Alameda County Community Food Bank and Food4All Coalition held a press conference on April 1 to address what they are calling “a looming hunger crisis.”
The crowd chants in unison, “Feed families, not fear! Immigrants are welcome here! Feed families, not fear! Immigrants are welcome here!”
Because of Trump's “Big Beautiful Bill,” immigrants such as refugees, asylum seekers, and survivors of trafficking can no longer receive food assistance through CalFresh. This affects 72,000 Californians.
"And that represents about 5,400 neighbors right here in Alameda County," says Ezer Pamintuan, the senior policy advocate at the Alameda County Community Food Bank. "So what we're going to see immediately is longer lines at pantries, at food banks, at shelters, people with nowhere else to go are going to have to come to us for help, and this is at a time when food banks are already stretched thin with resources."
He adds, "And honestly, it's an act of cruelty to our neighbors who are being targeted for no other reason than their immigration status."
The food bank and coalition want local and state governments to step in and fill the gap.
At the press conference, the crowd chants, “Step up! Step up! Step up! Step up! Step up! Step up!”
