As fact-checkers in traditional media work to refute Republican assertions that Democrats are responsible for the government shutdown over health care subsidies for undocumented immigrants, experts and governmental sources indicate there’s some validity to the Republican claim.
Many major media outlets have labeled the Republican assertion—that Democrats are shutting down the government to provide health benefits to undocumented immigrants—as false, arguing that only legally present individuals can access such benefits. However, certain foreign nationals, including those admitted on parole, may qualify for subsidized care, and experts as well as the federal government actually consider them illegally present.
Jason Richwine, a resident scholar at the Center for Immigration Studies, shared his perspective with a news outlet, stating that there isn’t a universally accepted definition of “illegal alien.” “It’s a defensible stance,” he added, noting that those with temporary protections like DACA or humanitarian parole could still be deemed illegal aliens.
He further mentioned that organizations like the Center for Immigration Studies, along with the Department of Homeland Security and Pew Research Center, include these individuals in their counts. Therefore, he believes it’s reasonable for Republicans to characterize these individuals as illegal in their discussions.
“Semantic Argument”
In response to the claim that “Democrats shut down the government to offer free health care to illegal immigrants,” the Associated Press issued a fact-check. While hospitals can receive Medicaid reimbursements for emergency care provided to undocumented immigrants, the AP determined that they aren’t eligible for federal health programs like Medicaid and those under the Affordable Care Act.
Similarly, USA Today also confirmed that undocumented individuals do not have access to federally funded health care. Their report mentioned that Democrats aim to restore Medicaid access that existed earlier this summer, thus allowing more Americans and some legal immigrants to qualify.
Reports from NPR and CNN also indicated that claims of Democrats pushing for healthcare for undocumented immigrants are inaccurate. Both the Associated Press and USA Today noted that “legally present” immigrants have access to Medicaid, but they did not highlight that certain categories of foreigners may qualify for federal health care subsidies and are still considered illegally present by the government.
Foreign nationals granted parole may access Medicaid after a five-year waiting period, while those seeking Obamacare subsidies may do so after an additional year. According to CIS, individuals with temporary protected status can also utilize these subsidies.
Art Arthur from CIS remarked on the issue, pointing out that if someone has been on parole for over a year, they are viewed as on the path to being a qualified non-citizen. He expressed skepticism that individuals entering on parole would generally be seen as legally present by the public.
The undocumented immigrant population has significantly increased under the Biden administration. Richwine claimed that during Biden’s term, around 2.9 million undocumented individuals were welcomed into the U.S. on parole, while those with temporary protective status rose from 400,000 to 1.2 million.
“Righting the fiscal ship”
At the core of the current shutdown standoff lies Obamacare, which expanded insurance premium subsidies during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This expanded eligibility to all income levels and was extended through legislation signed by President Trump that would terminate subsidized care for immigrants by the end of 2025. Democrats are advocating for an extension of these funds to facilitate a resolution to the government shutdown.
Democratic proposals aim not just to maintain these emergency provisions but to reinstate eligibility for foreign nationals. Thus, many immigration experts believe it’s reasonable for Republicans to criticize efforts to extend subsidized health care to undocumented immigrants.
State and local governments reportedly spend billions on illegal immigration each year, with a recent survey indicating that Medicaid expenses for undocumented immigrants alone exceeded $16.2 billion in the first three years of the Biden administration—an increase of 124% compared to the same period under Trump.
FAIR’s Deputy Executive Director, Matt O’Brien, stated that lawmakers should be commended for opposing further expenditures on healthcare for undocumented individuals. He added, “This is just the beginning of addressing the financial issues tied to illegal immigration.”
O’Brien concluded by emphasizing that the primary role of the government is to safeguard its citizens, and suggested that some factions seem more focused on financial burdens to support foreign nationals than addressing domestic concerns.
