I went on a mission to find out if #CovidVaccines are actually accessible to anyone, including America’s 11M undocumented people? They’re supposed to be: Pres. Biden & DHS said yesterday that access to vaccines is a “moral & public health imperative.” 1/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/02/01/biden-administration-says-it-wont-conduct-immigration-arrests-near-vaccination-sites/
Biden Administration Says It Won’t Conduct Immigration Arrests Near Vaccination Sites

The Department of Homeland Security says it wants everybody to get vaccinated, “regardless of their immigration status.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/02/01/biden-administration-says-it-wont-conduct-immigration-arrests-near-vaccination-sites/
I tried signing up for a vaccine appt in the Bronx. @MigrationPolicy estimates 122K undocumented immigrants live in the Bronx - nearly 10% of its population. So, it should have a vaccine sign-up system that is accessible to all, right? Let’s see… 2/ https://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/us-immigration-policy-program-data-hub/unauthorized-immigrant-population-profile
The process began w/ many questions: address, birthday, employer, email, phone & more. Then to 'qualify by age' it asked for proof - either a driver’s license, birth certificate, passport, or permanent resident card. Undocumented people don't usually have this type of proof! 3/
Plus, I needed to show proof of NY residency w/ a gov-issued ID, landlord’s note, or rent receipt. And the 'qualify by employment' option was even more out of touch, asking for employee ID, a paystub, or professional license. Again, this is unrealistic for undocumented people. 4/
My mission was NOT a success & I suspect other cities have the same issues. Undocumented people are often our essential workers - in agriculture, restaurants, etc. - so, the system must become more inclusive to ensure everyone can get a #CovidVaccine. 5/5 https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/22/health/undocumented-immigrants-coronavirus-vaccine/index.html
Fear could stop the coronavirus vaccine from reaching some of the people who need it most

As vaccine distribution ramps up across the United States, advocates and public health experts are warning that more steps must be taken to make sure millions of undocumented immigrants have access...

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/22/health/undocumented-immigrants-coronavirus-vaccine/index.html
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