Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has joined the chorus of Republican lawmakers criticizing the Biden administration’s decision to extend Obamacare coverage to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. 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.
“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,” Hawley told the Daily Caller in exclusive comments.
J.D. Vance: Biden Giving Americans‘ Money to DACA Illegals via Obamacare https://t.co/07znJ1DYNG via @BreitbartNews
— Andrew Boyd (@aboydvz) May 4, 2024
The criticism comes as Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.) had previously introduced the No Obamacare for Illegal Aliens Act in an effort to block the scenario from taking place. The lawmakers had also sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, calling on the agency to bar illegal immigrants from being able to use Obamacare.
Worst president ~ ~ Biden grants DACA migrants access to Obamacare money https://t.co/Yvxge3sD56 pic.twitter.com/Bvch5GlCIg
— Mary (@matjendav4) May 4, 2024
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. During the Democratic presidential primary, Joe Biden and every other candidate pledged they would extend taxpayer-funded healthcare coverage to illegal immigrants.
