Immigration Policy Vacuum: Health and Well-being of DACA-Eligible Immigrants and their Children

Studies show that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) improved the health of DACA-eligible individuals, but there is little research on how the rising uncertainty around this legislation during the Trump presidency impacted the health of DACA-eligible immigrants and their U.S.-born children. Using serial cross-sectional data from the National Health Interview Surveys with a difference-in-differences methodology, we investigate how the rising uncertainty of DACA impacted the health outcomes of DACA-eligible individuals and their U.S.-born children. Our investigation suggests that the continuing uncertainty about DACA has increased mental health distress among DACA-eligible individuals (in estimates with DACA-ineligible Hispanic noncitizens as the comparison group) and increased overnight hospital visits among DACA-eligible individuals (in estimates with DACA-ineligible foreign-born U.S. citizens of Latin American ethnicity as the comparison group). The estimated coefficients on the health outcomes of the children of DACA-eligible individuals are modest and statistically insignificant. Our study validates concerns in the policy arena that without Congressional action towards providing a path to permanent residency, the fate of DACA-eligible persons in the United States remains insecure, adversely impacting their psychological well-being and health.