Policy Corner 2, HR1 and Immigration

HR1, or the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act (OBBBA), contains a total of $90 million funding lines for immigration enforcement, detention, and related activities. This funding is going towards a large push for deportations and detentions, as we have seen in the recent months in Chicago. The bill also includes new and higher fees for asylum and other immigration filings. This along with increased administrative burden makes it harder for people to go through the legal path for citizenship, which forces families to choose between costly legal steps or remaining undocumented. These barriers hit low-income immigrants the hardest. 

While undocumented immigrants are already excluded from receiving Medicaid and Medicare, the increased restrictions and decreased funding will still increase community health insecurity. For example, with reduced clinic funding there are less Medicaid reimbursement for providers seeing immigrant patients and greater strain on the healthcare safety net. 

One of the effects of HR1 is that immigrant communities will hesitate to access resources, even when they are available and people are eligible. For example, undocumented children 18 years old or younger are eligible for complete health insurance under the “All Kids” program. As Community Health Workers, employers, and allies, it is important to stay up to date with programs that remain available. 

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