SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - Since moving to the United States from Mexico in 2006 at the age of 16, Lulis Vázquez has been paying all her medical expenses out of pocket.
However, Vázquez, and thousands of other DACA recipients may soon be able to enroll in health plans through Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act.
"We are very happy about the news we have received. It is something that we, as DACA, as dreamers, have been waiting for," Vázquez said.
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, which protects unauthorized immigrants brought to the U.S. as minors from deportation, has existed for a decade. It has faced legal challenges and has been closed to new applicants since 2021.
DACA recipients like Blanca Mazariegos are hopeful for the potential change, highlighting the financial barriers to healthcare access.
"Now, when you don't have any medical health, you basically don't have permission to get sick because the cost is very high, so I'm really happy and excited," Mazariegos said.
However, this change is not yet certain.
The Department of Health and Human Services is tasked with proposing a rule to legally include DACA recipients in Medicaid and Affordable Care Act coverage, which the Biden administration expects to occur this week.
"If it were to happen, it would really help us in the field of health because, remember, if we don't have health, we cannot advance," Vázquez said.
If implemented, this rule change would mark the first time DACA recipients are eligible for these healthcare programs.
The White House has stated that DACA recipients could apply for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, potentially qualifying for financial assistance based on income and through their state Medicaid agencies.
