Public health experts applaud Supreme Court’s decision to preserve DACA
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A Supreme Court decision Thursday allowed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program to remain in effect, keeping the approximately 690,000 offspring of U.S. immigrants from being deported.
Some medical societies have applauded the court’s decision, and the COVID-19 pandemic gives it even more significance, according to AMA President Susan R. Bailey, MD.
“Amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has underscored physician shortages and surging caseloads, DACA recipients have responded to the call by continuing to provide vital patient care,” she said in a statement. “We are pleased that the Supreme Court has recognized that upholding a rollback of the DACA program would have reduced our nation’s health care capacity at a time when we can ill afford it.”
ACP said it was “pleased” by the decision and added that the time is right to make DACA permanent.
“The fight must continue for this vital program. In order to ensure that the Dreamers continue to be protected, the Senate must pass the Dream and Promise Act,” the ACP said in a statement. “This is how to ensure permanent protection.”
Perspective
Back to TopAtheendar Venkataramani, MD, PhD
There are three reasons why the Supreme Court decision regarding DACA is a very good thing for public health.
First, my research and other research showed that the program improved mental and physical health outcomes among beneficiaries. Second, research has also showed that the children of DACA beneficiaries also had improved mental health outcomes. Third, there are a fair number of people in the health care workforce that have benefited from DACA, such as medical students and residents.
It is worth noting that the decision also allows the current administration to pursue efforts to terminate the DACA program in other ways. So, while we are not completely out of the woods, the court’s decision regarding DACA is still a good thing for public health.
References:
- Hainmueller J, et al. Science. 2020;doi:10.1126/science.aan5893.
- Patler C, et al. Health Aff (Millwood). 2019;doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05495.
- Venkataramani AS, et al. N Engl J Med. 2017;doi:10.1056/NEJMp1711416.
- Venkataramani M, et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2018;doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.0775.
Perspective
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Sharona Hoffman, JD, LLM, SJD
Studies have shown that deportation can be dangerous to one’s physical and mental health. Others have reported that deportation centers have horrible living conditions. In addition, it is not clear what kind of health care these individuals would get in their country of origin, especially as they transition and integrate back into that country.
If these individuals were deported, their health would likely suffer and the U.S. would lose these individuals’ contributions to society, whether it be by going to college, working or serving in the military.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision regarding DACA allows undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. before 16 years of age to continue receiving health care through whatever insurance plan they have — whether it be through their employers, universities, or the Obamacare health insurance marketplace. This is certainly a positive development.
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