At a Cinco de Mayo event at the White House, President Joe Biden lauded illegal aliens, specifically those enrolled or eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), as “model citizens.” The president’s comments came shortly after his administration opened Obamacare enrollment to DACA recipients, part of a broader push towards offering amnesty not just to those currently under DACA but potentially expanding it to others eligible under the Obama-era initiative.

In his speech, Biden discussed his initial legislative efforts aimed at providing a direct pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients, reflecting on the origins of the program he helped forge 12 years ago. “The first bill I introduced was about DACA, to make sure that they have a … direct path to citizenship … we created [DACA] 12 years ago,” Biden stated.

Highlighting the contributions of DACA recipients, Biden emphasized the unjust situation of their healthcare inaccessibility, which his policies aim to rectify. “It’s given 800,000 DREAMers a chance to go to work and school, contribute their immense talents in America. But more than a third of DREAMers couldn’t get health insurance. It’s wrong. And this rule changes all that. DREAMers can now get health insurance, as they deserve,” he explained.

Biden’s remarks underscored the ongoing debate over immigration reform, with calls for Congress to act decisively to pass comprehensive legislation that provides legal status to DREAMers. However, the broader implications of such amnesty are significant, with potential costs and social impacts. Past analyses, such as those by Breitbart News, have suggested that DACA amnesty could lead to a surge in chain migration, significantly increasing the number of foreign nationals residing in the U.S., potentially by 10 million to 19 million.

Furthermore, the financial burden on American taxpayers could be substantial, with estimates suggesting that DACA amnesty could cost upwards of $115 billion due to healthcare benefits alone, and additional social services impacts like food stamps and Medicaid for eligible aliens post-amnesty one in five and one in seven respectively.

As the conversation on immigration reform continues, the balancing act between humanitarian considerations for immigrants and the economic implications for American citizens remains a contentious and pivotal challenge for the Biden administration and lawmakers alike.