Citing how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is currently written, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said she doesn’t support immigrants obtaining the same subsidies as American-born enrollees.

During an interview on ABC's "This Week," Clinton revealed the slight change in her immigration stance in regards to health insurance. The interview featured a 2007 clip showing the then-New York senator opposing immigrants receiving health insurance.

"Illegal immigrants would not be covered," Clinton said in 2007. "No, they would not be covered. I would continue to have a safety net which I think is in the best traditions of our country and also for public health reasons absolutely necessary but we did not cover them in '93-'94 and my plan does not cover them now."

Currently, Clinton has modified her stance, saying undocumented immigrants should be able to participate in the health marketplace exchanges, but without the subsidies that American citizens may receive. Her stance does differ from fellow Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley, who proposed to allow immigrants to utilize the ACA.

"Well, I disagree with him. I think part of comprehensive immigration reform should be looking at all of these issues but as things stand right now, under the Affordable Care Act, if you have the money and if you are undocumented you can buy into it but without the subsidies," Clinton said.

The former secretary of state said she doesn't think granting immigrants access to the subsidies is currently legal.

"The law is very clear about that," she added.

Following Clinton's interview, O'Malley for President spokeswoman Gabriela Domenzain said Clinton showed she has an "old way of thinking" in regards to giving full ACA access to immigrants, or New Americans as the O'Malley campaign has coined the term.

"Her stance not only echoes right-wing talking points, but it also would have the practical effect of driving up health care costs for all Americans by forcing New American immigrants to resort to emergency room visits," Domenzain said in a statement. "It is now clear why she has yet to propose a concrete plan on immigration: it would allow the New American immigrant community to see that while she's asking them to stand 'with her' she does not 'with them.'"

Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a third Democratic presidential candidate, also recently disclosed a detailed immigration plan. Sanders' plan does allow immigrants to purchase health insurance through the ACA marketplace exchanges.

The Vermont senator said allowing immigrants into the marketplace exchanges would reduce health care costs since the immigrants will use their own money for insurance. His plan, however, does not specify if subsidies would be given to immigrants.

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Politics Editor Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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