San Antonio-area DACA recipients can now apply for healthcare through federal marketplace

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients in the San Antonio area and across Texas now have the opportunity to apply for healthcare through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, as shared by the White House. The roll-out is expected to commence from this November, promising to bring healthcare coverage to numerous immigrants who came to the United States as children.

Expansion of Coverage

The Biden-Harris Administration had earlier in the month declared that DACA recipients will be added to the list of those eligible to receive healthcare coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This initiative is intended to alleviate the healthcare burdens faced by this segment of the society who often find it challenging to access affordable and quality health services.

According to Antonio Arellano, from the progressive nonprofit youth advocacy organization NextGen America, the ability to apply for coverage will empower these young immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children. “If you’re sick, you can’t work, you can’t go to school, you’re very limited,” he explained during a media briefing.

DACA Recipients in Texas

The state of Texas is known to have one of the largest groups of DACA recipients in the United States. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Servicesreveals that there are 87,620 active DACA recipients in Texas, with 4,270 based in the San Antonio-New Braunfels area.

Enrollment for the ACA marketplace is set to be opened in November this year for DACA recipients, like it does annually for all other eligible residents. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, this means DACA recipients could receive healthcare by December this year.

DACA Program and the Future

The new rule for healthcare, however, is only “one piece of the puzzle,” Arellano cautioned. Last year, a federal court concluded that the revised DACA program was illegal, and it is believed that the matter will be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

President Biden and Vice President Harris have been urged to continue pushing for comprehensive immigration reform inclusive of a pathway to citizenship for ‘Dreamers.’ Antonio, himself a former DACA recipient, urged congress to expedite the passage of legislation to provide permanent protection and stability for ‘Dreamers’ and their families.

DACA and the American Dream

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was introduced in 2012 by the Obama Administration. It offers temporary relief from deportation and work eligibility to certain individuals who arrived in America as children and meet several guidelines. It was designed to provide temporary protection to young individuals, commonly known as ‘Dreamers’, who were brought to the US at a young age and have been living in the country since.

For these ‘Dreamers,’ America is often the only home they know. It is where they have gone to school, established their careers, and raised their own families. It is hoped that the extension of healthcare coverage to this group will provide an essential supportive role as they continue contributing to their communities and building brighter futures for themselves and future generations.

This news marks important progress in the recognition and rights of DACA recipients, but many argue it’s only the beginning, and a lot more is needed to provide stability and prosperity for this vital segment of American society.