Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador has joined a coalition of Republican Attorneys General in a lawsuit aimed at limiting access to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for DREAMers. Filed on August 18, 2024, the lawsuit claims that DREAMers, who are legally present in the U.S., should not be eligible for ACA coverage. This legal action follows a new rule from the Biden administration in May that extended ACA benefits to DREAMers, which the lawsuit argues could impose significant costs on Idaho taxpayers, estimated between $302 million and $405 million. The state has approximately 62,000 to 83,000 undocumented immigrants, and while the lawsuit emphasizes the financial burden, it overlooks the fact that immigrants contribute approximately $2.8 billion to Idaho's economy. Nationally, DREAMers are estimated to pay about $9.4 billion in taxes. Labrador's assertion that DACA recipients are illegal has been criticized as incorrect. The lawsuit is expected to escalate in federal court and reflects a broader division within Republican politics regarding immigration issues. Notably, former President George W. Bush has expressed support for citizenship pathways for DREAMers, highlighting the complexity of the immigration debate within the party. [5626e702]
In a broader context, the ongoing discussions surrounding the ACA and its implications for various demographics, including immigrants and low-income families, continue to evolve. The Biden administration's efforts to expand healthcare access have faced significant pushback from several states, as seen in the recent lawsuit filed by fifteen states against the administration over a rule allowing 100,000 immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children to enroll in the ACA. This legal challenge underscores the contentious nature of healthcare policy and immigration reform in the current political landscape. [f90f3a35]