief package which would expand significantly on the one-time $1,200 payment that’s being sent to some Americans—calling for monthly payments that would be sent to everyone in the U.S. regardless of immigration status.

“We must provide direct, recurring, monthly payments to every person in the country, regardless of income, tax filing, or immigration status,” said Sanders earlier this month. “That means reaching every person in the United States, including the undocumented, the homeless, the unbanked, and young adults excluded from the CARES ACT.”

Watch the livestream below at 7:00 pm EDT:
Watch live video from Bernie_Sanders on www.twitch.tv

The original article can be found here