(CHICAGO, IL, 4/24/2020) - The Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, condemns hidden restrictions that leave out tax-paying immigrant-families from stimulus benefits. Citizens who are married to immigrants without Social Security numbers are barred from receiving financial aid from the government amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“Whether intentionally or not, measures taken by the federal government to leave out Americans married to immigrants without Social Security numbers are needlessly discriminatory,” said Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director.

“We are leaving out too many people who contribute to our economy with their business and their taxes including the aforementioned citizens, but also undocumented immigrants who provide essential services, and many green card applicants who face financial ineligibility, since they have no work permits, which grant social security numbers.” 

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CONTACT: CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Saadia Pervaiz, 312-212-1520, spervaiz@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Hannah Faris, 312-212-1520, hfaris@cair.com