Randy Capps

Medicaid has seen a surge in enrollment since the pandemic began, as millions of U.S. workers lost jobs and health coverage. But many noncitizens are ineligible for Medicaid due to their status as recent recipients of green cards, international students, or temporary workers, for example. This issue brief examines the size and characteristics of this population, including state-to-state differences in eligibility and participation.

The U.S. immigration detention system is sprawling, expensive, and has long been criticized for its prisonlike conditions and health risks. The pandemic has brought these risks into even sharper focus. This report examines detention’s role in the U.S. immigration enforcement system and proposes a different approach centered on release with supervision and case management—tools that are less costly, more humane, and ensure compliance with immigration proceedings.