Attorney General Keith Ellison has announced that Minnesota, along with 13 other states, is taking legal action to defend the access of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This move comes in response to an anticipated shift in policy by the incoming Trump Administration, which is expected to cease federal defense of a rule that allows DACA recipients, often referred to as Dreamers, to purchase health insurance through ACA exchanges.
The motion seeks to intervene against a legal challenge led by Kansas and other states opposing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services’ (CMS) Final Rule. The rule was issued last year by the Biden Administration and aims to expand healthcare access for DACA recipients.
"Dreamers have given so much to their communities and our country," stated Attorney General Ellison. "Allowing Dreamers to purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act is a common-sense measure that has been working well."
DACA was established in 2012, providing certain young immigrants protection from deportation on a renewable two-year basis. These individuals are also allowed lawful employment in the United States. Despite these provisions, they previously lacked access to ACA exchanges until Congress extended this right under specific conditions defined as "lawfully present."
In August 2024, several states filed a lawsuit against HHS and CMS in North Dakota's U.S. District Court seeking delay of the Final Rule's implementation pending judicial review. While some states succeeded in blocking its implementation temporarily, others like Minnesota continued enforcing it.
The motion argues that without defending this rule, there will be significant negative impacts on both DACA recipients and broader state interests. It highlights contributions made by DACA recipients including $6.2 billion annually in federal taxes alongside $3.3 billion at state/local levels; employment across various sectors; enrollment within educational institutions; business ownership generating jobs for citizens among others.
Data indicates that DACA recipients face higher rates of being uninsured compared with general populations—a situation contributing towards increased healthcare costs due largely due lack thereof coverage leading premature deaths/uncompensated care/medical debt/lost productivity etc., according official figures cited within ruling documentation itself...
Joining Minnesota are New Jersey Arizona California Colorado Delaware Hawaii Illinois Maryland Michigan New Mexico Nevada Oregon Vermont among others...