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Immigrant Health

Key Facts

Rolling Back the BBB's Health Care Provisions Would Not Give Health Care to Undocumented Immigrants

In the ongoing government shutdown, Republicans claim that H.R.1, or the “Big Beautiful Bill”, will restrict health coverage for undocumented immigrants, and that a proposal from Democrats to reverse the cuts would expand coverage for those undocumented immigrants.

However, as KFF's Drishti Pillai explains in this Quick Take, the law's provisions related to limiting immigrant eligibility for Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare, and subsidized Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace coverage only affect lawfully present immigrants. Undocumented immigrants already are ineligible for federally-funded coverage under longstanding federal policy.

Recent Trump Administration Policies that Impact Health Coverage and Care for Immigrant Families

Key Facts on Health Coverage of Immigrants

1.4M Lawfully Present Immigrants Will Lose Health Coverage Due to the 2025 Tax and Budget Law

Potential Impacts of 2025 Budget Reconciliation on Health Coverage for Immigrant Families

Immigration Enforcement and Health

Health Issues for Immigrants in Detention Centers

As of September 2025, the Trump administration held nearly 60,000 immigrants in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities. ICE is responsible for management of detention facilities, but it has a history of inadequate compliance with detention standards and insufficient health care.
Research shows that immigrants in detention experience widespread health risks. This issue brief summarizes recent trends in detention and the health care risks and challenges faced by people in such facilities.

Recent State Actions Impacting Immigrants’ Access to State-Funded Health Coverage

Policy Bars Many Immigrants from a Broad Range of Federal Health and Social Supports

Key Facts on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Potential Impacts of Mass Detention and Deportation Efforts on the Health and Well-Being of Immigrant Families

survey of immigrants

Health and Health Care Experiences of Immigrants: The 2023 KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants

A KFF-Los Angeles Times partnership survey of immigrant adults, released in September 2023, shows most feel they found a better life for their families in this country, but many also face economic hardships and discrimination.

This report, drawing upon the main survey findings, shows how these challenges extend to health care. Many immigrants have difficulty accessing and using health care in the U.S. due to higher uninsured rates, affordability challenges, linguistic and cultural barriers, and immigration-related fears. The survey also shows the difficulties immigrants face in obtaining health coverage and underscores the role of coverage in access to care.

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  • Children of Immigrants: Key Facts on Health Coverage and Care

    Issue Brief

    This brief provides key data on socioeconomic characteristics and health coverage among children of immigrants based on KFF analysis of the American Community Survey data. It also examines potential implications of policies and actions that may be implemented by the incoming Trump administration.

  • Key Facts on Health Coverage of Immigrants

    Fact Sheet

    This fact sheet provides an overview of health coverage for immigrants based on data from the 2023 KFF/LA Times Survey of Immigrants, the largest nationally representative survey focused on immigrants and discusses potential implications of incoming Trump administration policies for coverage of immigrants.

  • Quick Takes: Timely insights and analysis from KFF staff

    President-Elect Trump May Again Invoke Title 42 to Restrict Immigration

    Quick Take

    Recent reports suggest President-elect Trump plans to reinvoke Title 42 public health restrictions to close the border between Mexico and the U.S upon taking office. Such action would restrict immigration to the U.S. under the rubric of public health protection.

  • How Pending Health-Related Lawsuits Could be Impacted by the Incoming Trump Administration

    Issue Brief

    This brief provides an overview of current lawsuits in health policy including preventive services, abortion care, gender affirming care, Medicare drug price negotiations, nursing home staffing rules, private coverage consumer protections, and protections and health coverage for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients; how they may be affected by the incoming Trump administration; and the implications of their potential outcomes.

  • Understanding Racial and Ethnic Identity in Federal Data and Impacts for Health Disparities

    Issue Brief

    How race, ethnicity, and nationality have been defined and measured has important implications for health disparities, affecting who can access health, social, and economic resources. While narrow and inconsistent race and ethnicity categories have obscured inequities and limited the ability to address the diverse needs of different populations, data on race and ethnicity have also been used to address disparities by informing policies and interventions.

  • Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: Potential Implications of the Election

    Issue Brief

    Former President Trump and Vice President Harris have taken widely different stances and approaches on recognizing and addressing racial and ethnic disparities. These differences can be seen across areas of health care, including health coverage, reproductive and maternal health, and immigrant health and well-being and are likely to have important implications for future efforts to address health disparities.

  • Understanding the Inequitable Impacts of Hurricanes and Other Natural Disasters in the Wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton

    Policy Watch

    The Southeast region of the U.S. is particularly vulnerable to severe tropical storms due to climate change, and its persistently high poverty rates inhibit residents’ ability to prepare for and recover from storms. Many of the states in the Southeast have not implemented the ACA Medicaid expansion, leaving lower income residents with more limited access to health care, which may lead to challenges addressing their health needs.