Family Action Network Movement (FANM) JOINS 283 ORGANIZATIONS TO DEMAND ADMINISTRATION EXPAND ACA TO DACA RECIPIENTS IN LIGHT OF COVID-19
650k+ DACA Recipients Would Immediately Benefit
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2020
CONTACT: Rhenie Dalger, rdalger@fanm.org
Miami, FL—Today, Family Action Network Movement joined 284 national, state, and local organizations to send a letter to Secretary Alex Azar of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) demanding that he expand access to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in response to COVID-19. Despite legal and moral precedent to the contrary, HHS previously excluded DACA recipients from accessing affordable health insurance through the ACA. With 200k DACA recipients classified as “essential infrastructure workers” by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, it is unacceptable to continue to exclude DACA recipients from accessing the testing and treatment they need to keep themselves and their communities safe.
This letter follows a congressional letter sent by 50+ Members of Congress last week making a similar request; and a new report, Protecting Essential Workers and Families: Expanding ACA Access to DACA Holders in Response to COVID-19, providing analysis of the current exclusions, who would benefit, and recommendations for advocates, Members of Congress, and the administration.
Marleine Bastien, Executive Director of Family Action Network Movement said, “As an organization committed to the health and safety of all immigrants, we know that access to COVID-19 testing and treatment for DACA recipients and their U.S. citizen children is absolutely critical during this pandemic, particularly for the 29,000 DACA recipients employed as healthcare workers and the 200,000 working in essential infrastructure. Now is the time to prioritize the health of DACA recipients and fulfill Congress’ original intent in passing the Affordable Care Act.”
The DACA recipients in Florida add value to our communities every day, especially as many put themselves at risk to keep essential services running and care for the sick in the midst of a global pandemic. To shut out DACA recipients from affordable healthcare runs counter to the very heart of the vision of the Affordable Care Act, which is to provide health insurance to the otherwise uninsured and keep our communities healthy.”
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Family Action Network Movement (FANM) formerly known as Fanm Ayisyen Nan Miyami, Inc)/ Haitian Women of Miami is a private not-for-profit organization dedicated to the social, economic, financial and political empowerment of low to moderate-income families to give them the tools to transform their communities.
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