President Joe Biden’s recent decision to allow illegal aliens with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to enroll in Obamacare is expected to cost Americans around $300 million a year. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a final rule on Friday, opening up Obamacare to DACA recipients. Originally created by President Obama through an executive order, DACA shields over one million illegal aliens from deportation.
Federal regulators estimate that approximately 100,000 DACA recipients will sign up for Obamacare, resulting in a $300 million annual expense for taxpayers. This cost is attributed to increased enrollment and subsidy eligibility for DACA recipients under the new rule.
This initiative was first announced by President Biden in April 2023, with DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas praising the decision as a step towards amnesty for DACA recipients. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra expressed the agency’s commitment to providing healthcare coverage to DACA recipients, whom he referred to as “fellow Americans.”
Overall, the decision to include DACA recipients in Obamacare has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the financial burden on American taxpayers.
