On December 3, Ayuda staff testified before the DC Council Committee on Health during its Budget Oversight hearing, urging Council Members to reverse harmful cuts to the DC Healthcare Alliance program. Grounded in decades of service and the lived experiences of their clients, Ayuda’s testimony made clear that these cuts are not abstract budget decisions, but they are choices with life-threatening consequences for immigrant residents across the District.
Healthcare Cuts with Real Human Consequences
Kirstie Sippola, Social Services Manager at Ayuda’s DC office, testified about the devastating impact recent changes to the Alliance have had on low-income immigrant residents.
“Over the past year, advocates have been raising the alarm about Department of Healthcare Finance’s administration of the Alliance program, specifically the drastic budget cuts made in the name of cost savings; cuts that put low-income immigrant residents in life-threatening jeopardy and risk destabilizing DC’s entire health care system.” — Kirstie Sippola, Social Services Manager
You can watch Kirstie’s testimony here. Timestamp 2:23:49
Kirstie shared the story of a 30-year-old DC resident and Ayuda client who was violently injured by ICE during his arrest earlier this year. He suffered a fractured skull and nose, a concussion, and bleeding in his brain, leaving him hospitalized and in urgent need of specialized medical care. Ayuda has been fighting to secure his release from immigration detention so he can receive treatment.
“…due to the cuts to Alliance, if he does get out, he will not have coverage for any of this specialized treatment…Let me be clear: this would be a second injustice done to him, this time by the local DC government.”
At a time when immigrant residents are already facing aggressive federal enforcement and detention, cutting off access to healthcare only compounds harm.
Survivors Left to Fall Through the Cracks
Isaiah Livelsberger, a Bilingual Case Manager at Ayuda, testified about how these cuts disproportionately harm survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and other crimes—communities Ayuda has served for more than 50 years.
“We believe access to healthcare is a right – one that should not be tied to immigration status.” — Isaiah Livelsberger, Bilingual Case Manager
Isaiah highlighted the especially harmful impact of the Alliance’s age cap, which disregards the medical needs of older adults.
“My one client, a 71-year-old homeless immigrant who has lived and worked in the District for fifty years, now must forego physical therapy for her autoimmune disorder because she cannot afford it.”
You can watch Isaiah’s testimony here. Timestamp 1:38:15.
For many immigrant families, private insurance is not an option. After paying rent, utilities, childcare, transportation, and food, there is nothing left to cover healthcare costs. For years, Alliance has been a critical lifeline. “Alliance is a lifeline for them and their only way to avoid being uninsured.”
This reality is stark when comparing Ayuda’s DC office to its offices in Maryland and Virginia, states without health insurance programs for undocumented immigrants, where far fewer clients have coverage.
A Question of Priorities
Ayuda staff emphasized that restoring the Alliance is not a matter of feasibility, but of political will. While cost concerns have been cited to justify cuts to Alliance, the same budget freed up $1.1 billion in public funds for the redevelopment of RFK Stadium through creative financing measures. “The future of the Alliance is not a question of finances, but of priorities.”
If the District can mobilize resources for large-scale development projects, it can do the same to safeguard the health and dignity of immigrant residents.
What Restoring the Alliance Requires
Ayuda joins partner organizations in the Keep DC Healthy campaign in calling on the DC Council to fully restore the DC Healthcare Alliance by:
- Returning the income eligibility limit to 215% of the Federal Poverty Level
- Restoring vision and dental coverage
- Removing the age cap for adults 26 and older
As federal policies continue to restrict healthcare access for immigrant communities, DC must not follow the same path. Restoring the Alliance is not optional. “The lives of our immigrant neighbors quite literally depend on it.”
Ayuda will continue to stand with our clients, advocate for just policies, and speak out against systems that cause harm. We urge District leaders to choose compassion, equity, and life-saving care.
