Two out of three Americans believe the government ought to provide medical care for illegal immigrants affected by the coronavirus but are far less supportive of offering them stimulus payments, according to a poll released Wednesday.
The Pew Research Center study conducted between April 29 and May 5 found 68% of U.S. adults think the Trump administration has a responsibility to provide coronavirus-related healthcare for the estimated 11.4 million illegal immigrants in the United States, nearly double the 37% who support economic help to illegal immigrants who have lost their jobs due to the outbreak.
Across party lines, Democrats are far more in favor of assisting immigrants with cash payments and medical care. Eighty-five percent of respondents who consider themselves Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents believe the government should provide medical care to illegal immigrants who are sick with the coronavirus, compared to 47% of Republicans.
A smaller majority of Democrats (56%) favored economic help. Only 14% of Republicans said the federal government should assist illegal immigrants.
In March, Congress passed a $2 trillion economic relief package that paid eligible U.S. adults $1,200 each to help stimulate the economy while many were ordered to stay at home to avoid spreading the virus. People who reside in the U.S. illegally were not eligible for financial relief, though some community health centers did receive funding as part of the bill.
A new relief package that recently passed through the House and is being considered by the Senate does include temporary protection from deportation for illegal immigrants who work in essential roles.
In April, California approved $75 million in economic relief for the state’s immigrant population who had not qualified for federal stimulus checks. The money amounts to $500 per person or $1,000 per household. Approximately 2 million California residents illegally reside in the U.S.
The survey was conducted among 10,957 U.S. adults.
