City of Coachella considers giving $400 cash payments to immigrant families

City leaders in Coachella are discussing offering a universal basic income program that would give direct cash payments to low-income or undocumented families who live there.

The program focuses on a group officials said was excluded from receiving pandemic assistance, often because of their legal status.

"We want to close the gap that was left in the federal stimulus payments to ensure that our complete community is recovering from the pandemic and not just some," said councilmember Megan Beaman-Jacinto. "Members of our community were left out."

The program is called Universal Basic Income – it would give cash payments of $400 per month to 150 families in the city for two years.

It's looking at the most neediest of families and how we can help them to overcome a lot of circumstances that they have in their life," said Mayor Steven Hernandez.

In a presentation to city council Wednesday, northern California non-profit Mission Asset Fund proposed a $1 million Universal Basic Income program.

So far, the group has raised $55 million to fund 65,000 grants across the country. 95 percent of the people they've helped don't have social security numbers.

"Coachella, if we implement it here, would be the first city in the Coachella Valley to take this step," Beaman-Jacinto said. "Although we're hopeful that in the future, other cities will recognize the importance and the value of this type of program and follow that road."

"It's important that we do what we can, and if we can grow the program, we will," Hernandez said.

City officials did not make any decisions on the program Wednesday; the presentation was informational only. A vote will be held at a future council meeting.