The White House on Thursday announced a plan to expand eligibility for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act's health insurance exchanges to participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA.
"President Biden believes that DACA recipients strengthen our economy and enrich our workplaces, our schools and communities, and our country as a whole," the White House said in a statement. "While Congress has failed to act, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken significant measures to protect Dreamers."
The Obama-era DACA program, which began in 2012, protects undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children from deportation. Immigrants in the program are allowed to work legally in the country and they pay taxes. Although they have a lawfully present immigration status, they are not considered qualified immigrants for the purposes of health coverage and are not eligible for government-subsidized health insurance, such as Medicaid. Thursday's action changes that for approximately 580,000 people currently enrolled in DACA.
"The Department of Health and Human Services will shortly propose a rule amending the definition of “lawful presence,” for purposes of Medicaid and Affordable Care Act coverage, to include DACA recipients," the White House said. "If finalized, the rule will make DACA recipients eligible for these programs for the first time."
The plan is expected to go into effect by the end of the month.
Under the proposed rule, DACA recipients will be able to apply for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, where they may qualify for financial assistance based on income, and through their state Medicaid agency.
Allowing DACA immigrants the opportunity to purchase government-funded health care would bring the group in line with other classes of immigrants, including asylum seekers and people with temporary protected status, who are already eligible to gain insurance through ACA marketplaces, which allow users to shop for plans from different insurance companies, the Associated Press reported.
"President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that health care should be a right, not a privilege. Together, they promised to protect and strengthen the ACA and Medicaid, lowering costs and expanding coverage so that every American has the peace of mind that health insurance brings," the White House said. "The President's announcement gives DACA recipients that same opportunity, as the Administration continues to urge Congress to provide a pathway to citizenship to Dreamers, providing them the ultimate peace of mind they need and deserve."
The DACA initiative has faced legal challenges since its creation. A federal judge in 2021 declared the program unlawful and blocked new applications from being processed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Those already admitted to the program are allowed to continue to receive protections while the case remains in court.
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