HOUSTON, Texas — A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction to a new rule that would have allowed recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to access health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The decision was made on Monday, and it impacts approximately 90,000 DACA recipients in Texas.
The temporary injunction prevents the Biden administration from implementing a measure designed to extend healthcare benefits to individuals under the DACA program.
The ruling comes as these recipients, often referred to as “Dreamers,” faced barriers in acquiring health coverage previously unavailable to them through the ACA.
The DACA program was established in 2012 by the Obama administration, providing temporary protection from deportation for immigrants who arrived in the United States as children.
These individuals, many of whom have lived in the country for most of their lives, are allowed to work legally. Despite these benefits, they have not been eligible for federal health programs, including the ACA, until the recent rule change.
The administration aimed to address this gap in healthcare access by proposing the inclusion of DACA recipients in ACA coverage, as part of a broader effort to support immigrant communities.
Critics argue that the move goes beyond the administration’s legal authority, prompting legal challenges that have now led to the federal court’s intervention.
For now, the temporary injunction maintains the status quo, leaving thousands of DACA recipients in Texas without access to ACA coverage.
