Golden State Today

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general in support of a Biden Administration rule aimed at expanding healthcare access for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, commonly known as Dreamers. The rule, which allows Dreamers to participate in the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplace, is expected to benefit approximately 40,000 uninsured Dreamers in California by providing them with subsidized health coverage through Covered California. This measure is set to take effect on November 1, 2024.

Attorney General Bonta stated, “Dreamers pay billions of dollars in taxes each year to help fund programs like the Affordable Care Act. Yet until now, they’ve been unable to access these programs themselves.” He emphasized California's commitment to ensuring that Dreamers have access to affordable healthcare.

Dreamers are individuals who arrived in the United States as children and have since established their lives in the country. Many reside in California, contributing significantly to federal and state tax revenues. According to the Center for American Progress, nearly 30% of Dreamers live in California and collectively pay over $2.1 billion in federal taxes and $1 billion in state and local taxes annually.

The proposed rule has faced opposition from Kansas and 18 other states. In response, Attorney General Bonta has urged the district court to reject any attempts by this coalition to delay or block the implementation of the rule. He advocates for allowing the rule to proceed at least in states that support it.

Joining Attorney General Bonta are his counterparts from New Jersey, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.