Tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as minors and were protected from deportation under an Obama-era executive order will have access to health care through Obamacare under new rules announced by the Biden administration on Friday. It becomes like this.
People protected by the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, like other undocumented immigrants, are currently barred from receiving health care through the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. The rules announced Friday would repeal that ban.
The administration said it expects the rule, which takes effect days before the 2024 presidential election, will result in more than 100,000 uninsured undocumented immigrants accessing health insurance. Under a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule, DACA recipients will be able to apply for insurance through HealthCare.gov and state-based marketplaces as early as November 1. The rule does this by adding what HHS calls a “technical modification” to the definition. “Lawfully present” used to determine eligibility.
Republican states ask federal judge to end ‘illegal’ DACA program
Former President Barack Obama protected undocumented immigrants with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. (AP Photo/John Locher)
In a statement about the rule, President Biden called for giving people he calls “Dreamers” (a term favored by activists for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as minors) the same path to citizenship as everyone else. I asked again. Millions of illegal immigrants.
“I am proud of the contributions that Dreamers make to our country and am committed to providing them with the support they need to succeed. To that end, I previously announced to the Department of Homeland Security: It directed that all appropriate steps be taken to “preserve and strengthen” DACA. That’s why today we are taking this historic step to ensure DACA recipients have the same access to health care as their neighbors through the Affordable Care Act.”
“On my first day in office, I sent Congress a comprehensive immigration reform plan to protect Dreamers and their families. Only Congress can provide Dreamers with a path to permanent residence and citizenship. Congress must act. There must be.”
Vice President Harris made a similar appeal in a separate statement.
President Biden wants amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo)
“President Biden and I will continue to do everything we can to protect DACA, but it is only a temporary solution. Congress must act to ensure Dreamers receive the permanent protections they deserve. ” he said.
Promoting health care and citizenship for illegal immigrants regularly encounters fierce opposition from Republicans. When Obamacare was announced by President Barack Obama, it faced accusations that it provided health care to illegal immigrants, with one Republican congressman yelling at the president as a “liar” during a joint session of the House and Senate.
DACA court hands down latest twist on controversial Obama-era immigration policy
The Trump administration tried to end DACA, but it was blocked by the Supreme Court in 2020. Another lawsuit filed in 2021 is still ongoing, blocking further enrollment in the program after a federal appeals court ruled that the Obama administration did not repeal DACA. Permission to start a program.
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Democrats and the Biden administration have repeatedly called for broader amnesty for undocumented immigrants already in the U.S., but refuse to give them a path to citizenship as the crisis at the southern border continues. That effort has failed amid unanimous opposition from Republicans.
The Biden administration has argued that additional funding and reforms are needed to fix the “broken” system that enabled the crisis. Republicans say the administration should instead restore Trump-era policies they believe can end the crisis.
Get the latest information on the ongoing border crisis from Fox News Digital’s Immigration Hub.
