US lawmakers urge expedited green cards to protect healthcare access

Sixty-three US lawmakers have requested that the administration expedite green-card applications for legally present immigrants. The group, led by Democratic Congresswomen Yvette D. Clarke and Adelita S. Grijalva, sent a letter to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph B. Edlow regarding new healthcare eligibility restrictions that took effect on October 1.

The lawmakers stated that these restrictions, introduced under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, threaten coverage for refugees, asylum recipients, and survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence. The changes affect access to Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Affordable Care Act premium tax credits.

The appeal calls for an emergency processing mechanism to prevent a “bureaucratic bottleneck” where individuals lose health insurance while waiting for permanent residency. Lawmakers warned that administrative delays could force patients to postpone preventive treatments, leading to more serious illnesses and increased healthcare costs.