The AAMC led 77 health professions organizations on May 4 in urging Congress and the administration to take regulatory or legislative action to maintain work authorization for individuals currently with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status during the COVID-19 national emergency.
“Nearly 30,000 DACA recipients work as health care professionals across the United States. Rescinding DACA and the corresponding work authorizations for these providers would reduce our nation’s health care capacity at a time we can ill-afford to lose valuable personnel,” states the letter.
The letter continues, “We urge the Administration to expeditiously announce plans to retain the DACA program during the COVID-19 national emergency regardless of the Supreme Court’s upcoming decision. Additionally, we urge Congress to include a more permanent fix in the fourth COVID-19 emergency supplemental, such as the bipartisan Dream Act of 2019 (S. 874) or the House-passed American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R. 6).”
The Supreme Court is expected to release a decision in the case of DHS v. Regents of the University of California, that is challenging the president’s 2017 rescission of the DACA program [see Washington Highlights, Nov. 14, 2019]. While awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court, the AAMC continues to urge legislative action that provides a long-term solution for DACA recipients working in the health professions [see Washington Highlights, July 9, 2019].
- Washington Highlights