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Immigrant Health

Immigration Enforcement and Health

Green Card Processing Backlogs for Refugees and Asylees Could Have Implications for Health Coverage and Care

More than 275,000 refugees and asylees were awaiting green card decisions as of June 30, 2026. Processing times have risen sharply under the Trump administration, leaving many green card applicants ineligible for federally funded health coverage due to new eligibility restrictions enacted as part of the 2025 reconciliation law.


Potential “Chilling Effects” of Public Charge and Other Immigration Policies on Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment

Health Care Experiences of Immigrant Parents and Their Children in the Second Trump Term

Recent State Actions Related to Immigrants’ Access to Services and Immigration Enforcement

New Medicaid & CHIP Eligibility Restrictions for Lawfully Present Immigrants Started Oct. 1

KEY FACTS AND ANALYSIS

Health Coverage of Immigrants

Immigrants generally use less health care and have lower health spending than U.S.-born citizens, and noncitizen immigrants remain far more likely to be uninsured than citizens.

This fact sheet provides an overview of health coverage for immigrants based on data from the KFF/New York Times 2025 Survey of Immigrants and discusses implications of the current policy and immigration enforcement environment for their health and health care.

Analysis: Health and Health Care Experiences of Uninsured Immigrants

State Health Coverage for Immigrants and Implications for Health Coverage and Care

Children in Immigrant Families: Key Facts on Health Coverage and Care

Optional Medicaid and CHIP Coverage for Lawfully Present Immigrant Children Could Mitigate Coverage Losses Due to 2025 Reconciliation Law

1.4 Million Lawfully Present Immigrants are Expected to Lose Health Coverage due to the 2025 Tax and Budget Law

survey of immigrants

KFF-New York Times Survey: Immigrants Report Rising Fear, Negative Economic and Health Impacts, and Changing Political Views During the First Year of President Trump’s Second Term

The 2025 Survey of Immigrants, a partnership between KFF and The New York Times, takes an in-depth look at the experiences of immigrants during the first year of President Trump’s second term, including their worries related to increased immigration enforcement, their health and economic wellbeing, and the political views and preferences of immigrant voters. The survey paints a portrait of families under strain — where fear of detention and economic instability are negatively impacting immigrants’ health and reshaping immigrant families’ daily lives and views of U.S. political parties.

Read the News Release | Explore The New York Times’ Reporting

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  • 9 Things to Watch for the 2027 ACA Open Enrollment Period 

    Issue Brief

    The ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment season begins November 1, bringing higher out-of-pocket premium payments, new eligibility requirements for certain groups, and state efforts to offset premium increases following the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits. Read our analysis of what these and other changes could mean for enrollees.

  • Midterm Election Update: Immigrant Health Policy  

    Fact Sheet

    Immigration restrictions and enforcement are central to the Trump administration’s domestic agenda and a focus of debate in the 2026 midterm elections. These policies have ripple effects on health care: immigration-related fears are leading some immigrant families to avoid medical care and drop coverage, including for U.S. citizen children, and visa restrictions could strain a health care workforce that relies on immigrants. Federal law has also narrowed eligibility for health coverage among lawfully present immigrants,…

  • Green Card Processing Backlogs for Refugees and Asylees Could Have Implications for Health Coverage and Care 

    Issue Brief

    This data note highlights changes in green card (I-485) application processing for refugees and asylees between fiscal year (FY) 2021 and FY2025, as well as across the first three quarters of FY2025 to FY2026 (since FY2026 data are only available through the third quarter). It discusses the implications of these trends for access to federally funded health coverage following eligibility changes under the 2025 reconciliation law.

  • Which States Will Be Affected by Key Medicaid Provisions in the 2025 Reconciliation Law?

    Policy Watch

    The 2025 reconciliation law makes sweeping changes to Medicaid that will affect every state through key eligibility and financing changes, including new work requirements, immigrant eligibility restrictions, and changes to provider taxes and state directed payments. This issue brief explains which states will be affected by each of these key provisions.

  • Community Health Center Patients, Financing, and Services

    Issue Brief

    Community health centers served more than 32.7 million patients in medically underserved urban and rural areas in 2025. This brief reports on health center patients, services, and financing in 2025, using national data from the Uniform Data System (UDS).

  • Overview of Health Coverage and Care for Individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)

    Issue Brief

    As of 2024, approximately 28.5 million people in the United States ages five and older have limited English proficiency (LEP). Individuals with LEP disproportionately experience gaps in health insurance coverage and poor health outcomes, in part, due to language access barriers. Because people of color are more likely than White people to have LEP, these barriers can also exacerbate racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care.