MeBIC partner New American Economy released data on july 2, 2020 showing the impact of Black immigrants in the healthcare sector and in other essential services.
The data reveals that Black immigrants play an important role in the U.S. healthcare delivery system, including being overrepresented, in comparison to their percentage of the national population, as nurses and as health aides. They also have strong representation in the biomedical, education, and food supply chain sectors.
This report follows earlier analyses by NAE revealing the critical role of Hispanic Americans and Asian American Pacific Islanders, including immigrants and native-born U.S. citizens alike, in the delivery of healthcare and other services that the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed as absolutely essential to the nation. Immigrants without permanent status, including those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, and undocumented immigrants, also play a critical role in the essential services that the nation relies on.
While the disparate impact of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minorities, including immigrants of color, becomes increasingly clear, so too does their role in essential services that they continue to perform even when it puts their health at risk.