NY lawmakers near $2.1B deal that provides jobless benefits to illegal immigrants, ex-inmates

Democrats in New York’s Senate and state Assembly have proposed $2.1 billion to extend unemployment benefits to undocumented workers and the formerly incarcerated, and they are reportedly close to reaching such an agreement with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. 

Recipients of the fund would retroactively receive $600 for each week they were out of work between March 27 and July 31, 2020, and $300 for each week from Aug. 1, 2020, to Sept. 6, 2021. Anyone who has been out of work for the entire duration of the pandemic would receive an immediate payment of $20,700 and could receive up to $6,600 more if they remain out of work until September.  The fund would cover both illegal immigrants and those who have been released from incarceration since October 2019 and thus did not build up the work history needed to qualify for unemployment.