Lawsuit paints harmful, inaccurate picture of DACA recipients
In 2012, President Obama announced a new program that offered relief to a small portion of the 11 million undocumented people living in the U.S. at the time. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) provided recipients with temporary protection from deportation and permitted work authorization. When the news came, I was a 25-year-old, undocumented Granite Stater working a variety of caregiving and hospitality jobs and closely followed the immigration reform stalemate in Congress.
For years I struggled to make ends meet, had no savings and relied on loved ones and limited public transportation to get around. I couldn’t afford dental care or regular doctor’s visits. I relied on home remedies to treat illnesses and faith to prevent injuries.
The only affordable medical care I could access was through Planned Parenthood, where I received compassionate but limited care.
New Hampshire is home to 230 DACA recipients (loved ones, friends, colleagues and neighbors) who are now the target of the state’s recent decision to join a lawsuit challenging the Biden administration’s decision to expand eligibility to publicly funded health insurance programs for DACA recipients. The lawsuit, Kansas et al. v. the United States of America et al., paints a harmful and inaccurate picture of DACA recipients, using discredited data from the notoriously anti-immigrant Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). The complaint inaccurately paints DACA recipients and undocumented immigrants as drains on the resources of “real Americans.”
However, many reputable studies cite the opposite: immigrants, including those without lawful status, significantly contribute to the social and economic fabric of the U.S., including New Hampshire, as community members, workers, taxpayers and consumers.
Lack of access to health care takes its toll not only on an individual, their families and communities but on our society overall. Healthy people create healthy communities, and accessible health care is a common good that benefits everyone.
It’s appalling that Governor Sununu aims to spend his last few months in office targeting the very people he’s tasked with representing and protecting. The governor and the attorney general’s first obligations are to ensure the well-being of all people in the state. New Hampshire must withdraw from this needlessly cruel lawsuit and focus our attention and resources on addressing real challenges within our communities. Attorney General Formella’s assertion that this expanded eligibility constitutes a “misuse of public funds” is laughable in light of his support for wasteful programs like the Northern Border Alliance and the unnecessary deployment of National Guard personnel to the Texas-Mexico border (costing taxpayers $1.48 million and $850,000, respectively).
Using anti-immigrant tactics is a disservice to all of the people of New Hampshire and raises real risks for those perceived to be immigrants whether they are citizens or not. The possibility of harm is even greater for immigrants of color. Beyond the very real risks of physical violence, these political calculations undermine the AG’s stated efforts to mitigate hate crimes.
I was able to survive those years as an undocumented person because of community support. A good friend’s parents who paid the legal fees for my DACA application; the many rides from co-workers and friends to Boston for affordable medical services; the countless hours loved ones spent supporting me. This spirit of community care is one that the governor and attorney general could do well to emulate rather than borrowing from a playbook rooted in discrimination and disinformation.
GRACE K. KINDEKE MANCHESTER, NH
It is time to talk about the cost of health care
The rising cost of health care continues to be a significant barrier for many in New Hampshire, with ACA Marketplace insurers proposing a median premium increase of 7% for 2025, on top of the 6% hike filed for 2024. Insurers’ proposed changes range from 2% to 10%, but these rates may still shift during the review process for New Hampshire.
High costs have led to troubling consequences:
One in four Americans report skipping or delaying necessary care over the past year due to financial constraints. This trend is even more pronounced among the uninsured, with 61% going without needed care because of cost.
Several factors drive these rising costs, including inefficient systems, soaring drug prices and profit-driven health care models. While some of these issues are systemic, their impact hurts families. Delaying care not only compromises individuals’ health but can also result in hefty debt.
To tackle this issue, we need to start talking about how to address both the root causes of rising premiums and provide better financial guidelines to ensure that health care is accessible for all, not just those who can afford it. Expanding access to affordable care is not just a health priority — it’s an economic one.
JAYME H. SIMÕES CONCORD, NH
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