The Invisible Struggles of Refugees During the Coronavirus

Emotions of disbelief and distress are rocking the WashU community as the coronavirus pandemic forces virtually all undergraduates to return to our childhood homes and transition precipitously to online instruction. Uncertainty surrounding work and housing arrangements, an inability to see loved ones, and restricted movement detrimentally affects our health and emotional well being. Although this has been emotionally and physically draining for us, immigrants and refugees are suffering even more. And unfortunately, this may not be the first time that their lives have been turned upside down.

Our city is home to the third-fastest-growing foreign-born population in the country as of 2019. An overwhelming 68.22 percent of this St. Louis demographic are not yet US citizens, and a stunning 77 percent do not own their own homes. Though the St. Louis Housing Authority has temporarily halted evictions due to the pandemic, it is unsure how long these housing security measures will be in place. In the meantime, lower income citizens and immigrants legally authorized to work in the US will receive a stimulus check- provided they are not married to an undocumented immigrant. Migrants lacking social security numbers are not eligible for government-issued COVID19 relief funds and neither are their US-citizen spouses, despite undocumented immigrants paying approximately $13 billion to social security in 2019. Undocumented immigrants and refugees who lost their job or means of commuting to the coronavirus (public transit is heavily relied on) may have no way to earn an income before the eviction halt is lifted. For these reasons, the nonnative residents of St. Louis, particularly non-citizens, are amongst the most vulnerable members of our community. Immigrants and refugees would have nowhere to turn if not for the local organizations created to advocate for their rights.

The International Institute of St. Louis is a nationally acclaimed immigrant service and information hub which currently has 6,674 clients and has sponsored nearly 25,000 refugees since 1979. They provide translators, counseling, housing aid, childcare and more, giving their clients the tools needed to build a new life (4). Due to the temporary closure of the IISTL, these invaluable resources are now completely inaccessible to those whose lives depend on them. 

To refugees fleeing situations of war, extreme poverty, and even torture, resettlement in the United States should be as seamless as possible. The reality that awaits these refugees is far from it: American political and academic institutions show them little mercy and the “American Dream” becomes a fight to the death. They strain to keep their head above water, the system having determined their failure before they even began to swim. The IISTL, in collaboration with the Care Access For New Americans mental health referral system and the St. Louis Mental Health Board, works tirelessly to help the foreign-born community through their challenges (5). For those who suffer from migration-related trauma, quarantine may trigger feelings of grief and despair; yet, this pandemic has erected a barricade between immigrants and the health resources that their lives depend on. 

[pullquote]For those who suffer from migration-related trauma, quarantine may trigger feelings of grief and despair; yet, this  pandemic has erected a barricade between immigrants and the health resources that their lives depend on[/pullquote]

I think most of the student body can relate to feelings of fear and anxiety surrounding the state of the world and a desperation for our lives to return to ‘normal’. Out of state students may be feeling more disconnected from St. Louis than ever. Nevertheless, this pandemic gives us an opportunity to mobilize on behalf of marginalized groups whose struggles are being exacerbated by COVID-19.  In fact, despite the barriers enforced upon them, immigrants and refugees continue to advocate for others in a way that has never been done for them; in 2018, despite making up only 13.7% of the U.S. population, 35.2% of our home health care aides and 28.5% of our physicians were immigrants. Working on our front lines, immigrants are essential in the battle against Coronavirus, and as they continue to fight for us we must ensure that their basic human needs are met. I know that we can emerge from this crisis with a renewed dedication to do better for the next generation of immigrant and refugee children. 

There are ways to get involved within the WashU community through the Legacies for Immigrants and Refugees club. Members tutor immigrant and refugee students through the IISTL After School Program and work with adults studying to take the US citizenship exam. Unfortunately, this semester’s work was cut short, but while WashU students have been able to continue our education online, students in the ASP have been cut off from their main academic and emotional support system. English Language Learners and low-income students without technology will be set back months by the cancellation of summer education programs. Legacies is partnering with the IISTL to fundraise money and host a drive for new or used tablets to ensure that refugee and immigrant students can engage in the IISTL’s Teen Summer Learning Program. For more information, please contact kvruben@wustl.edu.