Biden grants DACA migrants access to Obamacare money
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The President Biden announced a new policy on Friday that gives illegal immigrants who are “Dreamers”, here in the United States under the DACA Program, full access to Obamacare. This includes taxpayer subsidies for buying insurance through the Affordable Care Act markets.
Mr. Biden redefines what it means to live in the United States legally, at least as it relates to Obamacare. This now includes DACA beneficiaries.
DACA recipients were able to purchase their own plans under an earlier Biden amendment. They can now access government funds to purchase coverage.
This move removes the wall that President Obama built when he introduced Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2012. He did not want to ask taxpayers to cover illegal immigrants’ benefits.
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Mr. Biden now views that decision, which he made as vice president, as a mistake, and claims DACA migrants have the same rights to government-funded health care as everyone else.
“Dreamers” are our family members, our teachers, nurses and small business owners. “They deserve health care as much as we do,” said the president.
Xavier Becerra called them “fellow Americans” and spoke in a similar manner.
“Dreamers” are our friends and neighbors; they are teachers, students, social workers and doctors. “More importantly, they’re fellow Americans,” said he.
According to the administration, 100,000 DACA beneficiaries will benefit from the free money.
Around 600,000 people are enrolled in DACA, but some already have health insurance through their job, others qualify for Medicaid coverage under states which have extended coverage to illegal migrants, and still others may decline to enroll.
In most states, the new open enrollment period for Obamacare will begin on Nov. 1, right before the elections and just prior to the beginning of the new policy.
DACA was first announced by Mr. Obama 12 years ago. This was months before the 2012 elections, when he struggled to win over Hispanics. DACA recipients tend to be Hispanics, given the demographics surrounding illegal immigrants.
Biden is now the one who has a problem with Hispanics.
DACA gives illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. before the age of 16 and who were younger than 31 at the time the policy was announced a temporary stay from deportation. DACA benefits those who were not high-risk for deportation.
Officials in the administration said that other migrants who are here in the U.S. and have deferred actions were already eligible for Obamacare, so Friday’s decision brings DACA up to date.
The courts blocked President Trump’s attempt to end DACA. The courts also ruled that the original DACA policy was illegal. However, this ruling is currently on hold as appeals are being processed.
Officials from the administration declined to speculate whether or not the new definition of legal presence would have any implications in the legal battle.
The change in definition does not affect other areas, like Medicaid, where DACA recipients continue to be considered illegally here.