President Biden’s administration has formalized a new policy that will allow DACA status holders, who are individuals who arrived illegally in the US as children, to access Obamacare health insurance exchanges. This change is expected to benefit roughly 100,000 uninsured DACA status holders by easing access to insurance and federal subsidies. The administration believes that this new policy will provide DACA recipients with greater opportunities for quality and affordable healthcare, giving them the peace of mind and opportunities that every American deserves.
The DACA program was established in 2012 by President Obama after the failure of the DREAM Act in the Senate. DACA grants eligible applicants deportation protection and work permits. In 2017, President Trump tried to eliminate DACA, but the Supreme Court overturned this decision in 2020. The number of DACA recipients has decreased from over 700,000 to less than 600,000 in recent years. Immigration is considered one of President Biden’s main liabilities as he gears up for a re-election battle against Trump, who has promised to launch a mass deportation campaign in response to record-high illegal immigration under Biden’s administration.
President Biden’s policies at the border, including allowing most individuals who illegally cross the Mexican border to enter the US and pursue asylum claims, have been criticized by Republicans for potentially encouraging more illegal immigration. Biden has also halted the construction of Trump’s border wall and terminated the “Remain in Mexico” policy that required asylum seekers to wait for their claim outcomes south of the border. Amid concerns over his handling of the border, Biden may seek to demonstrate a tougher approach as polls indicate that the issue is a major election liability for him.
Recent data shows that an unprecedented number of illegal immigrants were apprehended crossing the southern border in the past fiscal year, with over 2.5 million individuals detained. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated that more than 85% of those detained for crossing the border illegally were being released into the US. Polling suggests that a majority of respondents believe that Biden has made immigration and border security worse, leading Biden to consider using his authority to shut down the border if Republicans agree to pass a reform package, which they have so far resisted.
The expansion of benefits for DACA recipients under Obamacare, along with potential changes in Biden’s approach to the border, come at a critical time when the immigration issue is shaping up to be a major focus of the upcoming election. The Biden administration is aiming to provide DACA status holders with better access to healthcare and opportunities, while also facing challenges in managing the influx of illegal immigrants at the border. As the political landscape continues to evolve, how Biden navigates these issues and addresses concerns about immigration policy will likely play a significant role in shaping the outcome of the next election.
