Undocumented immigrants and other workers excluded from economic aid during the pandemic have until this Friday 31 to September to apply through the New Jersey Excluded Fund that was created last year.
The state government website says the fund provides one-time direct cash benefits to eligible households, including “residents re-entering the justice system (ex-felons) and any other excluded person”.
Approximately 35,000 households have applied, according to “Make The Road New Jersey,” an organization that advocates for immigrant communities. But about half of them lack the required documentation and are at risk of losing aid.
According to the NJ State Department of Human Services, pending documents must be submitted no later than Monday 31 in October, but the deadline to submit an initial application is tomorrow, Friday 30 September.
Governor Phil Murphy announced the fund in May 2021 after a hunger strike of nearly a month by undocumented immigrants desperately seeking financial relief after being cut off from most forms of direct financial aid, including unemployment benefits and stimulus checks. But enrollment didn’t start until the fall of last year and publicity was sparse, commented NJ.com.
The undocumented community includes many who were essential workers (janitors, kitchen staff, and food delivery services) and people who lost their jobs without any recourse.
While, undocumented workers contributed more than $600 million dollars in state and local taxes, and more than $1 billion to NJ’s unemployment fund in the past decade, according to a Make the Road study. The undocumented workforce helped keep the state’s service economy going after the coronavirus hit two years ago, the study says.
Anyone who may qualify for help should visit the portal from the Department of Human Services to start and then check the status of the application, or to find a list of required documents and frequently asked questions. You can also call (609) 588-2001.