The federal government has made 500 million rapid at-home COVID-19 tests available for free through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Only one set of four tests is available per household, and a family must claim their tests by filling out their information on an online USPS form.
VERIFY viewer David asked in an email if unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. could also request free tests.
THE QUESTION
Can unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. request free COVID-19 tests from the federal government?
THE SOURCES
- United States Postal Service (USPS)
- Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Sindy Benavides, the CEO of League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
- Junto: si podemos, a Spanish-language COVID-19 prevention measure information program created by the HHS in partnership with LULAC
THE ANSWER
Yes, unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. can request free COVID-19 tests from the federal government. The only requirements to claim a test is a name and an address.
WHAT WE FOUND
The United States Postal Service (USPS) says residential households in the U.S. can order one set of four free at-home tests, which will also ship for free. The USPS form only requires a name and shipping address, with an optional field for an email.
According to a page run by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and USPS, a person does not need to provide an ID, credit card, or health insurance information to claim their tests. It confirms a household just needs to provide a name and residential address.
“The name and address are not shared with any department or agency,” said Sindy Benavides, the CEO of League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). “It's specifically so that every community member in the U.S. can access tests from their home.”
LULAC has partnered with HHS to create a Spanish-language COVID-19 prevention measure information program called “Junto: si podemos.” As part of that program, LULAC has hosted a webinar on the free at-home tests.
“Often there are questions about immigration enforcement or things along those lines and this information is not being shared for those purposes at all,” said Dr. Cameron Webb, a member of the White House’s COVID-19 response team, in the webinar. “It’s really just to get you your tests.”
The HHS states on the COVID tests webpage that the tests are available for “every residential address in the U.S.” For anyone needing assistance, HHS provides support over the phone in English, Spanish and more than 150 other languages.