WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, along with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Representative Nanette Barragán (CA-44), today introduced the Health Equity and Access under Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Families Act. This bicameral bill, co-sponsored by 55 members of Congress and endorsed by more than 100 organizations, removes unnecessary and cruel barriers to health care for millions of immigrants of all statuses.

Immigrants in the United States are far more likely to be uninsured than U.S. citizens. In 2023, half of all undocumented immigrant adults and one in five lawfully present immigrant adults were uninsured. Just 6 percent of naturalized citizen adults and 8 percent of U.S.-born citizens are uninsured.

“Health care is a human right that must be accessible to everyone — regardless of immigration status,” said Representative Jayapal. “As a proud immigrant myself, I know that the HEAL Act is a necessary first step to allow more people across America to access the health care they need to live, making all of our communities healthier. As Republicans in Congress work to strip health coverage away from millions of Americans and further decimate our already broken immigration system, we’re working to ensure everyone in this country is able to see a doctor when they need it.”

“Everyone deserves access to comprehensive, affordable, quality care, and the HEAL Act lifts unnecessary barriers to medical care for immigrants,” said Senator Booker. “A more equitable health care system will help create healthier communities and ensure that all families, regardless of immigration status, have access to the care they need.”

“Access to healthcare shouldn’t depend on your immigration status,” said Representative Barragán. “Healthcare is a basic human right, and it’s time we break down the needless barriers that keep immigrant families from the care they need to survive and thrive. The HEAL Act is a step toward addressing racial health disparities and expanding quality healthcare to everyone in our communities.”

“Withholding health care from immigrants is cruel and doesn’t make our communities safer or healthier,” said Senator Warren. “While the Trump administration continues playing political games with immigrant families, Democrats are fighting to make sure a person’s immigration status doesn’t prevent them from getting life-saving care.”

“As the Trump Administration guts access to health care and basic services for immigrant communities, breaking down barriers to health care for immigrants isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s critical for protecting our public health and economy,” said Senator Padilla. “California is the fourth-largest economy in the world not despite immigrants, but because of their contributions to our workforce. Everyone deserves access to affordable, quality health care no matter their immigration status, and I will keep fighting to continue expanding coverage for these hardworking members of our communities.”

The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act will:

Restore Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility to lawfully present immigrants;

Remove discriminatory Medicare restrictions based on length of U.S. residency for green card holders;

End the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces

Ensure access to public and affordable coverage for Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients;

Create a state option to expand Medicaid and CHIP to immigrants regardless of immigration status.

“Rep. Jayapal and Sen. Booker continue to be courageous and powerful champions for immigrant communities by reintroducing the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, executive director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “While immigrant families are currently being attacked and torn apart, this bill promotes a vision for what we want for our collective future. A future that supports immigrant communities by removing long standing systemic barriers to health coverage to help our communities access affordable health care. We are especially grateful that Sen. Booker and Rep. Jayapal are introducing this critical legislation today as we mark three years since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned the constitutional right to abortion. That decision has disproportionately harmed immigrant communities, for whom abortion bans, misinformation, and the threat of being detained and separated from our families has increased the barriers that keep us from getting the health care we need,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “We urge Congress to protect immigrant communities and pass this bill.”

“The reproductive justice movement teaches us that true justice means being able to have children, not have children, and raise our families in safe, supportive communities,” said Sung Yeon Choimorrow, executive director, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF). “None of that is possible without health care. In a country that has always been shaped by immigrants, we cannot keep allowing people and families, including the Asian American immigrants who make up more than a quarter of immigrants in the U.S., to be shut out from basic health care because of harmful, outdated policies. These are our mothers, our sisters, and our neighbors. The HEAL Act tears down the barriers facing our communities and reaffirms that everyone deserves the right to care, regardless of background, income, or immigration status.”

“Everyone deserves access to health care, no matter who they are or where they come from,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “It is unacceptable and cruel that many are denied affordable, high-quality, and comprehensive health care because of their immigration status. Amid the ongoing attacks on our immigrant communities and our health care, I thank Reps. Jayapal and Barragán and Senator Booker for reintroducing this critical bill that would break down unjust barriers to care for our immigrant families.”

“As a physician, I’ve witnessed the barriers immigrant families face when trying to access health care. Insurance coverage is a cornerstone of meaningful access; without it, care remains out of reach for too many,” said Dr. Jamila Perritt, MD, MPH, FACOG, President and CEO, Physicians for Reproductive Health. “At a time when attacks on immigrant communities are escalating, we must act now to ensure that everyone—regardless of status—has the right to timely, compassionate, and comprehensive health care. That’s why I join physicians across the country in calling for a swift passage of the HEAL Act. Expanding health coverage to immigrant communities ensures they receive the care they deserve, regardless of their immigration status. Health is a human right and no one should be excluded from receiving healthcare. Congress must pass HEAL – our patients are counting on it.”

“With immigrant families under constant attack, it’s more important than ever to work toward a better, more inclusive future when everyone can get the care we all need,” said Adriana Cadena, campaign director, Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition. “We are proud to champion the HEAL Act – a critical step toward that better future.”

“Now more than ever, it is critical to affirm that everyone—including immigrants—should have access to health care coverage,” said Wendy Cervantes, Director, Immigration and Immigrant Families, CLASP. “Immigrants already face many restrictions to such care and an onslaught of attacks on them and their families’ health and well-being, ranging from the fear created by the Administration’s mass deportation efforts to the deeply harmful budget reconciliation bill currently under consideration. The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act is a critical step in moving us back in the right direction by giving children and families access to the health care they need to thrive. CLASP is grateful to Representative Jayapal and Senator Booker for their leadership in promoting a vision that supports health care for all.”

The legislation is also co-sponsored by U.S. Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Greg Casar (TX-35), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), and U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

The legislation is endorsed by AAPI Equity Alliance; AAPI NJ; Advocates for Youth; AFL-CIO; Alianza Nacional de Campesinas; All* Above All; Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment; American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP); Amica Center for Immigrant Rights; Arkansas Black Gay Men’s Forum; Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF); Asian American Federation of Florida; Asian Americans United (AAU); Asian Caribbean Exchange; Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence; Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network, Massachusetts; Asian Texans for Justice Action Fund; ASISTA; Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations; Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network; Ayuda; CA LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network; California Partnership to End Domestic Violence; CASA; Catholics for Choice; Center for Gender & Refugee Studies; Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law; Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Center for Reproductive Rights; Center for Victims of Torture; Children’s HealthWatch; Cleveland Jobs with Justice; Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA); Coalition on Human Needs; Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking; Community Catalyst; Doctors for America ; End SIJS Backlog Coalition; Equality California; Esperanza United; First Focus Campaign for Children; Florida Asian Services ; Freedom Network USA; Georgia Conservation Voters; Global Refugee Awareness Healing Center; Global Urban Cultural Community; Guttmacher Institute; Haven Services Inc. dba Haven Neighborhood Servic; Health Action New Mexico; Healthy Teen Network; Her Justice ; Hispanic Federation; Ibis Reproductive Health; ICAH (Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health); Immigrant Legal Resource Center; Immigrant Welcome Network Johnson County; Immigration Institute of the Bay Area; In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda ; Inclusive Counseling; Indivisible; Institute for Women’s Policy Research; Ipas US; Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health; Justice for Migrant Women; Justice in Aging; KAN-WIN; Kids in Need of Defense (KIND); Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA); Laotian American National Alliance (LANA); Latino; Legal Voice; Maine Equal Justice; MANA, A National Latina Organization; Midwest Access Coalition; Moonbow; National Abortion Federation; National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA); National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF); National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health; National Council of Jewish Women; National Employment Law Project; National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association; National Health Care for the Homeless Council; National Health Law Program; National Immigration Law Center; National Korean American Service and Education Consortium; National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice; National Network of Abortion Funds; National Network To End Domestic Violence ; National Organization for Women ; National Partnership for New Americans; National Partnership for Women & Families; National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance; National Women’s Law Center Action Fund; NIRH Action Fund; NIWAP, Inc.; Northwest Health Law Advocates (NoHLA); Oasis Legal Services; OCA South Florida Chapter; Our Justice; Oxfam America; People Power United; Physicians for Reproductive Health; Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Plascencia Consulting; Population Connection Action Fund; Positive Women’s Network-USA; Power to Decide; PowHerNY; Prevention Institute; Protecting Immigrant Families; QASPIRA Association; Religious Community for Reproductive Choice; Reproductive Freedom For All; Reproductive Health Access Project; Reproductive Justice Action Collective (ReJAC); Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus; Sarin Gal; Shriver Center on Poverty Law; SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change; Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF); SiX Action; South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA); South Asian SOAR; State Voices Florida; Survivor Justice Center; The Children’s Partnership; The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH); The TransLatin@ Coalition; UCSF Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health; UnidosUS; Union for Reform Judaism; United Parent Leaders Action Network; URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity; Voices for Utah Children; Women of Reform Judaism; Women’s Law Project; Women’s Refugee Commission.

Issues: Health Care, Immigration

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44) joined Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) today in introducing the Health Equity and Access under Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Families Act, bicameral legislation that removes cruel and unnecessary barriers to health care for immigrants of all statuses. The bill proposes, for the first time in federal legislation, to allow states to include undocumented immigrants in Medicaid and CHIP and remove the 5-year waiting period for Medicare benefits for lawfully-present immigrants.

Immigrants are significantly more likely than U.S. Citizens to be uninsured, leaving them at a higher risk for both adverse health and financial consequences. In 2024, immigrants will account for an estimated 8 percent of the population yet will make up a disproportionate 31 percent of the non-elderly uninsured population.

“We must finally guarantee health care to everyone as a human right — regardless of immigration status, income, employment, or anything else,” said Rep. Jayapal. “As a proud immigrant who came to this country alone at the age of 16, I know that the HEAL Act is an urgent, necessary, and just first step to eliminating senseless barriers to health care, making our communities healthier, and ensuring all immigrants get the care they need.”

“Everyone, regardless of their immigration status, deserves access to comprehensive, quality health care,” said Senator Booker. “By creating a more equitable health care system, we can create healthier communities and a stronger, more resilient economy.”

“Every person deserves healthcare, no matter their immigration status,” said Rep. Barragán. “Healthcare is a human right, and we must remove the unnecessary barriers that prevent immigrant families from the medical care they need to live and thrive. The HEAL Act will help reduce racial health inequities and ensure everyone has access to quality healthcare in their communities.”

The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act provides solutions that will:

Remove unnecessary barriers to health care access for immigrant families;

Provide access to public and affordable health coverage for Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients;

Provide access to Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to lawfully present immigrants without a five-year waiting period if they would otherwise qualify for the programs;

Allow undocumented immigrants to purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace and obtain premium-tax credits and cost-sharing reductions; and

Allow states the option to expand Medicaid and CHIP programs to undocumented immigrants.

“In the past year we’ve seen people’s freedom to make their own decisions about their bodies and lives come under constant attack. Latinos/xs often bear the brunt of extreme policies that rob us of the tools we need to stay healthy,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “It’s time for real, sustained change. We need the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act to support families and individuals to thrive and live with health, dignity and justice. All of us, regardless of documentation status, should have access to the health care services we need so that we can take care of ourselves and our families. This is one step in the direction to get us there and we celebrate the sponsors of this bill for their courage and leadership.”

“For too long, restrictive and discriminatory health care and immigration policy in the United States has limited immigrant access to affordable, comprehensive health insurance,” said Isra Pananon Weeks, Interim Executive Director and Chief of Staff, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF). “Many immigrants who lack access to insurance often delay or forgo preventive or primary care. The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act is the bold change we are calling for to create healthier communities and help immigrants get the care they need by removing burdensome and unnecessary restrictions to accessing health insurance, barriers that force immigrants to choose between quality care and prohibitively expensive out-of-pocket costs.”

“No matter how much money we have, what we look like, or where we were born, all of us should have access to the tools and supports we need to live healthy lives,” said Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center. “For too long, many of our community members have been denied affordable health care because of their immigration status. We are grateful to Rep. Jayapal for reintroducing the HEAL Act, which is an important step in remedying this longstanding injustice, and we strongly urge Congress to pass it without delay.”

“Everyone should have access to health care coverage, regardless of their immigration status or where they were born. Barring immigrants and their families from accessing preventative health care or potentially life-saving services harms them, and all of our communities,” said Indivar Dutta-Gupta, president and executive director for The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP.) “The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act is a critical step in ensuring immigrant families have access to the health coverage they need to thrive. CLASP is grateful to Representatives Jayapal and Barragán and Senator Booker for their leadership in addressing the harmful and unfair barriers immigrant families face and getting the country closer to health justice for all,” said Indivar Dutta-Gupta, president and executive director for The Center for Law and Social Policy.

“Every family should be able to get the health care they need and the peace of mind that comes with that security. For too long, arbitrary policies deny millions of families, especially families of color, access to care through Medicaid and CHIP. The HEAL Act eliminates barriers like the “five-year bar,” making people with DACA eligible for health coverage, and creating groundbreaking opportunities for states to improve health care access for people who are undocumented. We thank Rep. Jayapal, Rep. Barragán, and Sen. Booker for their leadership, and urge their colleagues in Congress to pass the HEAL Act now.,” said Adriana Cadena, Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign Director.

The legislation is also sponsored by Alma Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Cori Bush (MO-01), André Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Lloyd Doggett (TX-35), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL) (IL-04), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Grace Meng (NY-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Grace F. Napolitano (CA-31), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WA-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri A. Sewell (AL-07), Darren Soto (FL-09), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Norma Torres (CA-35), David Trone (MD-06), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Nydia M. Velazquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).

The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act is endorsed by All* Above All Action Fund, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Muslim Health Professionals, Amplify Georgia Collaborative, API Chaya, APIAHF, APNA Community Center, Apna Ghar, Inc. , Asian and Pacific Islander Health Forum (APIAHF), Asian Community Development Council, Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL), Asian Texans for Justice, ASISTA Immigration Assistance, Avodah, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, Boston Medical Center, California Immigrant Policy Center, Caring Across Generations, Catholics for Choice, Central American Resource Center of Northern CA – CARECEN SF, Champaign County Health Care Consumers, Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) , Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), CommonSpirit Health, Community Catalyst, COPAL – Communities Organizing Latinx Power and Action, Daya Inc., East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, El Centro , Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), Equality California, Faith Action Network, Families USA , First Focus Campaign for Children, Florida Health Justice Project , Frontera Fund, Futures Without Violence, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants & Refugees, Guttmacher Institute, Hawaii Children’s Action Network Speaks!, Healthy Teen Network, Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, Ibis Reproductive Health, If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice, Immigration Law & Justice Network, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Ipas, Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW, Justice in Aging, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), Laotian American National Alliance, Latinas en Poder, Latino Community Fund , Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, MLPB, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association, National Coalition for Latinxs with Disabilities (CNLD), National Council of Asian Pacific Americans – NCAPA, National Council of Jewish Women , National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Health Law Program, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center, PIVOT-The Progressive Vietnamese American Organization, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Protect Our Care, Rabbinical Assembly , Rhia Ventures, SHERo Mississippi , Silver State Equality, South Asian Public Health Association, Southern AIDS Coalition , Texas Equal Access Fund, The AIDS Institute, The Workers Circle, Union for Reform Judaism, UnLocal, URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center, Women of Reform Judaism, and Young Invincibles.

Issues: Health Care, Immigration