Millions of people in the United States are denied access to health care and basic economic supports because of their immigration status.
This population includes hundreds of thousands non–U.S. citizens who are lawfully present in the U.S., including people with “green cards” who have made a permanent home here.
Everyone in the U.S. deserves high-quality health care, food, and economic assistance, regardless of their race, income, or where they were born.
The Need
In 1996, Congress passed a law restricting or eliminating many immigrants’ eligibility for federal programs.
- As a result, millions of lawfully present immigrants, including people with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or temporary protected status (TPS), are ineligible for federal programs — including Medicaid, housing, and nutrition assistance — that would allow them to live healthier, more productive lives.
- Hundreds of thousands of other immigrants, including people with lawful permanent resident status (green cards), are required to wait at least five years before they can obtain certain benefits, even while living and working in the U.S.
- Denying immigrants access to health and basic needs programs harms all of us, including the 16.7 million Americans who live in mixed–immigration status families.
The Solution
The LIFT the BAR Act allow all lawfully present immigrants to access federal programs without discriminatory bars or waiting periods.
The act would:
- Repeal key provisions of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) that (1) restrict lawfully present immigrants’ eligibility for federal assistance programs, (2) allow states to adopt more punitive restrictions, (3) erect barriers for states or localities that wish to use their own funds to establish more inclusive programs, and (4) restrict or deter access to critical services for immigrants with sponsors.
- Redefine “qualified noncitizens,” a term used to define eligibility for many federal programs, to include any individuals who are lawfully present in the U.S.
- Provide that individuals who have access to Affordable Care Act health insurance under current rules will not lose access to affordable coverage if they remain ineligible for Medicaid.