Fourteen states, including Oregon, are intervening to protect Dreamers’ health insurance access as the federal defense of ACA expansion rule is expected to weaken.
OREGON, USA — Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced Wednesday that the state is joining 13 others in a legal effort to defend health insurance access for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients after a court challenge threatened their eligibility.
The states are intervening to protect a Biden administration rule that went into effect Nov. 1, 2024, allowing DACA recipients, also known as “Dreamers,” to enroll in health care plans through the Affordable Care Act for the first time.
A coalition of states led by Kansas challenged the rule in August 2024. While a district court blocked implementation in some states, the rule remains active in Oregon and most other jurisdictions.
“Oregon has long been a national leader in our work to expand access to health care,” Rayfield said. “Today’s motion is an important step to protect our advancements and safeguarding the health and wellbeing of all Oregonians.”
The legal action comes one month after former Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum launched a new Sanctuary Promise Community Toolkit to help residents understand the state’s sanctuary laws and available resources.
Oregon became the nation’s first sanctuary state in 1987, restricting state and local governments from assisting federal immigration enforcement without a judge’s order. The 2021 Sanctuary Promise Act strengthened these protections and established a statewide hotline for reporting violations.
DACA, established in 2012, protects certain young people brought to the United States as children from deportation if they have lived here continuously since 2007 and meet other requirements.
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The states’ motion argues DACA recipients will face harm if the court eliminates the rule. Officials note DACA recipients contribute an estimated $6.2 billion in federal taxes and $3.3 billion in state and local taxes annually, while supporting over 250,000 U.S.-citizen children.
States operating their own healthcare exchanges, like Oregon, could benefit from including DACA recipients, as larger risk pools may lower premiums for all participants, officials said.
Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico and Vermont joined Oregon in the legal action.
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