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Access to healthcare is an important ongoing topic of conversation across the U.S. Healthcare access is very limited for immigrants living in the country – both for permanent and undocumented residents. But a new report from the University of Michigan National Voices Project shows that many adults think undocumented immigrant children and U.S.-born children should have equal access to healthcare.

The survey was conducted as part of the University of Michigan National Voices Project—a five-year study of children’s opportunities funded through the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s America Healing Initiative—in partnership with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. In the National Voices Project, adults who work and volunteer on behalf of children are asked for their perspectives on children’s opportunities.

Overall, 42 percent of these adults said they agree or strongly agree that undocumented children and U.S.-born children should have equal access to healthcare, while 33 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed and 25 percent were unsure.

But opinions about healthcare access for immigrant children varied among respondents from different racial/ethnic backgrounds. Sixty-one percent of Hispanic respondents agreed/strongly agreed that children should have equal access to healthcare, compared with 53 percent of multi-race/other respondents, 46 percent of African American respondents, and 37 percent of non-Hispanic white respondents.

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