Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen Latinos disproportionately affected by the virus. Latinos are twice as likely to contract the coronavirus compared to their White counterparts and more than four times as likely to die from COVID-19. Meanwhile, Latinos, including those who are undocumented, are overrepresented in the jobs deemed essential by the U.S. government during this once in a generation health crisis.  

         The UnidosUS Action Fund believes that we have a short window of opportunity to deliver the equitable and inclusive pandemic response that our nation needs and in order to “build back better,” our nation’s leaders must include a path to citizenship for immigrant workers helping our country recover from the pandemic. With a lack of apparent progress on bipartisan immigration talks, the UnidosUS Action Fund is among the first major Latino civil rights groups to call on Congress to suspend those discussions and include citizenship in recovery legislation.