New York, NY—Today, President Biden announced that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients would soon be allowed to access government-funded health insurance programs, including Medicaid. The New York Immigration Coalition welcomes this expansion, which will provide essential lifesaving care to nearly 600,000 DACA recipients, while demanding that Congress and President Biden provide a pathway to citizenship.
Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition:
“Healthcare is a basic human right, and should never be restricted based on a person’s immigration status. Today’s announcement from President Biden that DACA recipients will soon be able to access expanded healthcare options is welcome news, opening the door for nearly 600,000 Americans to receive essential lifesaving care. However, this is only one small step towards equity and justice, as DACA recipients continue to be under constant attack from far-right conservatives. As the DACA program continues to be shuttled throughout the courts, jeopardizing the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people, it’s clear that we need permanent protections. Congress and President Biden must pass a pathway to citizenship without delay, so that DACA recipients are able to be meaningfully protected in the only country they’ve ever known as home.”
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