NM Immigrant GBI Project
The NM Immigrant GBI Project, New Mexico's first statewide guaranteed basic income pilot, was designed and implemented starting in early 2022 by the New Mexico Economic Relief Working Group (ERWG) -- a coalition including Somos Un Pueblo Unido, EL CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos, NM Voices for Children, NM CAFé, and Partnership for Community Action -- together with national nonprofit UpTogether. It provided 330 undocumented or mixed-immigration-status families across 13 New Mexico counties with $500 per month for 12 months, with 50 randomly selected households receiving an additional 6 months of payments. The pilot was funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and UpTogether, distributing roughly $2 million in unconditional cash assistance. NM Voices for Children led the research evaluation, publishing results in a December 2023 report showing improved employment, housing stability, and children's educational outcomes.
Guaranteed Basic Income, Immigrants, Undocumented, Mixed-Status Families, New Mexico, First Statewide GBI Pilot
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- New Mexico Economic Relief Working Group (coalition anchored administratively at New Mexico Voices for Children)
- City
- Albuquerque
- State / Province
- New Mexico
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Website
- https://www.nmvoices.org/
- Phone
- +1 505-244-9505
- info@nmvoices.org
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 330
- Funding type
- Philanthropic, Nonprofit
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 9,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 500 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 18 months
- Distribution Type
- Direct Deposit, Prepaid Debit Card
- Benefit details
Participants received $500 per month via direct deposit or a prepaid debit card, with no restrictions on how funds could be used. The standard benefit ran 12 months (total $6,000 per household); 50 households were randomly selected for a 6-month extension, bringing their total to $9,000. Payments were announced to begin in March 2022 per the original press release, though a later NM Voices for Children evaluation report describes the pilot as running 12 months 'beginning in February 2022' -- this discrepancy could not be resolved. The pilot has since concluded, with final results published in December 2023.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Eligible households were undocumented or mixed-immigration-status families living in one of 13 New Mexico counties, with roughly one-third of recipients from rural and two-thirds from urban communities. Applicants applied online during a January-February 2022 window (application available in English and Spanish); more than 2,000 applications were received for 330 slots, and recipients were chosen via random lottery. No specific income threshold, household size, or age requirement was found in the sources reviewed, though the program targeted low-income immigrant workers and families excluded from mainstream safety-net and pandemic relief programs.
Demographics
- Language
- Application available in English and Spanish
Citizenship
- Citizenship / immigration status
- Undocumented
Geography
- US states covered
- New Mexico
- Countries covered
- United States
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Research / participation requirements
New Mexico Voices for Children led the program evaluation, conducting quantitative surveys before and after the payment period and qualitative interviews after the payment period, to measure impacts on family finances, employment, housing security, health, and children's educational outcomes. Findings were published in a December 2023 report titled 'Guaranteed Income: Increasing Employment and Helping Families Thrive.'
Application Process
- How to apply
Applications were accepted online (in English and Spanish) during a defined window that opened in January 2022 and closed February 11, 2022; over 2,000 applications were received. The application period is now closed as the pilot has concluded.
- Selection process
Participants were randomly selected via lottery from all eligible applicants, with selection designed to ensure representation from both rural (about one-third) and urban (about two-thirds) communities across the 13 participating counties.
