Everyone in Maryland deserves to live a healthy life, regardless of where they were born and what documents they have. But today, some shortsighted Senators are depriving immigrant Marylanders of healthcare, claiming that saving money today is worth more than the lives of hundreds of thousands of Maryland residents.

The insistence that we behave with care, equity, and love toward the stranger is the most-repeated commandment in the entire Torah. As Jews and as human beings, we are obligated to make sure that those of us who were not born in our community are as safe, and as healthy, as those who were.

JUFJ has worked with our partners for over a decade to make Maryland a safe and healthy home for all of us, regardless of immigration status. With support from legislators, we have taken huge strides toward that goal with the Dream Act, ending Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) collaboration with local government to detain the undocumented, and so much more. The House of Delegates passed legislation to make health insurance available to all Marylanders last year, but the Senate has refused to act. If we come together again this year, we know we can win health care for all Marylanders – no exceptions.

Key Partners:

• CASA & Health Care For All Coalition

Access to Care Act (HB728 /SB705)

• Since its establishment in 2010, the Affordable Care Act has granted 28 million people across the country access to affordable health care. However, more than 275,000 undocumented immigrants in Maryland were ineligible for insurance through the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange.
• In 2024, the Access to Care Act PASSED the General Assembly and was signed into law by Governor Moore on May 16, 2024.

Key Committees:

• Senate Finance (FIN), Chair: Sen. Pam Beidle (Anne Arundel County)
• House Health & Government Operations (HGO), Chair: Joseline Peña-Melnyk (Prince George’s County)

Jews United for Justice (JUFJ) works in coalition and partnership with grassroots and advocacy groups to build and win issue campaigns. Our approach is based on our commitment to racial equity and dismantling systems of oppression, which includes centering the leadership of our most directly impacted partners and being as transparent as possible about our agenda selection process. When we select campaigns, we keep in mind our goals of organizing and mobilizing our base, strengthening coalitions we are part of, and shifting the balance of power in our local communities. This year we have four full scope of work campaigns and we will engage in other campaigns in a more limited way.

• For more information about our other full scope of work campaigns, click here.
• For more information about our limited campaigns, click here.
• For more information about our agenda setting process for the Maryland 2024 state legislative session, click here.