Guatemalan migrants deported from the United States escorted by Guatemalan immigration officials arrive in Guatemala City, on March 12, 2020. (Johan Ordonez / AFP / Getty Images)
Three Guatemalans deported from the United States last week tested positive for coronavirus upon arriving in their home country. Earlier in the month, migrants deported by the US made up more than 15 percent of Guatemala’s coronavirus cases. The brutal US immigration system threatens lives here and abroad, now more than ever. It’s crucial that we fight for immigrants’ rights to stay in this country and to stay healthy during the pandemic.
This week’s Take Action Now gives you three ways to support undocumented people, stand up against deportations and fight for immigrant workers rights.
Take Action Now gives you three meaningful actions you can take each week whatever your schedule. You can sign up here to get these actions and more in your inbox every Tuesday.
Often working on the front lines and with no access to many public benefits, undocumented immigrants are some of the people hardest hit by the pandemic. Sign up with Movimiento Cosecha to commit to stand with the undocumented community. If you can, donate to the NationalUndocuFund to support undocumented people in need.
As states begin reopening, governments and policies are proposing an array of surveillance methods that could help track the virus, making the need for protections for immigrants even more urgent. Check out and share Just Futures Law’s “Surveillance During COVID-19” advisory to learn how governments and companies are using the health crisis to expand surveillance. Scroll down in Detention Watch Network’s #FreeThemAll toolkit to find a group fighting to protect immigrants in your community from detention and deportation and see how you can get involved.
Immigrants make up a vast share of essential workers, putting them on the front lines of the pandemic. Check out and share the National Employment Law Project’s resources on immigrant workers’ rights during COVID-19. Link up with a mutual aid group and see how you can support immigrants in your community facing economic hardship. If you can’t find one near you, start one yourself: Check out this toolkit from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and organizer Mariame Kaba for step-by-step instructions on how to build a mutual aid network while staying safe amid the virus. Here’s another great resource for how to safely distribute food.
NationActionThe Nation’s Take Action program directs readers to meaningful actions on a range of critical issues.