Undocumented Immigrants and the American Healthcare

Undocumented Immigrants and the American Healthcare
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Undocumented Immigrants and the American Healthcare
The policy on immigration stays among the most controversial presently considering the amount of time they need for a change appears in political debates. There is a division among Americans on how to approach the issue of undocumented immigrants. The number of undocumented immigrants increases constantly, both in the US and internationally, and so is their healthcare needs. While the federal government is addressing the immigration policy, states are more concerned with healthcare policies affecting their constituents. That has led to debates on who is most effectively providing health care to undocumented immigrants in various US jurisdictions and internationally?
Problem
The challenges facing undocumented immigrants in the US warrant a proper debate on the topic. As of 2019, there were 10.4 million undocumented immigrants in the US. That number represented 3% of the US population (Ro & Jennifer, 2021). Even amidst their high numbers, unauthorized immigrants in the US cannot all the essential services such as healthcare as per the prevailing policy on illegal immigrants. The federal policy states that undocumented immigrants cannot access employer-sponsored health insurance. Conversely, states are advancing their health policies to cover more individuals regardless of their immigration status. However, considering the current status of the policies, the advancements in healthcare service access by undocumented immigrants remains inadequate both at state and federal levels.
Policymaker
The federal government of the US is the custodian of the immigration policy affecting all citizens. The policy on immigration emerged from the precedent set in Fong Ting v The United States in which the court outlined the power of the federal government in regulating or enforcing immigration. Congress enumerates and assesses the extent of the powers by which the immigration policy is executed (Jamil et al., 2012). Congress, hence, can revitalize the policies, something that has marked the continued debates on immigration. The states can only assist with the enforcement or implementation of the policy.
Even though many undocumented immigrants may not afford the services, they are eligible to purchase private coverage on individual markets outside ACA Marketplaces in various states. Presently, six states have implemented student health programs to accommodate some undocumented immigrants. WA, OR, NY, MA, IL, and CA have legislations that allow the application of state-only to cover income-eligible children irrespective of their immigration status. CA has extended the expansion in coverage to include undocumented immigrant adults through age 25. While states continue to expand their healthcare to accommodate more undocumented immigrants, the pace is slow relative to the growth of immigrants and prevalence of illnesses among such a population.
The target for the Research
The research targets influencing more impactful changes in healthcare access by immigrants through the inputs of the federal amendment of the immigration policy. Congress works to ensure that they develop p...