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Immigrants are a significant part of Marin County, as a percentage of our population and in contribution to our economy and culture.

To ensure a complete and vibrant recovery from the pandemic, we must thoughtfully include immigrants in our policies, practices and decision-making.

Immigrants in Marin County have successfully integrated into the education system and workforce, as well as our culture and arts, but far too many continue to be affected by deep structural inequities. Despite high participation in the labor market, policies related to housing, income inequality, poverty and federal immigration hinder our socioeconomic stability and mobility, especially for low-income immigrants of color.

COVID-19 further exposed dire health and economic inequities in Marin. Immigrants from Latin America, and particularly those living in San Rafaels Canal neighborhood, bore an inordinate weight of the pandemic.

Although immigrants are disproportionately represented in essential roles critical to our economy and continue to play a vital role in the recovery, we are often overlooked by federal economic relief efforts and local policies. To bridge this gap, community-based organizations (CBOs)are providing financial assistance, legal representation, eviction defense and mental-health services.

At the local level, we dont have the ability to implement immigration reform or offer a path to citizenship for DREAM Act children. But we can use this unique opportunity to enact thoughtful policies to reduce disparities, prioritize strategic investments to support immigrants and the immigrant community throughout Marin County and actively pursue all state and federal opportunities for funding.

An equitable recovery depends on determined actions in many sectors:

Economy: As our local recovery begins, we must safeguard fair employment opportunities, fair wages and benefits for all residents. We must ensure that recovery funds are truly open and available to all deserving recipients and that the immigrant community is deliberately included.

Housing: I am thankful to the Marin County Board of Supervisors for enacting a rent freeze through the end of 2021 and extending the moratorium on evictions through Sept. 30. A next step must be providing affordable housing options to the immigrants and all low-income residents who keep our economy running.

Health care: A joint effort by Marin County Health and Human Services CBOs and community outreach workers has led to the incredibly high vaccination rates among immigrant groups. We must replicate these partnerships to address other critical health care needs, such as benefit enrollment and food security.

Legal services: Immigrants have a variety of needs for legal support, including eviction defense, housing discrimination and immigration representation, which are hard to access due to cost and language barriers.

Education: As a San Rafael School Board Trustee and one of a handful of immigrants holding public office in Marin I had the privilege to attend graduation ceremonies last week where immigrant students celebrated their collective success and felt the joy of their academic accomplishments during a tremendously challenging year. It is clear to me that immigrant students and English learners can overcome all odds and succeed academically when foundational systems are in place, and it is our obligation to provide that foundation.

Above all, our immigrant residents and their families have basic human rights and are deserving of fair treatment and justice in our county and in our country.

Immigrants are grateful for the many opportunities in Marin and across the nation, especially for those of us originally from countries that failed to protect us. But we can and we must do better.

A new coalition of organizations has been formed to do just that.

Marin Immigrant Rights and Justice is a group of government agencies and local service providers committed to information-sharing, advocacy and support for immigrants in Marin. We want to ensure immigrants have a seat at the table and a place on the agenda.

We invite you to learn more at a free forum on June 24. To register for this event, email Michelle@FirstMarin.org.

I am so proud to be a part of a community that cares one that stands up and speaks up for immigrants and for inclusion, and believes in a Marin where we all can thrive.

Lucia Martel-Dow is the director of immigration and social services at Canal Alliance. She serves on the San Rafael City Schools Board and on the First 5 Marin Children and Families Commission.

See original here:
Marin Voice: Immigrants will continue to be vital to our county after the pandemic - Marin Independent Journal