A federal judge on Monday issued a court order temporarily blocking a Biden administration rule that would have granted some people brought into the country illegally as children access to health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, a decision that could affect tens of thousands of Texans.
The decision comes after Texas and 18 other states banded together to sue the federal government following recent guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services establishing a pathway for some Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to enroll in health insurance plans.
The states argued that by allowing DACA recipients to benefit from subsidized health insurance and making them 鈥渓awfully present鈥� in the health care system, they will want to stay in the country longer, causing states to spend more money on resources like education, health care and law enforcement. Immigration advocacy groups say access to health care will help alleviate the disparities DACA recipients face, such as high uninsured rates and unmet medical needs after years of delaying care.
Texas has eligible to sign up for health insurance under the recent federal guidance.
But on Monday, U.S. District Judge Daniel M. Traynor temporarily halted the guidance from taking effect as the lawsuit proceeds, stating that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services does not have the authority to 鈥渃ircumvent congressional authority鈥� and redefine 鈥渓awfully present,鈥� a term used to describe people who are legally permitted to remain in the U.S.
In response, a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services spokesperson said the agency 鈥渋s reviewing the court鈥檚 decision; however, the agency does not comment on litigation,鈥�
In a statement posted to social media on Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton celebrated the ruling.
鈥淭oday, we prevented yet another attempt by the Biden Administration to spend our hard-earned tax dollars on radically unpopular policies that put illegal aliens ahead of鈥� American citizens, the statement said.
The ruling comes as President-elect Donald Trump has that includes ending birthright citizenship, reviving border policies from his first time in office and deporting millions of people through raids and detainment camps 鈥� and as Texas officials remain in lockstep with Trump鈥檚 priorities.
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