Partners for Women and Justice supports providing New Jersey stimulus relief to New Jersey workers excluded from federal stimulus payments, and expresses its solidarity with Make the Road members in their hunger strike this month. We call on Gov. Phil Murphy to take action now to ensure that all New Jersey families can recover from the economic fallout from COVID-19. Partners provides free legal assistance to low-income victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, including undocumented immigrants, who are seeking civil restraining orders and related assistance in family law matters.
COVID-19 has unleashed a shadow pandemic of domestic violence and devastated low-income immigrant survivors, many of whom held jobs concentrated in the hardest hit service sector of the economy. Unemployment, COVID infections and deaths, insecure housing and hunger have especially harmed immigrant families and escalated violence for those in abusive relationships. At the same time, the disqualification of immigrants from stimulus funds and unemployment benefits has limited the opportunities to leave.
Meaningful stimulus funding for immigrant workers will provide a lifeline to immigrant families who have endured 14 months of the pandemic without any financial support.
Trish Perlmutter
Partners for Women and Justice policy counsel
Montclair
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