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For 14 years, immigrants covered under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) legislation have gone without federal protection or regulations allowing enrollment in state-run or private health insurance plans provided under the Affordable Care Act. President Joe Biden struck out this omission on Friday, May 10, when he signed off on approval to expand those policies for more than 100,000 DACA recipients.
The U.S. is home to more than 530,000 DACA recipients, commonly known as Dreamers, per national statistics. New York City is home to 35,000 DACA beneficiaries, 81% of whom are currently in the labor force.
“Nearly 12 years ago, President Obama and I announced the DACA program to allow our young people to live and work in the only country they’ve called home,” Biden said in a public address. “Since then, DACA has provided more than 800,000 Dreamers with the ability to work lawfully, pursue an education, and contribute their immense talents to make our communities better and stronger.
“I’m proud of the contributions of Dreamers to our country and committed to providing Dreamers the support they need to succeed. I’ve previously directed the Department of Homeland Security to take all appropriate actions to ‘preserve and fortify’ DACA. And that’s why…we are taking this historic step to ensure that DACA recipients have the same access to health care through the Affordable Care Act as their neighbors.”
This new opportunity will be offered only for those interested in obtaining services through a Health Insurance Marketplace plan or a state-run Basic Health Program (BHP) for lawfully present noncitizens. New York is one of two states that have implemented the measure; the state’s application for BHP received approval on Mar. 1, 2024, and will remain in effect for five years, from April 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2028.
Although this development is a major win for various DACA recipients, it will not permit registration for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIPS). Still, Friday’s signature is being called a victory for proponents of immigration reform.
“I commend the Biden-Harris Administration on this latest effort to support immigrant families by expanding affordable, quality healthcare coverage to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients,” Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) of Harlem, Washington Heights, and the Bronx said in a statement.
“Our work (on May 10) to support Dreamers will have reverberating implications for many years to come, (by) keeping our communities and local economies strong. I will never give up my fight to ensure Dreamers permanent status and a pathway to citizenship, and remain committed to working with President Biden and my colleagues to protect DACA and provide all immigrant youth with the opportunities and support they need to succeed,” Espaillat added.
As the first Dominican American to serve in the House of Representatives, Espaillat has been a vocal advocate for a progressive approach to changing American immigration policy, calling for rejection of the many repeals Republicans have been pushing for.
Despite the large number of people in the U.S. covered by DACA, some requirements in the law limit several individuals from receiving the designated status. Those seeking that status must have arrived in the U.S. before their 16th birthday and before June 15, 2007; be under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012 (i.e., under age 41 as of 2022); be currently enrolled in school, have completed high school or its equivalent, or be a veteran; and have no lawful status as of June 15, 2012.
Former President Donald Trump unsuccessfully attempted to end DACA. A 2024 re-election campaign strategy includes campaign staff reiterating his previous claims, made during his time in the Oval Office, that DACA policies are detrimental to the average American worker.
In a post on X, Karoline Leavitt, a Trump campaign spokesperson said, “Joe Biden continues to force hardworking, tax-paying, struggling Americans to pay for the housing, welfare, and now the healthcare of illegal immigrants. This is unfair and unsustainable; and Joe Biden’s handouts for illegal immigrants are especially devastating to Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, and union workers who are forced to watch their jobs and public resources stolen by people who illegally entered our country.
“President Trump will put America and the American worker first. He will seal the border, stop the invasion, and expand economic opportunity for American citizens, not illegal aliens.”
The legality of DACA is under scrutiny in ongoing cases in Texas and New Jersey. Observers believe it will soon reach the Supreme Court.
“Even as we celebrate this victory, we must also remember that politically motivated attacks on DACA continue, DACA recipients remain in limbo, and the health and wellbeing of our communities has suffered as a result,” Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, said in a statement.
More than 25.6 million Americans are uninsured, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. As prescription drugs and medical rates skyrocket, hundreds of thousands of people are forced to choose between food and medical care daily. Federal numbers show that most go without the latter.“The Biden-Harris Administration is taking a bold step toward equity and inclusivity in healthcare access by ensuring that approximately 100,000 DACA recipients can enjoy the peace of mind and security that access to health care brings,” said Mayra Macias, executive director of Building Back Together. “By expanding DACA recipients’ healthcare options, President Biden is reaffirming that health care is a fundamental right.”
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