Unemployed or underemployed Mexican immigrants with U.S. citizenship are turning to public service programs for assistance. However, despite not earning enough to make a living in the Big Apple, some immigrants' requests have been rejected.
Mayra Cepeda, originally from Sinaloa, obtained legal status nine years ago by marrying an American. Cepeda worked at a Jewish-owned clothing factory in Manhattan for three years in an administrative capacity. Some months ago, the company faced a budget crisis and laid off a large number of its staff. After losing her job, Cepeda applied for government assistance to survive.
"I applied for Section 8 to help pay my rent. My husband is the only one that works right now and we have two children, ages 10 and 14. We had never applied for benefits before. They rejected my application and told me that I don't qualify," Cepeda affirmed.
Shutting the doors in their faces
Cepeda, 37, said that at her age it is very difficult to find work, even though she is fluent in English and has U.S. citizenship.
"There isn't as much work available now as there was several years ago. It's taken me a lot of effort just to find a job. I've only been able to get food stamps and I'm applying for unemployment benefits. I hope our circumstances improve," said Cepeda.
Cepeda explained that many Latino families are suffering because their applications for assistance were rejected. Government offices now have better screening processes to determine who should receive an economic subsidy.
"They rejected my application because they consider my husband's earnings enough to pay the rent. Our budget is very tight, but we'll keep on going, little by little. I think that over the last few months, many families were compelled to apply for Section 8. Unemployment has hit us really hard," Cepeda concluded.
Section 8
The Section 8 housing assistance program was created in 1974 to provide low-income families with a decent place to live. Although the program was created for U.S. citizens, victims of domestic violence and other serious crimes can obtain benefits, even if they are undocumented. To find out more, call 311 for assistance.
