Emergency fund for immigrants experiences strong demand

June 5, 2020

A fund established to provide emergency relief for South Dakota immigrants is generating an overwhelming number of applications.

The Emergency Relief Fund for Immigrants in South Dakota is a grassroots effort that started accepting applications for assistance from immigrants May 15. So far, it has generated more than 320 applications from immigrants representing more than two dozen countries.

“It overwhelmingly has exceeded our expectations,” said Taneeza Islam, an immigration lawyer and the executive director of South Dakota Voices for Peace.

The effort started after organizers of the One Sioux Falls Fund reached out after realizing they weren’t seeing many applications for help from immigrants.

The immigrant emergency relief fund is being administered by the South Dakota Dream Coalition, which includes Voices for Peace, Que Pasa Sioux Falls, Mujeres de Fe, Caminando Juntos, The Naomi Project, Bienvenidos a Brookings, Renuvo Church, African Community Center and Children of Smithfield.

Funds can be used for rent or mortgage assistance, immediate health care expenses, work permit renewals, groceries, utilities, child care and green card renewals.

“You have to be directly impacted by COVID-19,” Islam said, adding the fund is especially helpful for green card and work permit renewals, which can range from $400 to $700.

“We wanted to make sure our community knew we understood that could be challenging, and we wanted to help them not have to worry about immigration status at this time.”

The fund is meant for households whose main sources of income come from immigrants, refugees or undocumented residents of South Dakota who have limited access to state or federal benefits and meet one of the following:

  • Do not qualify for stimulus funding under the federal CARES Act.
  • Do not qualify for unemployment benefits.
  • Those who do not have a Social Security number.
  • ITIN and visa workers displaced because of COVID-19.
  • At-risk individuals or families with an at-risk member of contracting COVID-19: people older than 60 or those who have a chronic immunocompromised system.
  • People who are un-housed or have been forced out of stable housing.
  • Homes with children who depend on adults who are undocumented, DACA, U-Visa, are in deportation proceedings or other immigration status limbo.

The fund has reached $180,000, thanks largely to seed money of $50,000 each from the Bush Foundation and Wells Fargo,  along with other organization and individual donations. The maximum award for any application is $600.

“Our goal is $500,000,” Islam said. “The need for that is becoming more expedient because funds are quickly running out and applications are overwhelming. We know $500,000 is a big goal.”

The fund is being administered through Voices for Peace, which has added staff to support the high volume of requests. Two more people from the Dream Coalition also review all recommendations before funds are awarded.

Islam said most applicants are requesting funds because they have lost their jobs. Other unique situations involve international students who came to South Dakota for college and now can’t return home because travel is so limited.

“They have no access to money, and because of the visa status, they have limited opportunities to work, but they still have to pay rent,” Islam said. “Our fund staff is listening to the stories, and they have been emotionally overwhelmed in terms of what they’re hearing from our communities.”

Checks can be made payable to Emergency Relief Fund for Immigrants and mailed to South Dakota Community Foundation, 207 E. Capitol Ave,  Box 296, Pierre, SD 57501

Online donations can be made at sdimmigrantfund.org.

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Emergency fund for immigrants experiences strong demand

A fund established to provide emergency relief for South Dakota immigrants is generating an overwhelming number of applications.

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