At the dawn of the Trump administration, California officials have withdrawn their request to provide illegal immigrants with Obamacare services.
State Sen. Ricardo Lara, left, who sponsored the state legislation that supported the immigrant health-care signups, said the move was the “first California casualty of the Trump presidency.”
Lara linked the move with fears of deportation based on candidate Donald Trump’s stated intent to deport illegals: “I take Trump at his words that anyone is subject to deportation at any time, and California will not be part of a wasteful and inhumane campaign against immigrants who are working hard and playing by the rules.”
Although California lawmakers approved the plan last summer, they needed a federal waiver under the Affordable Care Act. Covered California, the state Obamacare operation, withdrew that request with the support of Lara and Gov. Jerry Brown.
One of Trump’s top priorities upon taking office is dismantling the Affordable Care Act.
Lara’s successful legislation was Senate Bill 10 of 2015-16. Brown signed the plan in mid-June.
California recently allowed illegal immigrants under the age of 19 to sign up for Medi-Cal.
Under the Lara plan, illegal aliens would not have received state subsidies for buying the insurance from Covered California.
One of the key compromises made by Affordable Care Act supporters during debate over its enactment at the federal level was to block participation by those in the country without permission. California apparently was the first state to seek a Section 1332 waiver to serve illegal aliens.
About 2.7 million immigrants are in California illegally.
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