'Dreamers' to get access to Obamacare coverage under new Biden regulation

By Victor Reklaitis

Change for undocumented immigrants comes as poll shows immigration remains top U.S. issue

President Joe Biden's administration is rolling out a newly finalized regulation that allows "Dreamers" to access health plans through the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

The new rule, which Biden first proposed a year ago, could lead to 100,000 previously uninsured people enrolling in health coverage, according to the administration.

Dreamers refers to undocumented immigrants brought into the U.S. as children. They're also described as participants in the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA.

The Biden administration has "vigorously defended the DACA policy, which the previous administration tried to rescind," said Neera Tanden, a White House domestic policy adviser, referring to former President Donald Trump's administration.

"We've repeatedly called on Congress to provide Dreamers with a pathway to citizenship. Now we are building on that track record," she told reporters, as administration officials talked up the new healthcare-focused regulation.

The Biden administration's announcement tied to undocumented immigrants comes as a Gallup poll released this week showed that immigration has been named the top U.S. problem for three straight months.

The survey found 27% of Americans said immigration is the No. 1 problem, ahead of the government at 18%, the economy in general at 17% and inflation at 13%. Republicans were much more likely to name immigration as the country's biggest issue, with 48% of GOP respondents mentioning it, compared with 25% of independents and 8% of Democrats, according to Gallup.

The increased importance of immigration appears to be helping Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, solidify his hold on some voters ahead of November's election. Trump's calls for building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico were a signature feature of his successful 2016 White House run.

There was a recent bipartisan Senate deal that aimed to reduce illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, but it collapsed in February, hurt by Trump's opposition to it.

From MarketWatch's archives (March 5, 2024): GOP primary voters in key states say immigration is their No. 1 issue

-Victor Reklaitis

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05-04-24 0943ET

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