DACA Lawsuit States Failing on Health Inequities, Advocates Say

Filing Does Not Affect Access to Care

WASHINGTON — A group of 15 states filed suit Friday to block a policy change that will expand health care access for about 100,000 people with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The suit’s filing is the beginning of a litigation process that could take years and does not in itself prevent the regulation from taking effect November 1.

DACA recipients are overwhelmingly persons of color. Advocates at the Protecting Immigrant Families coalition (PIF) noted that the plaintiff states all had low health equity scores (below the national median) for some residents of color on the Commonwealth Fund’s health equity scorecard. For example, on the scorecard’s 100-point scale, Missouri scored 9 on health equity for Black residents, and Tennessee scored 2 on health equity for Latine residents.

Reacting to the lawsuit’s filing, PIF issued the following statement from its director, Adriana Cadena:

“The plaintiff states all have two things in common: they’re already failing on health equity, and; they’re clearly committed to doing worse. Immigrant families need to know that the filing of this lawsuit does nothing to affect health care access in these states or anywhere in the country. Eligible people in immigrant families should continue to get health care through programs for which they qualify under law.”