Page - 415 - in VULNERABLE - The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19

415Migrant Health in a Time of Pandemic: Fallacies of Us-Versus-Them for COVID-19.31 Public interest organizations have warned of the possibility of such information being shared and used beyond its intended purposes.32 Even if this threat does not ultimately material- ize, the worry that seeking health care could make them known to law enforcement and jeopardize their ability to stay in the country serves as a strong deterrent in and of itself for undocumented migrants con- sidering health care utilization. In short, Canada’s health care policies in response to COVID-19 have largely maintained the fault line between citizens and migrants, as us and them. Most jurisdictions in the country have not broadened their health care programs to help protect all migrants’ health. To the extent that certain provinces have bucked the trend, the insistence of some to only cover the cost of COVID-19-related services insidiously links migrants’ health care deservingness to the perceived threat they pose to our well-being. Meanwhile, ongoing immigration enforcement not only deters migrants from accessing health care, but also accentu- ates migrants’ standing as outsiders. The same dynamics of us-versus-them pervade the federal government’s approach to emergency income assistance during the pandemic as well. While numerous migrant workers have contin- ued to perform essential services following the COVID-19 outbreak, many have been laid off or become unable to work because they are ill or quarantined.33 The consequent loss of income has caused many migrants’ already-precarious financial situation to worsen. And yet, not all migrant workers who otherwise meet the eligibility criteria will qualify for Employment Insurance (EI). Undocumented migrants and seasonal agricultural workers, for example, are excluded by rea- son of their legal status, although many have paid into the EI pro- gram.34 Some of these migrants again fell through the cracks when the Canada Emergency Response Benefit was introduced by the 31. Betsy Powell, “COVID-19 Database ‘Extraordinary’ Privacy Invasion: Civil Liberties Group”, Toronto Star (24 April 2020), online: <thestar.com/news/ gta/2020/04/24/covid-19-database-extraordinary-privacy-invasion-civil-liber- ties-group.html>. 32. Ibid. 33. Carl Meyer, “Migrant and Undocumented Workers Plead for Help During COVID- 19”, National Observer (17 April 2020), online: <nationalobserver.com/2020/04/17/ news/migrant-and-undocumented-workers-plead-help-during-covid-19>. 34. See generally United Food and Commercial Workers Canada & the Agricultural Workers’ Alliance, “The Great Canadian Rip-Off! An Economic Case for Restoring Full EI Special Benefits Access to SAWP Workers” (2014) at 6, online (pdf): UFCW  Canada  <ufcw.ca/templates/ufcwcanada/images/directions14/