New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) announced Tuesday that “Dreamers” will remain eligible for state-funded Medicaid regardless of whether the program expires.

There are currently 42,000 recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, known as “Dreamers,” living in New York. The program is set to expire in March after President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE moved to kill it last year.

"The federal government's failure to take action to protect DACA recipients is appalling, un-American, unjust and puts hundreds of thousands of children at risk,” Cuomo said in a release. “Here in New York we will do everything in our power to protect DACA recipients and ensure they receive health care.”

According to the release, the state will fund all costs associated with providing Medicaid to DACA recipients. States are not permitted to use federal fund to aid immigrants in the country illegally.

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Trump announced in September he would rescind the Obama-era program, which grants work permits and protection from deportation to those who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.





Trump gave Congress six months to pass legislation to protect Dreamers. As the March 5 deadline approaches, lawmakers have been battling to reach a deal on immigration that would save DACA and satisfy the GOP’s demands for increased border security.

"As Washington holds DACA recipients hostage for funding for a wall, we will not allow vitriol and dysfunction to put lives at risk,” Cuomo said in the release. “We will continue to stand up for the rights of immigrants, and will continue to defend the principles of opportunity and equality that this state and this nation were founded upon."

Democrats on Monday agreed to end the three-day government shutdown after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Trump expects to nominate woman to replace Ginsburg next week Video of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral MORE (R-Ky.) promised to take up DACA legislation, which many on the left criticized as “caving” to the GOP, since Democrats had previously insisted on passing DACA legislation before the end of the year.