Economic Relief for Immigrants

April 20, 2020

Dear Governor Cuomo,

I hope you, family, friends, and staff stay well in this scary time.

I am starting a petition today to urge you to find the money necessary to provide some economic relief for undocumented immigrants in our New York State community.

In New York City, Mayor de Blasio is tapping George Soros's nonprofit, Open Society Foundations, and in California Governor Newsom is drawing on non-profits founded by the widow of Steve Jobs and the Zuckermans respectively.

Perhaps most city and state immigrant-rights nonprofits are not as well-heeled as those coming out of Silicon Valley, but surely there are other nonprofits out there willing to step in. Mayor de Blasio found the Open Society Foundations. I think we both know a former mayor who likes to present himself these days as a "progressive." This is the perfect opportunity for him to burnish that image.

Then I remember the richest man in the world wanted to open an Amazon factory in Queens, but local opposition squashed the deal. I'm sure you had some contact with Mr. Bezos in trying to woo Amazon, why not call upon those positive connections now? You could sell Amazon financing as paving a better reputation for Amazon in the city for the future. We both know that whatever financing Amazon provides - my guess is it would be about the same as the 20 mil from Soros's organization - won't be enough to smooth relations completely with the NYC Council, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do for our city and state.

Governor Cuomo, as the antithesis of Trump, you have won gushing media approval in recent weeks. What about using some of that star power to appeal to the many left-leaning and philanthropic stars in Hollywood, or even better, keeping it local, in the rap world - which has its origins in the Bronx, after all?

In any case, you must come up with the money somehow. As Mayor de Blasio stated, “Immigrants are the heart of this City — they are our friends, neighbors and colleagues." And Patrick Gaspard, the president of the Foundations stated, “This crisis has laid bare just how much we depend on low-wage workers who stock our grocery shelves, harvest and deliver our food, staff society’s essential services. These essential workers are also the people with the least access to services and benefits, many of them beyond the reach of the government’s stimulus package.” Gaspard's comments are well put. And although the city's plan, targeting to reach 20,000 people with payments between $400 and $1000 dollars, is a positive first step, more is needed, both for immigrants in the city and, of course, the state.

Immigrants, often on the front lines as essential workers, are one of the most vulnerable populations in our community. It is imperative on us to do the right thing morally by them. It is also the prudent thing to do. With the vicious spread of this virus, we are only as safe as the weakest member in our community.

Stay safe,

Ed Kilcullen