Immigration

Health Care Freedom for Patients Act of 2025 This bill allows certain individuals with health savings accounts (HSAs) to receive federal payments. It also restricts payments under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) regarding certain noncitizens and restricts coverage of gender-transition procedures. Specifically, the bill provides funds for the Department of Health and Human Services to deposit payments into an individual’s HSA during 2026-2027 if the individual has a bronze or catastrophic plan through a health insurance exchange, is between the ages of 18 and 64, and has income up to 700% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Individuals may receive $1,000 or $1,500 annually, depending on age.  The bill also provides funds, beginning in 2027, for cost-sharing reductions for certain individuals who have a silver plan and income up to 250% of the FPL. Beginning in 2027, the bill allows any individual to enroll in a catastrophic plan. Currently, these plans are limited to those under the age of 30 or who have certain exemptions. The bill also reduces the enhanced federal matching rate for the Medicaid expansion population in states that provide any health benefits for individuals who are not qualified aliens under federal law. The bill makes Medicaid and CHIP coverage of individuals while their status is being verified optional and conditions federal payment during this period on verification.  Finally, the bill prohibits exchange plans from covering gender-transition procedures as an essential health benefit and prohibits federal payment under Medicaid and CHIP for these procedures.

Laken Riley Act This act requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain certain non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, shoplifting, assault of a law enforcement officer, or any crime that results in death or serious bodily injury to another person. The act also authorizes states to sue the federal government for decisions or alleged failures related to immigration enforcement. Under this act, DHS must detain an individual who (1) is unlawfully present in the United States or did not possess the necessary documents when applying for admission; and (2) has been charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits to having committed acts that constitute the essential elements of the above crimes. The act also authorizes state governments to sue for injunctive relief over certain immigration-related decisions or alleged failures by the federal government if the decision or failure caused the state or its residents harm, including financial harm of more than $100. Specifically, the state government may sue the federal government over a decision to release a non-U.S. national from custody; failure to fulfill requirements relating to inspecting individuals seeking admission into the United States, including requirements related to asylum interviews; failure to fulfill a requirement to stop issuing visas to nationals of a country that unreasonably denies or delays acceptance of nationals of that country; violation of limitations on immigration parole, such as the requirement that parole be granted only on a case-by-case basis; or failure to detain an individual who has been ordered removed from the United States.