CORONAVIRUS
Stimulus check payment: can I get it if I'm married to an immigrant?
American citizens have been sent out stimulus checks but those married to illegal immigrants have not and will not receive checks according to the IRS.
The coronavirus pandemic has seen US' unemployment shoot up to 14.7%. That is the worst it has been since the Great Depression. Some starts are starting to re-open and stimulus checks have been sent out - with another one in the words in May possibly - but thousands of families have been deprived of the $1,200 sent to struggling Americans.
Those stimulus checks have landed in bank account from Boston to Burbank but some families have had to go without. The relief package consisted of $2.2 trillion and would see married couples recieved $2,400 along with an added $500 for every child provided the couple made under $150,000.
The IRS has said that not only are those without green cards entitled to stimulus money but American citizens married to illegal immigrants would not be helped out either. There are approximately 1.2 million immigrants without green cards married to American citizens.
Illegal immigrants not being sent stimulus checks
"Several Iowans who are taxpayers and U.S. citizens have contacted me," wrote Iowa state Senator Claire Celsi on Twitter. "They're not receiving their stimulus checks if the[y] are married to immigrants."
Slate run a diary series telling stories of people who have not been given stimulus money because they file joint taxes with someone who does not have a social security number - an illegal immigrant in other words.
Krista explains how being married to Roberto from El Salvador prevented her from receiving the check: "I got excited to check my bank account. And when I did, I saw that I didn’t receive anything. I thought that was a little bit weird, because it was my understanding that the first round of deposits were being made to people that were on the lower income scale. And I was surprised that, being in that category with children, I hadn’t received the deposit along with those 80 million other people."
There has been talk of a second stimulus check but republicans don't seem keen on spending even more money and would prefer to open up business and the economy rather than sending more checks.