SAN DIEGO — Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a $100-billion budget proposal, which includes a series of programs he's calling the California Comeback Plan.
Among them: billions of dollars in stimulus checks.
But are undocumented immigrants eligible?
According to both Julia Gelatt, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, and the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom—yes.
"Yeah, California and some other states have chosen to use state funding to provide payments to unauthorized immigrants who weren't eligible for the federal payments. That happened in New York and some other places as well," said Gelatt.
As for why, Gelatt explained undocumented immigrants don't qualify for the federal stimulus money or unemployment, meaning many of those who lost their jobs during the pandemic have no safety net to fall back on.
"We've seen throughout the pandemic immigrants have had higher unemployment rates than US-born workers and that's been especially true for immigrant women," said Gelatt.
California is home to an estimated two million undocumented immigrants.
Will each one get $500?
No.
Last year, undocumented immigrants did receive $500 from the state, but only a certain amount was allocated, and there wasn't enough to meet the demand.
This time around, the state is allocating more, but in order to receive it:
-You have to file 2020 taxes using an individual tax identification number
-Your filing must include a dependent
-You have to make less than $75,000
-Families are eligible for an additional $500, totaling $1,000
For legal residents filing taxes, individuals are eligible for a $600 stimulus check if they make less than $75,000, and did not receive a stimulus check from the state last year.
WATCH: Millions of Californians may qualify for $600 state stimulus payment