Catholics for Choice Supports the Health Equity and Access under the Law for Immigrant Families (HEAL) Act

Currently, immigrants, regardless of legal status, are prohibited from receiving many forms of healthcare coverage that most other Americans can receive. As Catholics, we believe that healthcare is a human right, and we support the right of people to migrate. Therefore, we work to close this gap in healthcare coverage.

Why do we need the HEAL Act?

• Currently, immigrants, regardless of legal status, are prohibited from receiving many forms of healthcare coverage that most other Americans can receive.
• Immigrants are disproportionately more likely to be uninsured, which leaves them at risk of both health and financial repercussions.
• Because Catholics believe that healthcare is a human right, and we support the right of people to migrate, we must close this gap in healthcare coverage.

The HEAL Act will:

1. Provide healthcare access to immigrant families by removing unnecessary legal barriers.
2. Allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to access public, affordable healthcare coverage.
3. Eliminate the arbitrary five-year waiting period for lawfully permanent residents to access Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) if they would otherwise qualify.
4. Enable undocumented immigrants to purchase health coverage through the Affordable Care Act and receive related tax credits and cost-sharing reductions.
5. Give states more flexibility to expand healthcare programs like Medicaid and CHIP to undocumented immigrants.

What do Catholics believe?

• Catholic social teaching on immigration maintains that people have the right to migrate to sustain themselves and their families — and that immigration policies must be guided by justice and mercy.
• Church teaching says that we must respect the human dignity of all people, who deserve basic human needs like food, shelter, clothing, and healthcare. Access to healthcare should not depend on immigration status.
• Because immigrants are more likely to be uninsured, we know they are at greater risk due to lack of preventative healthcare. Our faith teaches us to center the needs of the most vulnerable, and we can do that by expanding healthcare coverage.
• In a post-Roe era, the fear of criminalization based on immigration status coupled with the fear of criminalization of reproductive healthcare decisions make it even more difficult for immigrants to access medical care. We believe that all people have the right to make healthcare decisions without interference from the government.
• We believe that all people are created in the image of God and deserve equal access to healthcare regardless of their birthplace. Catholic faith does not discriminate based on immigration status — and neither should our government.

Additional Facts:

• According to 2024 data from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, adults under the age of 65 who are not citizens make up only 8% of the population but account for 31% of the uninsured population.
• More than 80% of uninsured people who are not citizens live in families that include at least one employed worker but do not have employer-sponsored health coverage.
• Two-thirds of uninsured adults who are not citizens are ineligible for public health coverage solely because of their immigration status.
• Only 16.5% of uninsured people who are not citizens are eligible for programs like Medicaid, CHIP, or subsidized coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

What do we want Congress to do?

Please cosponsor the HEAL Act (H.R. 5008 | S. 2646) and commit to speaking publicly about this Catholic social justice issue.