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America’s Voice Celebrates Expansion of ACA Eligibility for DACA Recipients

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Washington, DC – Today, the Biden administration announced it will expand Affordable Care Act (ACA) eligibility to include current Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. 

As President Biden announced on Twitter:

“We’re not done fighting for their pathway to citizenship, but we’re getting them the opportunities they deserve in the meantime.”

According to Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice

“Today’s announcement by the Biden Administration is exactly the kind of action that is needed and a sign of what’s possible when there is the political will. Amidst plenty of depressing news on the immigration policy front, it’s worth celebrating positive developments, such as today’s announcement from the Biden Administration about ACA eligibility and other policies providing Dreamers and longtime undocumented residents opportunities to more fully participate in the country they call home and for which they are already doing so much.

Hundreds of thousands of Dreamers have benefitted from DACA’s protections and built lives, careers, and families here. Yet, they remain in limbo, unable to plan for their future here or have a sense of permanency. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress are obstructing a popular legislative breakthrough two decades in the making that provides a way for Dreamers to officially become American citizens. 

We thank the many organizations and leaders who pushed for this policy alongside every Dreamer who in their daily lives make the case for why expanding their opportunities and ultimately a pathway to citizenship remains so important.”

According to Yuna Oh, Political Associate for America’s Voice, who has DACA recipients in her own family

“My family is just one of tens of thousands of mixed status families with a DACA recipient. Being able to access affordable healthcare is a huge benefit that will only increase the quality of life for me and my family. We will be unafraid to go to a simple doctor check-up and have the cost break our savings. We can plan out our future a little more with stability, rather than living on the edge. Having access to affordable healthcare was always seen as a luxury when it shouldn’t be. Opportunities for DACA recipients and other Dreamers is not just a good thing for families like mine but for our entire country.”