Governor Hochul is fighting to exclude some immigrant children from the state’s expansion of child care access. She’s making excuses, blaming federal rules that stipulate that federal dollars for child care can’t be spent on services for undocumented families.
But there’s a simple and obvious solution: New York State can establish its own fund, separate from any federal dollars, with its own guidelines for who is eligible — regardless of citizenship or immigration status. Our existing child care system is riddled with obstacles that impact all families. We must also eliminate work requirements, which will make child care subsidies more easily accessible by all, and help ensure that immigration status is no longer a barrier to the child care families need.
Throughout the pandemic, New York’s immigrant families, including many undocumented families, have been the bedrock of many essential workforces. Now, Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Carl Heastie must support them by ensuring they do not face barriers to receiving the child care they need. We need $3 billion dollars for child care in the state budget to support ALL children and families, regardless of immigration status. Email them now!