Proponents of the Budget Reconciliation Law of 2025 state that its trillion-dollar cuts to Medicaid will only affect care for groups whom they argue should not be receiving it, such as undocumented immigrants. Federal law, however, already prohibits undocumented immigrants from qualifying for comprehensive Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace options under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A key exception is emergency Medicaid—a federally mandated but limited form of Medicaid that covers care delivered to stabilize individuals with serious medical conditions who would otherwise be eligible for Medicaid if not for their immigration status.
Quoted Staff Member