For 14 years, immigrants covered under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) legislation have gone without federal protection or regulations allowing enrollment in state-run or private health insurance plans provided under the Affordable Care Act. President Joe Biden struck out this omission on Friday, May 10, when he signed off on approval to expand those policies for more than 100,000 DACA recipients.

The U.S. is home to more than 530,000 DACA recipients, commonly known as Dreamers, per national statistics. New York City is home to 35,000 DACA beneficiaries, 81% of whom are currently in the labor force.

“Nearly 12 years ago, President Obama and I announced the DACA program to allow our young people to live and work in the only country they’ve called home,” Biden said in a public address. “Since then, DACA has provided more than 800,000 Dreamers with the ability to work lawfully, pursue an education, and contribute their immense talents to make our communities better and stronger.

“I’m proud of the contributions of Dreamers to our country and committed to providing Dreamers the support they need to succeed. I’ve previously directed the Department of Homeland Security to take all appropriate actions to ‘preserve and fortify’ DACA. And that’s why…we are taking this historic step to ensure that DACA recipients have the same access to health care through the Affordable Care Act as their neighbors.”

This new opportunity will be offered only for those interested in obtaining services through a Health Insurance Marketplace plan or a state-run Basic Health Program (BHP) for lawfully present noncitizens. New York is one of two states that have implemented the measure; the state’s application for BHP received approval on Mar. 1, 2024, and will remain in effect for five years, from April 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2028.

Although this development is a major win for various DACA recipients, it will not permit registration for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIPS). Still, Friday’s signature is being called a victory for proponents of immigration reform.

 “I commend the Biden-Harris Administration on this latest effort to support immigrant families by expanding affordable, quality healthcare coverage to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients,” Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) of Harlem, Washington Heights, and the Bronx said in a statement.

“Our work (on May 10) to support Dreamers will have reverberating implications for many years to come, (by) keeping our communities and local economies strong. I will never give up my fight to ensure Dreamers permanent status and a pathway to citizenship, and remain committed to working with President Biden and my colleagues to protect DACA and provide all immigrant youth with the opportunities and support they need to succeed,” Espaillat added.

As the first Dominican American to serve in the House of Representatives, Espaillat has been a vocal advocate for a progressive approach to changing American immigration policy, calling for rejection of the many repeals Republicans have been pushing for. 

Despite the large number of people in the U.S. covered by DACA, some requirements in the law limit several individuals from receiving the designated status. Those seeking that status must have arrived in the U.S. before their 16th birthday and before June 15, 2007; be under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012 (i.e., under age 41 as of 2022); be currently enrolled in school, have completed high school or its equivalent, or be a veteran; and have no lawful status as of June 15, 2012.

Former President Donald Trump unsuccessfully attempted to end DACA. A 2024 re-election campaign strategy includes campaign staff reiterating his previous claims, made during his time in the Oval Office, that DACA policies are detrimental to the average American worker.

In a post on X, Karoline Leavitt, a Trump campaign spokesperson said, “Joe Biden continues to force hardworking, tax-paying, struggling Americans to pay for the housing, welfare, and now the healthcare of illegal immigrants. This is unfair and unsustainable; and Joe Biden’s handouts for illegal immigrants are especially devastating to Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, and union workers who are forced to watch their jobs and public resources stolen by people who illegally entered our country.

“President Trump will put America and the American worker first. He will ​seal the border, stop the invasion, and expand economic opportunity for American citizens, not illegal aliens.”  

The legality of DACA is under scrutiny in ongoing cases in Texas and New Jersey. Observers believe it will soon reach the Supreme Court.

“Even as we celebrate this victory, we must also remember that politically motivated attacks on DACA continue, DACA recipients remain in limbo, and the health and wellbeing of our communities has suffered as a result,” Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, said in a statement.

More than 25.6 million Americans are uninsured, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. As prescription drugs and medical rates skyrocket, hundreds of thousands of people are forced to choose between food and medical care daily. Federal numbers show that most go without the latter.“The Biden-Harris Administration is taking a bold step toward equity and inclusivity in healthcare access by ensuring that approximately 100,000 DACA recipients can enjoy the peace of mind and security that access to health care brings,” said Mayra Macias, executive director of Building Back Together. “By expanding DACA recipients’ healthcare options, President Biden is reaffirming that health care is a fundamental right.”

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When it returns to New York on October 17 to 20, the beloved Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival (NYCWFF) is going to take up residence in Brooklyn. For the first time ever, all of the festival’s main events—from the Grand Tasting to pier parties—will take place at a single location: a new 450,000-square-foot culinary campus that will debut at Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park.

“We’re incredibly excited to  expand our footprint to Brooklyn and offer our most attended events at one culinary campus,” said festival founder and director Lee Brian Schrager in an official statement ab out the news. “We are pleased to offer the same festival you know and love to more guests at our new location. We look forward to welcoming more Brooklyn chefs and partners to this year’s events and further providing them with a platform to showcase their impeccable talent.”

The celebration of the borough begins as soon as the festival kicks off with a Best of Brooklyn event that will showcase over 25 area chefs.

As has always been the case in the past—this is the festival’s 17th annual iteration—the event will supposed God’s Love We Deliver, the local organization that helps deliver meals to sick New Yorkers in need.

Pre-sale tickets will be available for purchase starting June 17 at 9am right here. General public passes will be available the week after, on June 24 at 9am, on that same website.

* This article was originally published here

If there’s one liquor that screams summer, it’s rum—from the best daiquiris in New York City to tropical tiki bar cocktails, a rum-splashed drink instantly conjures up images of sun, surf and sand. So it’s good timing then that the New York Rum Festival is coming back for its 7th edition, taking place next month on Saturday, June 8, at 100 Sutton Studios in Greenpoint. (Fun fact: did you know that New York State is one of the largest consumers of rum in the U.S.? We believe it!) 

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Hosted by The Rum Lab, this year’s spirited edition will invite both industry pros and rum enthusiasts alike to immerse themselves in the world of rum with samplings of over 160 expressions from around the globe, including Fiji, Spain, Martinique, Belize and more. A highlight of the boutique-style event will be the on-site portfolio of Rums of Puerto Rico, plus the new expressions by Rhum Barbancourt from Haiti and Planteray Rum from Barbados (previously Plantation Rum). 

Along with discovering—and sipping, with four separate tasting sessions throughout the day kicking off at 1:30pm—rare and exotic varieties of the summery liquor, you can learn about the latest trends and developments in the industry and attend seminars on topics like “The Importance of Puerto Rican Rum for the Spirits Industry,” “Transcontinental Aging” and “French Heritage.” “This is an incredible opportunity for rum enthusiasts and industry professionals to come together to learn, network, and discover the latest trends in the world of rum,” said the event producer Federico Hernandez.

Tickets start at $75 and are available in tiers based on Industry, General Admission and VIP ticket options. If you’re really a true rum lover, the VIP Rum Experts Session will allow you to enjoy a five-hour admission, exclusive Rum Lab swag, premium tastings, and the ability to attend consumer seminars. The Trade Industry session offers industry professionals a discounted ticket with the opportunity to network, taste premium rums, attend trade-focused seminars, and more. You can snap up your ticket of choice at the New York Rum Festival website. 

* This article was originally published here