Last updated on: 4/22/2020 | Author: ProCon.org

Apr. 22, 2020 – No COVID-19 Student Federal Aid or Stimulus Checks for Undocumented Immigrants and Spouses

Guidance issued on Apr. 21, 2020 by the Education Department bars undocumented students from receiving federal COVID-19 stimulus aid. The aid is meant to pay for expenses including food, housing, and childcare due to the unavailability of college services because of COVID-19 (coronavirus) school closures. $6 billion in aid was distributed to colleges and universities for the institutions to grant to students.

Education Department Spokesperson Angela Morabito stated, “The CARES Act makes clear that this taxpayer funded relief fund should be targeted to U.S. citizens, which is consistently echoed throughout the law.”

The CARES Act also provides $1,200 stimulus checks to American citizens earning up to $75,000 and an additional $500 per child. However, undocumented immigrants are excluded, even those in the process of obtaining legal status. And American citizens who are married to undocumented immigrants and file taxes jointly will not receive stimulus checks. Over one million Americans are estimated to not receive stimulus checks because they are married to an undocumented immigrant.