Gov. Jay Inslee today announced applications will be accepted for the next round of assistance under the Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund starting April 21.
The additional $65 million allocated by the Legislature this year will provide additional relief to support new applicants. Similar to the first round, the fund will rely on the continued partnership between the state and community organizations, including Scholarship Junkies and the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, with the Department of Social and Health Services providing oversight.
This round of funding builds on the governor’s prior allocations totaling $62.6 million for COVID-19 relief to immigrants in 2020, which provided much-needed assistance to nearly 60,000 individuals who were not eligible for federal COVID assistance due to immigration status. The fund coincides with other relief commitments by the governor in small business grants and rental assistance.
“We know many immigrant workers have served on the front line during our pandemic response, and we know that their communities still need our support,” Inslee said. “I applaud the tireless work of our agencies and nonprofit partners to assist those Washingtonians who were ineligible for federal stimulus relief. I thank the legislators who continue to advocate on behalf of our state’s immigrants, including the budget chairs, Sen. Rolfes and Rep. Ormbsy, as well as Sen. Saldaña, Rep. Gregerson, and Rep. Harris-Talley.”
Applicants must demonstrate Washington state residency; be at least 18 years old; have been significantly affected by the coronavirus pandemic; be ineligible for federal stimulus payments or unemployment insurance benefits due to their immigration status; and have an income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.
The Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund is considered one-time disaster relief assistance. Receiving assistance from this fund should not impact people’s ability to obtain a green card.
Applications for the second round of the Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund will be accepted from April 21 to May 21.
Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis, prioritizing those according to need. Eligible community members can apply by:
- Visiting the website at immigrantreliefwa.org.
- Calling the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network at 844-724-3737, which is staffed every day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Connecting with a DSHS community-based partner for assistance.