Joe Biden Expands Affordable Healthcare Coverage for DACA Immigrants

By Jace Dela Cruz

May 04, 2024 07:13 AM EDT

The administration of President Joe Biden has expanded access to affordable healthcare insurance for about 100,000 immigrants covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the White House announced on Friday.

President Biden Delivers Remarks In The Roosevelt Room Of The White House — WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 02: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks from the Roosevelt Room of the White House on May 02, 2024 in Washington, DC. Biden spoke about recent protests across the United States on college campuses.
(Photo : Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Joe Biden Administration Expands Healthcare Coverage to DACA Immigrants

The initiative allows previously uninsured DACA participants to access federally run health insurance programs, namely the Health Insurance Marketplace and the Basic Health Program, both established under the Affordable Care Act.

The DACA program, launched under former President Barack Obama in 2012, when Joe Biden was vice president, provides deportation relief and work permits to immigrants known as "Dreamers" who were brought into the US illegally as children or overstayed a visa.

DACA recipients were previously prohibited from enrolling in affordable Obamacare health insurance plans. However, they could receive health insurance from work, buy private insurance, or in some programs funded by states and cities.

"Dreamers are our loved ones, our nurses, teachers, and small business owners... And they deserve the promise of health care just like all of us," Biden said in a statement.

Beginning November 1, DACA recipients can apply for coverage through HealthCare.gov and state-based marketplaces, and some may qualify for financial assistance.

Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump on Immigration

Immigration has emerged as a top issue for voters ahead of the November presidential election, with Joe Biden positioning himself as pro-immigrant. He recently claimed that one of the reasons for the US economic growth was its welcoming stance towards immigrants.

On the other hand, former President Donald Trump is an anti-immigrant who even attempted to end DACA during his presidency but only to be denied by the US Supreme Court. Trump believes that immigrants in the US illegally take jobs away from union workers, Black Americans, and Hispanics.