Public health advocates are concerned about infringing society by limiting care, while also being compensated to cover premiums.
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Federal officials have stopped access to a variety of health programs by undocumented immigrants, from Head Start to community health centers.
The move was announced on July 10 by Robert F. Kennedy, Secretary of Health and Human Services. Jr. strips an estimated $374 million of Head Start funds from families who no longer qualify. The move has been part of President Donald Trump’s ongoing immigration crackdown, which has seen tighter borders, more aggressive detention and deportation of people living without the permission of those living in the United States.
On July 10, the Federal Department of Labor announced new rules that would limit who can access the program, as well as the justice, education and agriculture sectors. White House officials said the total change would save $40 billion in benefits that would have made to undocumented immigrants.
“For too long, the government has diverted the taxes of hardworking Americans to encourage illegal immigration,” Kennedy said in a statement. “Today’s actions will restore integrity to federal government social programs, implement the rule of law, and protect resources important to Americans.”
Federal law still requires hospitals to treat patients suffering from medical emergency, regardless of their immigration situation or their ability to pay.
Many federal programs, including what was previously known as food stamps, are already limited to citizens and legal residents only. HHS officials said the change will comply with the Head Start and Community Health Center programs to comply with existing policies designed to limit public services to legitimate citizens. It was not immediately clear how many people would lose their services under the new rules, or whether undocumented immigrant American citizen children would lose access to Head Start or other programs.
“As President Trump ordered, “Americans deserve a federal government that places their interests first and a government that understands their sacred duty to prioritize American safety, security, financial and economic welfare,” HHS wrote by issuing new rules.
Response to change
This change has surprised health workers across the country as they rush to understand the meaning of decisions.
In a statement, the National Association of Community Health Centers said it is working with the legal team to understand the impact of the new rules given that federal law requires the Center to accept “all residents in the area in which the Center serves.”
The association said its members serve about 10% of the entire US population and 20% in some rural areas.
Changes in access also apply to mental health care, homeless transitions, and drug treatment programs.
The White House argues that federal spending and taxes could be lower if Americans were not required to pay for medical care and other services offered to people living illegally in the United States. Both Florida and Texas have requested that hospitals ask about the immigration status of people who are already seeking help.
The immigration rights group notes that people living in the United States pay some tax, from food sales tax to fuel gas tax, and many undocumented people also pay federal income tax and social security, even though they never collect that social security upon retirement.
According to an analysis by Americans for Tax Equity, an advocacy group, immigrants, who were not documented in 2022, donated $100 million in taxes.
This year’s Head Start serves 754,819 students across all states, providing both educational and medical assistance to children. HHS officials said it would cost around $22 million to change Head Start operations to begin tracking citizenship, and between $115 million and $175 million to make those changes an agency-wide.
The Community Health Centre Program funds around 1,400 clinics nationwide, providing basic healthcare and dental services to anyone, regardless of their ability to pay. According to the National Association of Community Health Centers, 90% of clients earn less than 200% of federal poverty levels.
Public health experts have repeatedly pointed out that daily access to health care can improve overall health nationwide while helping to keep costs down by paying for preventive care. Health systems that provide high levels of care to people who are not insured will need to raise the fees they charge customers to cover the shortage.
“Advocates argue that this ensures accountability for public resources, but the truth is much more complicated and potentially harmful,” wrote Dr. Peter Sang-Geup Yoon, of George Washington University’s Emergency Medical Office, in an essay in March. “Policies like this disproportionately affect our most vulnerable groups and pose challenges to individual lives and the well-being of our entire community.”
