For Immediate Release:
Contact: Robert Nunez, rnunez@lchc.org
STATEMENT: LCHC Denounces Federal Court Ruling to Block DACA Recipients from Affordable Care Act
[Sacramento, CA] – On December 16, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued a temporary stay of the preliminary injunction in Kansas v. United States of America (Case No. 1:24-cv-00150). As a result of this stay, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients are permitted to enroll in a qualified health plan (QHP) through the Health Insurance Marketplace® in all states, including the 19 states that are involved in the lawsuit. If a future court decision impacts your Marketplace coverage, the Marketplace will send you a notice. This is a preliminary court decision and final decisions could affect your eligibility for coverage. Check back for updates before January 15 when Marketplace Open Enrollment ends.
The Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC) denounces the federal court ruling by Judge Traynor to block DACA recipients in 19 Republican states from accessing healthcare coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Currently, this ruling does not directly affect California.
This decision cruelly blocks DACA recipients in these states from accessing healthcare and, in some cases, life-saving care purely based on immigration status. The decision comes at a time when states like California are leading the nation in providing access to healthcare coverage for all, recognizing that health is a human right and that expanding coverage equates to healthier communities and our economy.
DACA recipients, a majority of whom are Latine, have lived the majority of their lives in the United States, contributing to their communities and paying over $3 billion in CA state and $6 billion in federal taxes each year despite being unable to benefit from most of the systems their taxes support.
As a Latine health advocacy organization, LCHC will continue to fight for healthcare access for everyone regardless of immigration status because healthcare is a fundamental human right.
For more information:
- National Immigration Law Center
- Covered California
