A new rule proposed by the Trump administration would revoke health insurance access for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients arguing they don’t meet the “lawfully present” standard set by Congress to be eligible for the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
If enacted, the change would reverse a rule set by the Biden administration in November 2024 that allowed DACA recipients to purchase health coverage through the ACA Marketplace.
The Biden administration cited benefits to including DACA recipients such as reduced delays in care and improved health care risk pools.
Ali Torabi, a DACA recipient and medical school graduate, has firsthand experience with being uninsured.
“I had my Achilles’ (heel) rupture last year, and unfortunately, I was not covered. I didn’t have health care at that time,” Torabi said.
He starts his residency in a few months and will have coverage under his employer.
“So knock on wood, nothing extraordinary happens, nothing crazy happens, and I'll have access to health care soon,” he said.
The proposed change could force DACA recipients to make difficult financial decisions said Alor Calderon, director of the Employee Rights Center in San Diego.
“It will have direct effects on the families and on the DACA recipients. If you don't have money now for a doctor, you take it from rent, you take it from food, you take it from the transportation,” Calderon said.
Studies show that the uncertainty surrounding the DACA program has already taken a toll on recipients' mental health. A survey by the National Immigration Law Center found that 21% of DACA recipients reported a decline in health due to immigration-related stress, 12% avoided medical care out of fear it could affect their status.
The stress is weighing on many in the DACA community, Torabi said.
“I am seeing a lot of my community members who feel hopeless, who are afraid, who ultimately and sadly, do not have access to, you know, mental health professionals,” he said.
It is also impacting his outlook on the future.
“I fell in love in this country. I had my first kiss in this country. I am literally just as interwoven into the fabrics of this country, in this culture as any other person,” he said. “But I'm at a place now where I have to start considering my mental health, my personal well-being, and the safety of myself and my family.”
The rule is in the proposal stage and public comments are open until April 11. For now, the future of health care access for DACA recipients remains uncertain.
