Young undocumented immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program are facing restrictions on accessing Obamacare health insurance in certain states.

On December 9, Dan Traynor, a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for North Dakota, issued a preliminary injunction barring the implementation of a Biden administration policy announced in May that allowed DACA recipients to enroll in Obamacare. This ruling comes as a result of a lawsuit filed in August by 19 states, including Kansas and Texas, claiming that extending health insurance benefits to DACA recipients would increase state tax burdens by raising public service expenditures.

The injunction applies to the 19 states involved in the lawsuit: Kansas, Ohio, Idaho, Nebraska, South Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, Tennessee, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Texas, Florida, and Arkansas. These states have effectively blocked DACA recipients from enrolling in Obamacare.

Judge Traynor stated that providing public benefits to individuals without legal immigration status violates existing laws. He emphasized that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) only grants the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) authority to verify legal status requirements for recipients. Consequently, the administration does not have the authority to redefine legal status without Congressional approval.

The nonprofit health policy organization KFF clarified that the court's decision applies only to the 19 states involved in the lawsuit and does not affect other states. As a result, DACA recipients in states like California, New York, and New Jersey can continue to enroll in Obamacare. Notably, New York and New Jersey submitted legal opinions supporting the Biden administration's policy.

In May, the Biden administration expanded eligibility for Obamacare to include DACA recipients, allowing them to enroll during the open enrollment period starting in November 2025. However, KFF noted that while the injunction does not explicitly have retroactive effects, it remains unclear what will happen to DACA recipients who had already enrolled in Obamacare in the affected states.

The Biden administration is currently reviewing the impact of the court's decision and has not yet clarified whether it will appeal the injunction. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump stated in an NBC interview on December 8 that he is willing to collaborate with Democrats to find solutions that would allow DACA recipients to continue living in the United States.

Reporter Seo Han-seo