New Jersey Immigrants Deserve Coronavirus Aid, 100 Teachers Say

MONTCLAIR, NJ — They pay taxes. They build communities. And they’ve been risking their lives on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic as essential workers. But somehow, an estimated 500,000 immigrants in New Jersey have been “left behind in virtually every form of COVID-19 aid” from the state and federal government, according to a group of Garden State educators.

On Tuesday, more than 100 teachers sent an open letter to state legislative leaders and Gov. Phil Murphy, demanding immediate economic relief for undocumented immigrants struggling financially in the pandemic. (See the full letter below)

Signatories included several teachers who live in Essex County, including Belleville, Bloomfield, East Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, Montclair, Newark, Orange and West Orange.

The need for relief is even more urgent considering the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on immigrant communities in New Jersey, advocates pointed out.

• See related article: Coronavirus Hitting NJ Minority, Immigrant Communities Hard

“As a faculty member at a Hispanic-serving institution, I feel a particular responsibility to stand up for the undocumented community – which includes my students and their families,” said Jessica Brater, an assistant professor at Montclair State University.

“My students work hard both in and outside of the classroom, often balancing their college careers with jobs and care for family members,” Brater said. “This is an enormous responsibility for young people under any circumstances, but during this pandemic I’ve seen my students’ stress levels go through the roof.”

“I’m begging New Jersey state officials to take care of my students,” Brater added.

According to a statement from the New Jersey Alliance For Immigrant Justice:

“Despite receiving no pandemic relief from the state or federal governments, annually New Jersey’s undocumented immigrants pay $1.1. billion in federal taxes and $600 million in state and local taxes and have contributed $1.3 billion to the unemployment insurance fund over the past 10 years, but are ineligible for unemployment insurance. Lack of access to pandemic relief and safety net programs have exacerbated existing economic security and health risks for undocumented New Jerseyans and their families. New Jersey is a state of immigrants with a sizable population – nearly half a million residents – who are excluded from COVID-19 relief, which has left parents, children, and entire families without any source of income or relief during an unprecedented pandemic.”

It isn’t fair that kids are suffering because of a political roadblock, several teachers said.

Adriana Gonzalez, a special education teacher, recalled how one student fell behind on his work as he took turns with his siblings caring for his mother, who had major symptoms of the virus.

"I have personally seen how excluding immigrants and their kids from COVID relief has unjustly affected my students," Gonzalez said.

Mario De Santis, a middle/high school teacher in the Collingswood Public School District, said the so-called “digital divide” has left some students without the necessary technological infrastructure to learn properly amid a pandemic.

“This issue is exacerbated by the fact that, in many cases, our immigrant students aren’t receiving the personnel support they would have in normal school years,” De Santis added.

It isn’t just children who are suffering, according to Ellen Whitt, an ESL instructor at Middlesex County College.

“Many adult ESL students have been forced to drop out of classes due to the loss of jobs, the need to care for family members with COVID-19, and the complete lack of any relief of any kind from the federal government,” Whitt said.

“Many who remain are low paid essential workers who struggle to provide adequate internet access for the education of themselves and their children,” Whitt said. “All of these families deserve respect and relief.”

• See related article: NJ Advocates Demand COVID Aid For Immigrants, Find Ally In Church
• See related article: Immigrants Urge Action On COVID Relief, Via Billboard In NJ
• See related article: Prison Hunger Strikes Continue In NJ As ICE Detainees Fear COVID

Tuesday’s letter follows below.

“As concerned educators in the state of New Jersey, we urge you to provide economic relief to those in our community who are some of those hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic: undocumented immigrants and their families who have been excluded from most federal and state relief programs.

“The influence of the pandemic has produced a stark difference in the classroom, particularly for children with undocumented parents. The widespread shift to online learning during this pandemic reinforces the role of families in supporting students’ learning. Yet, Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations and New Jersey Policy Perspective researchers conducted a study in April of 2020 that estimates 125,086 undocumented immigrants in New Jersey, or one in four of the working-age population, work in industries hardest hit by the pandemic. Thus, children with undocumented parents, who now depend more heavily on their families for quality education, are at a disadvantage when their parents have a harder time supporting them. In our virtual classroom, we see that many of these children lack access to a reliable computer, a steady internet connection, and a quiet place to study. Moreover, children who are English Language Learners struggle with online learning as daily contact with peers and teachers is instrumental to learning a new language. In our physical classrooms, children with undocumented parents may have a harder time concentrating in school as their livelihoods are endangered by the pandemic.

“The New Jersey Constitution states, “the Legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools for the instruction of all children in the state.” As educators, we fully affirm our students’ right to quality education, but know that our students cannot fully avail themselves of the opportunity to learn with the stress of the pandemic weighing so heavily on their families. One way to relieve the burden is to ensure that undocumented and mixed-status families are included in state-funded COVID-19 relief programs. The fact that undocumented immigrants pay $600 million in state and local taxes and $1 billion in federal taxes each year only makes a stronger case for the great state of New Jersey to provide for its community members who bolster the state’s economy.

“We firmly believe that New Jersey cannot fully recover without including all New Jerseyans, regardless of immigration status, in relief efforts. We thank you for your attention and consideration for this urgent matter.”

Elizabeth Parents and Students Care, Elizabeth, NJ
Latino Action Network, Scotch Plains, NJ
Latino Institute, Inc., Lakehurst, NJ
NJTESOL-NJBE, Cherry Hill, NJ
Palestinian American Community Center, Clifton, NJ
Abdul-Qawwee Shabazz, ESL/ELL Teacher
Jersey City Community Charter School, Jersey City, NJ
Adriana Gonzalez, Special Education Teacher
Alexis L. Cherry, Franklin High School, Eatontown, NJ
Alison Grill, College Counselor, Summit Public Schools, Basking Ridge, NJ
Alyxandra Cucinotta, ESL/BIL Teacher, Franklin Township, Somerset, NJ
Amanda Potter, Curator of Education and Interpretation, Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University, Highland Park, NJ
Aminah Keith, 5th Grade Math Teacher, Kipp New Jersey, Orange, NJ
Ana Pairet, Associate Professor, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Highland Park, NJ
Anastasia Mann, Lecturer in Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Andreali Dharampaul-Bajnath, Dean of Enrichment, Cresthaven Academy Charter School, Plainfield, NJ
Anel V. Suriel, Teaching Assistant, Rutgers Graduate School of Education East Brunswick, NJ
Anne L. Kelterborn , English Teacher, Communications High School, Red Bank, NJ
Argenis J. Santana, Teacher, Passaic Board of EducationBelleville, NJ
Benimapi Coulibaly, Teacher, NJEA, East Orange, NJ
Caia Schlessinger, Teacher, NJTESOL/NJBE & Highland Park Public Schools, Highland Park, NJ
Damien Betances, School Counselor, Summit High School, West Orange, NJ
Dan Battey, Professor, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Daniel Bento, Physical Education Teacher, Cresthaven Academy Charter, Long Branch, NJ
Diana Rossani, Teacher, Franklin High School, Maple Shade, NJ
Donnetta L. Beatty, Supervisor of Teaching and Learning and Supervisor of ELL
Black Horse, Pike Regional School District, Woodbury Heights, NJ
Elizabeth J. Franks. Consultant, Language & Literacy Associates for Multilingual & Multicultural Education Bradley Beach, NJ
Elizabeth Levy Paluck, Professor, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Ellen Whitt, ESL Instructor, Middlesex County College, Highland Park, NJ
Ericka Alfaro, 5th Grade History Teacher, Team Academy Charter School, Newark, NJ
Erin K. Kelly, Assistant Teaching Professor, Rutgers, Highland Park, NJ
Esther Ticona, Franklin High School, Livingston, NJ
Evelin J. Ramon Ramon, Spanish Teacher, Franklin Township Public Schools, Franklin Township, NJ
Farhanah Mohamad, Special Education Teacher, Cresthaven Academy Charter School, Plainfield, NJ
Gina Frazier, Special Education Teacher, Woodbridge Township School District, Port Reading, NJ
Glendy Nunez Tavera, Teacher, Claremont Elementary School, South Brunswick, NJ
Heike Domine, 6th Grade Social Studies Teacher, TEAM Academy, Linden, NJ
Hendrik Hartog, Class of 1921 Bicentennial Professor in the History of American Law and Liberty, emeritus, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Holly D'Agostino, 1st Grade Teacher, Cresthaven Academy, Piscataway, NJ
Hope Bera, Teacher, Cresthaven Academy Charter School, Bound Brook, NJ
Janet Adekola, School Nurse, Cresthaven Academy, Plainfield, NJ
Jessica Brater, Assistant Professor, Montclair State University, Bloomfield, NJ
Jessica Hunsdon, Program Coordinator, Rutgers University, Highland Park, NJ
Johnny Vega, General Education Teacher, Cresthaven Academy Charter School, Belleville, NJ
Jose Espinal, 6th & 7th Grade Bilingual Social Studies. Dual Language School
Elizabeth, NJ
Judith Guillen, Teacher, Franklin Township, Kearny, NJ
Justin Miller, Supervisor of Social Studies and World Languages, Franklin Township Public Schools, Scotch Plains, NJ
Karen Jones, English Teacher, Jersey City Board of Education, Hillside, NJ
Kathleen Fernandez, Executive Director, NJTESOL/NJBE, Haddonfield, NJ
Keith Perkins, ESL, Bilingual, World Language Supervisor, Irvington Public Schools
Scotch Plains, NJ
Kenneth Figgs, Education Consultant/Mentor/Coach, NJPSA/FEA, Delanco, NJ
LaFleur Stephens-Dougan, Assistant Professor, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Lauren Sastre, Teacher, North Bergen Board of Education, North Bergen, NJ\
Luisa Car, Teacher, Kipp NJ, North Bergen, NJ
M. Colleen Grazioso, Finance Manager, Christ Church Nursery School, Millburn, NJ
Malinda Loflin, Supervisor Special Education, Passaic Board of Education, Montclair, NJ
Margaret Churchill, President, NJTESOL/NJBE, Secaucus, NJ
Margie Muir Shylock, Teacher, NJEA, Princeton, NJ
Maria Sfondouris, Teacher, Franklin High School, Somerset, NJ
Marian Ahn Thorpe, Postdoctoral Research Associate and Lecturer, Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
Maribel Batista, Teacher, Perth Amboy Public Schools, Perth Amboy, NJ
Marina Feldman, Teaching Assistant, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Mario DeSantis, Middle/High School Teacher, Collingswood Public Schools, Glassboro, NJ
Marquita Smith Teacher, Jersey City Public Schools, Avenel, NJ
Mary Curran, Professor of Practice Language Education, Rutgers University Highland Park, NJ
Megan Brower, Special Education Teacher, Cresthaven Academy
Plainfield, NJ
Melinda Rosso, Teacher, Franklin Township Public Schools, Somerset, NJ
Melissa Lane, Class of 1943 Professor of Politics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Melissa Vega, Bilingual Teacher, New Brunswick Public Schools, New Brunswick, NJ
Michael Abram Strauss, Professor, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Monica Del Rosario, ESL Teacher, Roxbury Public Schools, Roxbury, NJ
Monica Villafuerte, Executive Director/Founding Principal, Cresthaven Academy Charter School, Warren, NJ
Natalie Thom, Bilingual Teacher, Millville Public Schools, Millville, NJ
Patricia O'Gorman, School Nurse, Millburn School District, West Orange, NJ
Randi Mandelbaum, Distinguished Clinical Professor of Law, Rutgers Law School
Newark, NJ
Ravit Golan Duncan, Professor, Rutgers GSE, New Brunswick, NJ
Rebecca Witt, Music Teacher, Cresthaven Academy Charter School, Plainfield, NJ
Robert Goldston, Professor, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Rosa Rivera, Spanish Teacher, Franklin High School, Somerset, NJ
Rosa Salinas, Teacher, Scotch Plains Fanwood Schools, Scotch Plains, NJ
Saony Camilo, Teacher, Bayonne Board of Education, Bayonne, NJ
Sasha Taner, Program Director and Research Coordinator, Rutgers University
Brick, NJ
Sean Thom, Teacher 1, NJDOC, Millville, NJ
Shamus Khan, Professor of Sociology & American Studies Princeton University,
Princeton, NJ
Tatiana Pereira, Spanish Middle School Teacher, Franklin Middle School-Hamilton Street Campus, Somerset, NJ
Teresa Vivar, Executive Director, Lazos America Unida, New Brunswick, NJ
Tuli Roy-Kirwan, Instructional Aide, Cresthaven Academy Charter School, West Orange, NJ
Vanessa Smith, Special Education Teacher, Cresthaven Academy Charter School Plainfield, NJ
Vitali Khalpukov, Spanish Teacher, MGLU, Bridgewater, NJ
Alamelu Sundaram Walters, Cherry Hill, NJ
Alberto Bruzos, Princeton, NJ
Ana Pazmino, Somerset, NJ
Anita Young, Elmwood Park, NJ
Brianna McClave, Elizabeth, NJ
Catherine Pena, Princeton, NJ
Charlotte Hogan, Parsippany, NJ
Christiane Fellbaum, Princeton, NJ
Christina Levin, Lawrence, NJ
Colleen Asper, Princeton, NJ
Dr. Clara Haignere, Lawrence Township, NJ
Elliott Lieb, Princeton, NJ
Gwen Kirsten, Eatontown, NJ
Hana Prashker , North Haledon, NJ
Heather Craven, Maplewood, NJ
Janice Fine, Princeton, NJ
Janice Kreinick Gallagher, Newark, NJ
Judy H. Manton, Tenafly, NJ
Julianna Ezzo, Kendall Park, NJ
Karen Emmerich, Princeton, NJ
Kirstin Valdez Quade, Princeton, NJ
Maria Restrepo, Morristown, NJ
Michelle Alphe, New Brunswick, NJ
Monica Youn, Princeton, NJ
Nancy Coffin, Princeton, NJ
Patty Manhart, Princeton, NJ
Paula Viera, Perth Amboy, NJ
Pedro Meira Monteiro, Princeton, NJ
Shannon Chase-Nice, Monroe, NJ
Stephani Robinson-Mayes, Newark, NJ
Susan Sugarman, Princeton, NJ
Susana Rodriguez, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Tali Mendelberg, Skillman, NJ
Trineice Robinson-Martin, Lawrenceville, NJ
William Colon, Lakehurst, NJ
William Gleason, Princeton, NJ

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