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Immigration Enforcement and Health

New DHS Guidance on Public Charge Determinations Does Not Specify Key Concepts, Likely Resulting in Immigrant Families Facing Ongoing Confusion and Fear

The guidance leaves key concepts unspecified and grants substantial discretion to individual immigration officers. This will likely result in ongoing confusion and fear among immigrant families that may deter them and their citizen children from participating in programs that help pay for health care, housing, or food even if they are eligible.

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

Deaths and Health Care Issues in ICE Detention Centers Under the Second Trump Administration

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

How States Verify Citizenship and Immigration Status in Medicaid

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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  • Immigrants Overwhelmingly Say They and Their Children Are Better Off in the US, But Many Also Report Substantial Discrimination and Challenges, a New KFF/Los Angeles Times Survey Reveals

    News Release

    A new KFF-Los Angeles Times partnership survey of immigrant adults – the largest nationally representative survey focused on immigrants – shows that while most feel they found a better life for their families in this country, many also face economic hardships and discrimination. Conducted in partnership with the Los Angeles Times, the survey of more than 3,300 immigrants conducted in 10 languages captures the varied experiences of immigrants living in the United States today, including…

  • Understanding the U.S. Immigrant Experience: The 2023 KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants

    Poll Finding

    The 2023 KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants - the largest nationally representative survey focused on this group - takes an in-depth look at the experiences of immigrants living in the U.S. in health care settings, in their homes, workplaces, and communities. The survey arises from a partnership between KFF and the Los Angeles Times.

  • Climate-Related Health Risks Among Workers: Who is at Increased Risk?

    Issue Brief

    Adults of color, noncitizens, and adults with lower educational attainment and incomes are disproportionately employed in occupations with increased climate-related health risks. Moreover, workers in occupations with increased climate-related health risks are more likely to be uninsured, contributing to challenges accessing health care.

  • Nearly Half of Those Likely Eligible for DACA are Uninsured

    News Release

    Yesterday, the Biden Administration announced a plan to expand eligibility for Medicaid and ACA Marketplace health coverage to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. A KFF analysis finds 47% of individuals likely eligible for DACA are uninsured compared to 10% of U.S. born individuals in their age group. The analysis estimates that among those likely eligible for DACA: 84% are in a family with at least one full-time worker, 54% of adults work full-time,…

  • 2023 Update on Key Federal Immigration Policies and Implications for Health

    Issue Brief

    This issue brief provides the latest update on some key evolving immigration policies, including Title 42 as it applies to border enforcement, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and the public charge rule and discusses the implications of these policies for the health and well-being of immigrants.

  • The U.S.-Mexico Border Region Faced a Range of Health Challenges Long Before the Current Immigration Surge

    News Release

    With intense immigration activity at the U.S.-Mexico border this year and attention focused on the plight of newly arriving migrants, a new KFF analysis finds communities along the border faced an array of socioeconomic challenges and weak health infrastructures well before this year’s surge. Texas – which has the most counties along the border and is the only border state that has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act – stands out as facing…

  • Health and Health Care in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region

    Issue Brief

    The four states along the U.S.-Mexico border are home to over 78 million people of whom 8 million live in 44 counties that adjoin the border and border activity is at an all-time high. KFF's county-level analysis of the region shows that people living in border states fare worse along socioeconomic and health access measures as compared to the rest of the U.S. and that people who live in border counties within these states, especially…