Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and a coalition of groups urged Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to support underserved communities and protect undocumented immigrants in the federal COVID-19 vaccination program.
The current federal program lacks funding to strengthen states’ efforts to distribute the vaccine to Black, Brown, Asian and low-income communities which are underserved by private healthcare facilities, Cuomo said.
It also requires states to participate in a data agreement which includes providing identification data that could be shared with multiple federal agencies, including immigration agencies, which could dissuade undocumented immigrants from taking the vaccine.
New York State has proposed a modified system which would protect residents’ personal information and help ensure confidence in the vaccine and its distribution program.
“We are quickly moving toward a COVID-19 vaccine, which is good news. However, the federal government’s current plan to vaccinate Americans neglects key priorities that we need to effectively distribute the vaccine to millions of New Yorkers,” Cuomo said. “We need to focus on Black, Brown, Asian and low-income communities that are historically underserved by the healthcare institutions that are key to the federal government’s plan. I’m also concerned that by asking for personal information, undocumented immigrants could be dissuaded from taking the vaccine. Time is of the essence as we get closer to the distribution date and I urge the administration to address these issues quickly.”
Text of the letter
Dear Secretary Azar:
We write to bring attention to a very important issue concerning the upcoming vaccination process.
Obviously, a successful program administering the vaccine is critical to the national health. But for the vaccination program to be successful, it must have the full participation of all the American people. To that end, we join with Governor Cuomo in raising concerns about the fairness and effectiveness of the current federal vaccination program.
First, we are deeply troubled by the failure of the federal vaccination program to provide the states with adequate funding to undertake effective vaccination plans for the Black, Brown, Asian and lower-income communities that are too often underserved by private healthcare facilities. The COVID infection and death rates are significantly higher in these communities, and failure to provide these communities with an adequate vaccination program, whether by intent or effect, will further discriminate against these communities. We join with national civil rights groups such as the National Urban League and the NAACP in calling for a federally funded fair and equal vaccination program.
Second, the federal government requires that a Data Sharing Agreement be executed by state governments before commencing the vaccination program. The current Data Sharing Agreement provided by the federal government requires identification of each person who is vaccinated – the federal government suggests that states use Social Security numbers, driver’s license identification numbers, or passport numbers to fulfill this requirement.
This provision obviously raises concerns, as the proposed criteria are all proxies for proof of citizenship. The concern is exacerbated by an additional federal provision in the Data Sharing Agreement specifically providing that the information could be shared with other federal agencies, i.e. The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). If undocumented Americans are dissuaded from participating in the vaccination program, it would jeopardize both their health and the efficacy of the entire vaccination program.
New York State has proposed two clarifications or modifications to address the issue. First, New York will provide an identification system to effectively track vaccinated individuals and the required dosages that does not identify to the Federal government an individual’s Social Security number, passport number, or driver’s license number. The state will provide aggregate data. In addition, the Federal government must agree to keep vaccination identification information private as with any other health matter, and agree not to share it with any non-health agency for any other purpose.
It is in everyone’s interest for all of us to work together to encourage our respective constituents to participate in the vaccination program. Outreach efforts to Black, Brown, Asian and low-income communities is essential. Further, it is certainly not in the national interest for individuals to have valid concerns preventing such participation, and the undocumented community has specific and valid cause for concern in providing unnecessary, irrelevant, and sensitive information to federal agencies.
We look forward to working together to organize a fast and effective vaccine program to ensure the national health. Thank you for your consideration, cooperation, and courtesy.
Sincerely,
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Guillermo Chacon
President
Hispanic Health Network & Latino Commission on AIDS, Inc.
Andy Chen
Executive Director
Asian American Community Empowerment
Rawaa Nancy Albilal
President & CEO
Arab-American Family Support Center
Diana Saguilán
Interim Co-Executive Director
Worker Justice Center of New York
Maria Lizardo LMSW
Executive Director
NMIC
Beth A. Broadway
President/CEO
InterFaith Works of Central New York
Davon Russell
President
WHEDco
Martha Maffei
Executive Director
SEPA Mujer Inc.
Jirandy Martinez
Executive Director
Community Resource Center
Linda Lee
President & CEO
Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York
Alan Wernick
Director
CUNY Citizenship Now!
Alba Lucero Villa
Executive Director
Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights
Rebecca Sanin
President and CEO
Health and Welfare Council of Long Island
Eddia Cuesta
Executive Director
Dominicanos USA (DUSA)
Frankie Miranda
President
Hispanic Federation
Monsignor Kevin Sullivan
Executive Director
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York
Sister Helen Kearney
President
Sisters of St. Joseph
Shelly Callahan
Executive Director
The Center
Andrea Callan, Esq.
Interim Co-Executive Director
Worker Justice Center of New York
Fanny Villarreal
CEO
YWCA of Syracuse and Onondaga County
Minerva Perez
Executive Director
OLA of Eastern Long Island
Jeff Reynolds
President & CEO
Family and Children’s Association
Carola Otero Bracco
Executive Director
Neighbors Link
Talib Z. Abdullah
Executive Director
ACCESS of WNY
Manuel Castro
Executive Director
New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE)
Ben Thomases
Executive Director
Queens Community House
Mohammad Razvi
Chief Executive Officer
Council of Peoples Organization
John Park
Executive Director
MinKwon Center for Community Action
Gladys Serrano
CEO
Hispanic Counseling Center
Ligia Guallpa
Worker’s Justice Project
(WJC)
Mimi Pierre Johnson
President and CEO
The Elmont Cultural Center
Albert Fox Cahn
Executive Director
S.T.O.P. – The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project
Nyasa Hickey
Director of Immigration Initiatives
Brooklyn Defender Services
Rokeya Akhter
Executive Director
New American Voters Association
Donna Lieberman
Executive Director
New York Civil Liberties Union
Carmen Maquilon
Director
Catholic Charities of Long Island
Immigrant Services
Karen M. Andolina Scott
Executive Director
Journey’s End Refugee Services, Inc.
Helen Alesi
Executive Director
Latino Civic Association
Kyle Bragg
President
32BJ SEIU
Pabitra Benjamin
Executive Director
Adhikaar
Jo-Ann Yoo
Executive Director
Asian American Federation
Jacob Dixon
CEO
Choice for All
Eileen Torres
Executive Director
Bronxworks
Jay Subedi
New Americans Forum
Justine Olderman
Executive Director
Bronx Defenders
Yeseina Mata
Executive Director
La Colmena
Margarita Guzman
Executive Director
Violence Intervention Program
Murad Awawdeh
Interim Co-Executive Director
New York Immigration Coalition
Lucy A. Candelario
Executive Director
Erie Regional Housing Development Corporation d/b/a The Belle Center
Mino Lora
Co-Founder & Executive Director
People’s Theatre Project
Deborah Axt
Co-Executive Director
Make the Road New York
Eva Hassett
Executive Director
International Institute of Buffalo
cc: President-Elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
New York State Congressional Delegation
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus
Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus