CASA advocates for healthcare, tenant rights bills to benefit Maryland immigrants

BALTIMORE -- Immigrant advocacy group CASA will rally in Annapolis on Thursday to push for several bills that could change the lifestyle of immigrants in Maryland. 

CASA is pushing for support on three legislative priorities: expanding healthcare access to immigrants, expanding tenant rights and protections to immigrants, and addressing environmental injustice.

CASA is pushing three bills to address eviction protections for tenants, including immigrants. These bills aim to ensure a landlord does not evict a tenant without a valid reason and that tenants receive proper notification.

Immigrants often face battles with landlords and are forced to live in poor conditions, members of CASA say.

Patricia Baños has lived in Baltimore since 2016. She said her landlord would not address problems like bug and rat infestations, as well as poor heat and air conditioning and constant leaks.

Baños took pictures of her injuries after falling multiple times due to the leaks coming from her roof. One fall even sent her to the hospital to get 10 stitches in her knee.

In Spanish, Baños told WJZ what happened when she brought her concerns to her landlord.

"I showed him this photo and the only thing he did was laugh in my face," she said. "He mocked me and said next time be careful where you stand."

This is part of the reason why CASA is also pushing for the Access to Care Act.

The Access to Care Act passed in both chambers and now needs the governor's signature.

This bill would allow immigrants to purchase health insurance despite their immigrant status.

This could impact hundreds of thousands of immigrants across the state. According to the Vera Institute of Justice, 15 percent of Maryland's population are immigrants. About 297,500, or 10 percent of the population, are immigrants who live in Baltimore.

They would be able to go to the state's marketplace and buy healthcare coverage since most of the jobs they work do not provide it.

"Having access to health insurance not only keeps the individual safe and healthy but it also helps us have a more productive, a more healthy community around us," CASA Research and Policy Analyst Ninfa Amador said.

CASA is also supporting the MDE Permitting Authority bill to address the environmental injustice that communities of color often face.

The goal is to change the permitting process so the Marland Department of Environment can focus on environmental justice as a factor in their decision-making. 

However, WJZ told you why some members from South Baltimore and the Curtis Bay areas do not agree with this environmental bill because they feel it does not address air pollution, an issue that impacts their communities.