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'Lives are truly at risk,' Advocates call on the city to help those not receiving stimulus checks

The stimulus check excludes a number of people including anyone who hasn't filed taxes in the last two years and undocumented immigrants who don't have legal status.

Classrooms across this country may be empty but educators are still giving lessons. For San Antonio Teacher Luke Amphlett, Monday's topic is the economy.

"There’s a huge hole at the center of this federal stimulus that leaves millions of Americans out," he told KENS 5 via Zoom on Monday. 

The stimulus check excludes a number of people including anyone who hasn't filed taxes in the last two years like people on public assistance or whose income fell below the standard deduction amount. It also excludes undocumented immigrants who don't have legal status.

"We're close to 65,000 undocumented individuals here in this city," immigration advocate Carolina Canizales, said. 

"I think if there's any time a city can step in it's during a global pandemic because lives are truly at risk."

On Thursday Luke, Carolina and the rest of their immigration advocacy group, SA Stands are hoping city leaders will allocate $10 million for those not receiving a stimulus check.

It's something Councilman Robert Trevino says is much needed.

"What we know even before this pandemic is how many people fall between the cracks," Councilman Trevino said over the phone on Monday.

"So when the federal government is not able to assist these folks that falling between the gaps, the city needs to step up." 

But they're not the only ones, Luke is calling upon his fellow educators and anyone to donate their stimulus checks to a reserve fund they're creating for families they know are in need.

"One thing that we can do concretely is pledge what we can. We also understand that it's not going to be enough," he stressed. 

"The solution to this isn't individual acts of solidarity, it is things like local government which have to step in." 

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