Tennessee to verify immigration status for disabled children’s healthcare
Tennessee will require immigration checks for disabled children receiving life-sustaining medical care, potentially cutting off treatment for about 100 kids in Middle Tennessee alone.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE — Tennessee health officials have directed local public health departments to verify immigration status for children receiving medical care through a state disability program and report findings to federal authorities, potentially cutting off treatment for vulnerable immigrant children.
The Tennessee Department of Health is targeting Children’s Special Services, a public health insurance program that serves children with disabilities and life-threatening illnesses including cancer, spina bifida, and terminal diseases, according to Michele Johnson, executive director of the Tennessee Justice Center.
The state agency announced last week that families would be notified as soon as this week of the new policy requiring immigration status verification as a condition for continuing benefits, Johnson said.
Program Served Children for Five Decades
For more than 50 years, the program has provided coverage to children with severe disabilities who need ongoing care and have no other insurance, regardless of immigration status. The program relies on a combination of federal and state funding and is administered by local departments of public health across Tennessee.
In Middle Tennessee alone, approximately 100 children without legal immigration status face the risk of losing ongoing medical coverage, according to Metro Department of Public Health officials.
Statewide Impact Remains Unknown
The total number of children who could be affected statewide remains unclear. The Tennessee Department of Health did not respond to requests for information or comment about the policy change.
The program previously assisted young people up to age 21. Earlier this year, the state health department directed local public health agencies to disenroll anyone 18 or older from the program.
Advocates worry the new immigration verification requirement will force families to choose between accessing necessary medical care for their disabled children and avoiding potential deportation proceedings initiated through federal reporting.
The policy change comes as Tennessee joins other states implementing stricter verification procedures for public benefit programs, though the Children’s Special Services program specifically targets some of the state’s most medically vulnerable populations.
