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Hispanic groups are campaigning for President Obama to grant access to Obamacare health insurance, for a group of Hispanic immigrants known as 'Dreamers.'
The dreamers are a group of hundreds of thousands of young adults who were brought to the US illegally by their parents. They were granted temporary legal immigration status by Obama in 2012, under his 'deferred action' initiative.
The term 'Dreamers' comes from the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. Most of the young Hispanic immigrants who came to the US came under this program. They were given work permits and come under the US tax system; however they are still classed as illegal immigrants.
Under current policy, illegal immigrants are not eligible for health insurance under Obamacare, and in some states are also barred from Medicaid benefits.
Top Hispanic leaders are now arguing that since they are paying taxes, they should be eligible for government benefits. The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) have said that those who are working and paying tax should be considered 'lawfully present for all purposes, including eligibility for public benefits and affordable health care.'
In a letter to the White House they said: 'NHLA asks that you apply the fairness and equality that your Administration has shown in various other areas in the health care context and ensure that no one — regardless of their immigration status — lacks access to critical health care services.'
There were almost 600,000 migrants who were approved for work permits back in 2012, mostly teenagers and young adults, under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DADC) scheme. This means they won't face deportation and can work in the US; however they need to reapply to the scheme every two years.
Rosemary Jenks, relations manager for the anti-immigration NumbersUSA group, has commented that the majority of US taxpayers are against granting healthcare access to illegal immigrants.
She said: 'As soon as Congress votes to change the law and allow illegal aliens to become legal, then those aliens will have access to U.S. benefits. But it's very clear taxpayers are not in favour of that, which is why Congress has not passed it.'
Figures from a recent poll seem to back up Jenks' claims. The study which was carried out by Rasmussen Reports, shows that 71% of voters are against granting welfare benefits and health services to illegal immigrant children, and that 63% of those surveyed believe that it is the generous welfare system which attracts immigrants to the US in the first place.
Immigrants' rights groups have campaigned for Obama to extend the work permit program to include the parents of 'Dreamers' and also to include any parents of children who are already US citizens.
However if the President was to accept these proposals then potentially it could mean millions more people would become eligible for US benefits, under Presidential 'executive action'. Obama has said that because of the failure of Congress to pass immigration reform legislation he will bring in reform by executive action.
