Immigration groups seek more money for state's Excluded Workers Fund

Immigration groups are asking Gov. Kathy Hochul and state legislators to add more money to the state’s $2.1 billion Excluded Workers Fund.

Hochul warned last week that the state’s fund, which offers financial relief for workers who lost income during the pandemic and did not qualify for federal stimulus money or unemployment benefits, is nearing exhaustion. The fund, which lawmakers have said would primarily benefit immigrants living in the country without legal permission, has already paid $1.2 billion to more than 120,000 approved applicants statewide and the fund expects to pay out its remaining money by the end of October.

Long Island immigration activists gathered Thursday in front of the Perry B. Duryea Jr. State Office Building in Hauppauge asking the state to extend funding and increase access to the fund, including easing restrictions on applications.

The funding was expected to serve 300,000 workers but was nearly exhausted after eight weeks, processing less than half the 350,000 applications submitted statewide, said Ani Halasz, the director of Long Island Jobs with Justice.

"While we knew the need was deep, I don’t think anyone expected it to move this quickly," Halasz said.

The state Department of Labor stopped accepting applications Oct. 8 and is processing applications received until the fund is exhausted, but state officials said they can’t guarantee funds will be available for applications submitted after Sept. 24.

"We must ensure that immigrant communities are supported in our recovery, and I made a commitment from my first day in office to get relief to New Yorkers in need as quickly as possible," Hochul said in a statement last week.

Long Island accounts for about 12% of the state’s workers living in the country without legal permission, but only received about 10% of the funding, organizers said. New York City accounts for about 73% of the state’s excluded workforce and received about 81% of the funding so far.

Several workers were left out of the fund because they found out too late to apply or didn’t have the proper documentation required. Cash workers, in food service, laundry or construction could not provide work history or proof of residency, Halasz said.

Several workers spoke about the assistance they received from the fund or being left out of the application process.

Heydi Salguero said she lost her job because she had to stay at home to help her 8-year-old in extended learning. She said she applied to the Excluded Workers Fund the first week of September, but hasn’t heard back.

"A lot of women like me had to leave their circumstance in the pandemic," she said in Spanish. "I haven’t had help from the fund and I’m waiting. I have hope there will be hope for all of us left in the shadows."

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.