Biden Administration’s Decision To Extend Obamacare To DACA Recipients Faces Backlash From Republican Lawmakers

The Biden administration’s decision to extend Obamacare coverage to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients has faced swift backlash from Republican lawmakers. The move, announced Friday, modifies the definition of “lawfully present” in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to include beneficiaries of the DACA program, making them eligible for a number of different health programs.

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) decried the decision, stating, “There’s an unprecedented crisis at our southern border, we’ve got major conflicts around the world, and families all across Ohio are getting crushed by inflation. Joe Biden’s response to all this is to give your hard-earned money away to illegal immigrants in the form of taxpayer-funded healthcare. This is a slap in the face to every hardworking American who plays by the rules, and it would never happen if Donald Trump were president.”

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) echoed Vance’s sentiment, telling the Daily Caller, “Joe Biden, once again, is putting working Americans last and continues to incentivize more illegal immigration into the country. It’s a shameful pattern that’s becoming the legacy of his presidency.”

Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.) also criticized the decision, noting the country’s $34 trillion debt and the impact of inflation on American families. “The last thing Americans want is to be forced to cover the cost of healthcare for illegal immigrants,” Brecheen said.

The Biden administration’s decision is expected to provide health insurance to more than 100,000 “dreamers” who arrived in the United States illegally but were under the age of 16.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR