Some immigrants enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program are now eligible to sign up for health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act, the Biden administration announced on Friday (May 3).
Under the new rules, which will take effect on November 1, DACA recipients will be able to sign up for qualified health insurance plans and receive financial assistance.
Those who received DACA protections include children who were brought illegally to the United States by their parents. In many cases, those children had no idea they were not U.S. citizens until they applied for colleges or jobs.
“This final rule reflects the president’s key commitment to protecting Dreamers and DACA recipients. He is focused on providing them with the support they need to thrive and reach their fullest potential,” Neera Tanden, director of the Domestic Policy Council, told reporters. “This final rule also reflects the president’s belief that health care is a right not a privilege for all Americans, that it should extend to DACA recipients just like the rest of us.”