On November 26th, U.S. District Judge Michael Simon issued a preliminary injunction that blocks a new rule from the Trump administration that forces immigrants to show proof they can afford health insurance when applying for visas.
The case was heard in a federal court in Oregon and filed by seven U.S. citizens and a nonprofit organization. The lawsuit alleges that the rule would prevent close to two-thirds of all immigrants in the process of seeking legal status and would substantially reduce the number of immigrants who come to the U.S. with family-based sponsored visas.
According to Judge Simon, the Trump administration cannot implement the rule until the lawsuit challenging its constitutionality is heard by other courts.
Immigration & Health Insurance Statistics
Under the administration’s visa rule, immigrants would have to show they can afford an individual insurance policy or will be provided with insurance through their employer. However, immigrants will be denied visas if they have Medicaid or use the Affordable Care Act’s subsidies to purchase insurance.
According to data from the Migration Policy Institute, 57% of U.S. immigrants had private health insurance policies in 2017. Between 2013 and 2017, the uninsured rate for immigrants dropped from 32% to 20%. It is important to note that the Affordable Care Act was implemented during this time period.
Consult with Our Immigration Lawyer Today
Our legal team at The Law Office of Joanne M. Fakhre, P.A. is glad to hear that the Trump administration’s latest attempt to deny green cards to immigrants has been blocked. Our dedicated lawyers will pay attention to this devolving story so we can keep you informed on the latest updates that might impact your immigration status.
Do you need help with an immigration matter in Jacksonville? Then give us a call today at (904) 447-1937 to set up your case consultation with a member of our team.