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More and more immigrant families in the United States are turning to GoFundMe to request financial assistance and cover essential expenses such as food, gas, rent, and bills, amidst a backdrop of immigration uncertainty and struggles to make ends meet, according to a report from Noticias Telemundo.
According to information cited by that source, GoFundMe has experienced a 20% increase in campaigns of this type compared to the previous year, related to essential expenses such as food, monthly bills, and rent.
The report adds that one of the fastest-growing categories in the last year was rent and services, which the platform interprets as an indication of increasing economic pressure on households.
Telemundo also mentions a significant increase in fundraising campaigns for food during October and November, when a government shutdown interrupted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
During that period, food collections would have increased almost sixfold, according to the data shared in the report.
The same material notes that campaigns even emerged to create small food banks in the gardens of some homes, aiming to support neighbors who were also facing difficulties.
The report presents the case of Beriosca Caparra, a mother who claims she is living in her car with her two daughters after her husband was arrested and deported to Venezuela.
Caparra recounted that, after her deportation, she was left alone in the U.S. facing basic needs and without a stable support network.
She said that some friends helped her for a few days in Orlando, but then she returned to Los Angeles, where she had lived since her arrival in the country, and stated that there she “had nothing” because she “lost it all.”
In light of this situation, he started a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe to cover food, gas, and support for his daughters.
In the case presented, Caparra stated that her goal—if she manages to raise funds—is to return, because her husband is in Venezuela and, in her words, she sees "no" way out for her immediate situation in the United States.
During Donald Trump's second term, immigration measures and social cuts in the United States have created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty among millions of immigrants.
In July 2025, the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill introduced massive cuts to assistance programs, such as Medicaid and SNAP, which directly affect low-income families and precarious workers, including many Latin American migrants.
The law imposed new labor requirements and increased bureaucracy, threatening to leave millions without access to basic health and nutrition services.
The climate of pressure and hostility was reflected in a national survey published in November 2025 by the Kaiser Family Foundation and The New York Times, which revealed that 41% of immigrants fear being detained or deported, an increase of fifteen points compared to 2023.
The study also showed a deterioration in the mental health and economic stability of this population, which in many cases has been forced to turn to community assistance or fundraising platforms like GoFundMe to cover basic needs such as food, housing, or medical care.
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