HR 1’s Immigration Policy Strips Ukrainian Refugees of Their Health Insurance
The family’s names have been changed to protect their privacy and safety.
Soraya Rahimi came to America with her husband and child in 2024 after being forced to flee the life they had built in Ukraine. Their displacement began when the war broke out in February 2022, but her family’s story of survival started long before that. Her husband, a journalist, poet, and activist, had already fled Afghanistan after speaking out against Taliban rule. He escaped to Tajikistan, where he met Soraya. The two later married and moved to Ukraine in 2007, building a peaceful life together. Soraya never imagined they would have to leave it all behind.
After fleeing Ukraine, the couple eventually found safety in Switzerland. Shortly after their arrival, Soraya’s son was diagnosed with autism. Completely unfamiliar with the diagnosis, Soraya did what any mother would do: She searched for doctors, therapies, specialists, and a place where her son could receive the help he needed.
That search brought them to the United States, where she believed her son would have a better chance at receiving the medical care and therapy he needed. So, once again, Soraya, her husband, and their son packed up their lives and came to America through the Uniting for Ukraine program.
When they arrived in the United States, Soraya and her family received full Medicaid and SNAP benefits as humanitarian parolees, giving them a measure of stability as they tried to rebuild their lives once again. They had to learn how to navigate the system in an unfamiliar place, in a new language. Through tears, Soraya told TJC she came to America with only a backpack and a sick child in her arms: “I came here for my child.”
Soraya’s son is nonverbal—it’s difficult for him to explain how he feels, what he wants, and he needs help with most of his everyday activities. When they finally had the opportunity to start ABA therapy, Soraya felt hope for the first time in a long time. She started seeing changes in her son. He became calmer, he was more active, and they even noticed differences in his social skills.
Soraya battles health challenges of her own. She has rheumatoid arthritis and lives with chronic pain and inflammation in her joints, making it difficult to stand or walk. Without access to Medicaid, she won’t be able to afford her medications. She’s afraid that her condition will become worse and that she will eventually lose her ability to function and care for her son.
In August 2026, Soraya received a notice from TennCare Medicaid stating that her family would lose Medicaid coverage on October 1, 2026. Confused and frightened, she called TennCare to understand why benefits historically available to refugees were being taken away. TennCare and TJC gave her the same answer: under HR 1, asylees, refugees, and humanitarian parolees are no longer eligible for Medicaid. Beginning January 1, 2027, they will also be barred from eligibility for the ACA marketplace.
Soraya’s story highlights how immediate and devastating the policy changes under HR 1 have been for people seeking refuge. Without Medicaid, she can no longer afford the injections that keep her from becoming disabled or the ABA therapy her son depends on. After everything her family has survived, they are now facing the possibility of losing the care that allowed them to begin again: “I’m not asking for food or money,” Soraya said. “I just want healthcare for my son.” Like many other refugees and asylees, Soraya feels like her voice isn’t being heard.
The harms of HR 1 aren’t just abstract policies; they affect real people and families. Families like Soraya’s, who come to America seeking safety, stability, and the chance to build a healthier future. Many arrive after fleeing war or persecution. America has long claimed to be a place that helps people in moments of crisis, yet policies like this abandon families at the very moment they need support most.
Still, Soraya says these changes will not break her. Instead, they have given her more reason to fight for her family and for others facing the same fear: “I hope those in power understand the hardships of those in need,” she said. She hopes her voice is finally heard, and that her story gives strength to other families who have left everything behind in search of safety, dignity, and care.
