The United Nations Agency for Migration and the World Migration Report reported that North America was the third region on the planet with the highest number of foreigners in 2020, registering 58.7 million people.
This registry, which is updated every five years, will be greatly altered by 2025, after the high number of Central Americans who have moved to the southern border of the United States, seeking better opportunities for their lives.
As a result, the states that report the highest number of irregular incomes have tightened their immigration policies, limiting some access for undocumented immigrants, as has happened in Florida and Texas, two states governed by Republicans who are mostly against the legislation of the government of Joe Biden.
Even so, it is worth mentioning that several cities offer hundreds of opportunities for foreign workers, whether or not they have US documentation, review Time.
Of these services, which go through health, education, food, transportation or housing, many are usually free, as a great opportunity for a better quality of life.
Health
In reference to the health system, US legislation prohibits medical personnel from questioning a patient’s immigration status and does not allow health professionals to share their status.
As for free clinics and hospitals, each state and county has a huge number of free or low-cost health care facilities, numbering more than 3,000 nationwide.
Although most benefits are restricted for those who do not have documentation, the law requires medical centers to attend all emergencies, especially in serious cases in which life is in danger.
Pregnant women who do not have documents can also access prenatal check-ups and delivery assistance, because although their illegal status does not allow them to enjoy all the benefits of the health system, the baby does enjoy care services medical.
On the other hand, citizens who have legal documentation and enjoy citizenship can choose to access the national health programs Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance or the Health Insurance Market.
Education
Regarding educational systems, the law indicates that every child has the right to a free public education, regardless of their immigration status, which is why minors can access the different state and county schools in the United States.
In addition, one of the registration facilities for students is the presentation of a birth certificate, whether local or foreign. Likewise, the states require proof of residence in the district for which they are applying for enrollment and proof of age to assess the degree to which the applicant can access.
As another benefit for undocumented immigrants who aspire to education in the United States, the Privacy Act and the Family Educational Rights Act require that a student’s immigration records not be turned over to federal agents, unless the center education has parental consent.
Only Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina do not allow undocumented immigrants to enroll in public schools. In other services, the undocumented can also access public libraries as another learning alternative.
Worked
In reference to access to labor systems, there are several programs that allow migrants to access jobs in postal services or care for children and the elderly.
Likewise, some manufacturing companies and factories allow immigrants to access jobs in which the remuneration does not exceed the minimum wage, although on many occasions both employer and worker are exposed to fines by the state.
In reference to the requirements, many times the worker’s resume and experience in a similar job are usually enough to access a job in the United States.
Young people between the ages of 16 and 24 can opt for job skills training, with which they improve their skills in the search for a job.
living place
This process is mostly complex and involves a long period of time in which migrants receive approval from a county or state.
In the first alternative are pensions or community centers, where an extremely high amount is not required to live or where there is simply no rental price.
The second alternative is to opt for a mortgage, which is linked to the economic, labor and educational services that migrants can access, where financial institutions can provide maximum loans of 100,000 dollars.
Even so, accessing these benefits is usually very complicated in most cases and can take years. These processes are sometimes made easier if an applicant has US documentation.
Other services
Other services that migrants can opt for include food assistance programs, food for people over 60 years of age, nutritional counseling and food in schools during the summer.
There are also discounts on internet services or short-term loans to meet basic needs, in addition to opting for housing programs, although these give priority to those citizens who have legal status.
Grupo de Diarios América (GDA), to which El Nacional belongs, is a leading media network founded in 1991 that promotes democratic values, an independent press and freedom of expression in Latin America through quality journalism for our hearings.