COVID-19 and Mobility: The Burden of Migrant Workers

Travel restriction as a control measure has been adopted by more than 220 countries around the globe due to COVID-19 (7).  This has greatly impacted the Asian continent and it affects migrant workers seeking to return to their home countries. Travel restrictions come in the form of closing borders and forcing numerous migrant labourers to return home earlier than anticipated due to countrywide lockdowns. Expelling migrant workers early has had an especially big impact on those with invalid travel documents, who may have to cross international borders by irregular means (7).

When Thailand announced they would temporarily close their borders in March, thousands of jobless migrant workers sought to cross the borders in order to return to their homes. However, those without a proper documentation were unable to, facing several challenges such as job insecurity, reduced income, food insecurity, cultural-linguistic barriers to health information, and limited access to health services. The impacts have also affected their families for whom remittances are their primary source of money. Because of their illegal status, many of them either fall outside or are less likely to access social protection and financial safety nets (8). 

Many undocumented migrant workers are facing a livelihood impact due to the economic downturn and lockdown measures, and these difficulties can influence their mental health status in the form of stress and/or depression. According to the Kepone Free Funeral Service Society, eight undocumented migrants from Myanmar have committed suicide in Malaysia in late May and June after being unemployed for months and fearing arrest amid an immigration crackdown (9). Moreover, there have been reports of stigmatization and discrimination towards migrants stemming from the accusation of spreading the corona virus (10). The COVID-19 pandemic has ruthlessly exacerbated the vulnerability of these marginalized populations. 

The migration situation in the Americas can perhaps best be described as complex, due to the unique circumstances and context of each country and region. For example, in South America, most developed countries’ borders are relatively open for migrants from surrounding countries in the region.  Despite the general acceptance of migrants in the region, discrimination towards this population still remains present (11–14). To counter the discrimination the migrants face in the region, the Global Compact for Migration was endorsed by most countries in Latin America and by the United Nation General Assembly on 19 December 2018, with the aim of contributing to a better positioning of migrants in their countries of destination (15). 

Unfortunately, alongside the pandemic, economic activities were halted, social distancing norms were enforced, and businesses were indefinitely shut-down, increasing the vulnerability of migrants in the region (16). As most migrants work in restaurants, hotels, shops and sectors of the informal economy, many migrants are now jobless and without social benefits coming from the governments due to their immigration status (17). This situation greatly increases their vulnerability to the pandemic as most migrants work for a wage that provides just enough for daily living.

Although in some countries, such as Argentina, both legal and undocumented migrants have access to the country’s public health system, they are not exempt to acts of discrimination (11, 12). Meanwhile, migrants living in countries such as Peru and the United States must face various barriers in order to access the country’s health system, as they frequently do not meet the specific legal requirements to access health services (11).

The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a significant effect on migration mobility in the region, especially for those crossing through Central America and Mexico. Border closures and lock-downs have disrupted the migrant trail that has the final destination in the United States (18).  However, between the months of April and July, the number of migrants arrested along the border have more than doubled compared to previous months (19). 

Some have argued that the increase in the number of detainees may have been influenced by a new US administration policy that returns detained migrants quickly to Mexico (18). This can often happen within hours of their arrest since they are attempting to decrease the number of individuals in US immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centres, as the conditions of the centres lead to increased risk of exposure to the virus. Ironically, this also presents migrants with a golden opportunity, as it provides them with more chances to illegally cross the border after being detained and then quickly released.

Within the US, however, legal and especially undocumented immigrants face a different challenge.  The pandemic has exposed many weaknesses of the US health system as public health officials encourage people to consult their doctors first before seeking hospital care (20).  Unfortunately, most undocumented immigrants don’t have a primary care provider and are also excluded from the Affordable Care Act.  Therefore, they must rely on their local and already strained emergency department and must incur out-of-pocket expenses for their services. It is also worth noting that due to the lack of financial protection, this population is more at risk of losing their jobs during the pandemic. Extreme poverty is estimated to extend to more than 5 million U.S. American children who have undocumented immigrant parents, adding the fact that they there are unable to receive paid-leave benefits and direct cash transfers for U.S. citizens available from a recent federal economic relief package (21).

The COVID-19 pandemic will most likely affect those with a lower socioeconomic status and more vulnerable populations, making the migrant community an especially vulnerable group. The global pandemic, as its name implies, is a global problem and the international community must advocate more strongly for financial resources that help provide better access to health services for migrants.  If the international community is truly committed to fighting COVID-19 on a global scale, we must also not forget to include the migrant community withing the global health response.