Warren Challenges Claims on Healthcare for Non-Citizens
During an appearance on “CBS Morning,” Senator Elizabeth Warren confronted host Tony Dokoupil regarding discussions around healthcare for non-citizens. Dokoupil referenced a Democratic counterproposal to the Republican Continued Resolution, mentioning that Republicans accused Democrats of trying to extend medical benefits to non-citizens as part of the funding plan, which, according to them, included provisions from President Trump’s healthcare bill.
Warren, visibly frustrated, interrupted and asserted that Republicans were misrepresenting the truth about the Democrats’ intentions concerning undocumented immigrants. She insisted, “It’s a complete lie! Medicaid and Medicare have no provisions that allow assistance to undocumented immigrants. Nothing, zero.”
Dokoupil attempted to clarify, stating that the Democratic proposal aimed to restore Medicaid benefits for non-citizens that had been removed under the Trump administration’s plan. He underscored that Republicans felt taxpayer funds shouldn’t go towards providing medical care to these individuals.
Warren denied this assertion, emphasizing that the goal was to make sure hospitals could provide emergency services and still receive reimbursements for those services.
On Wednesday, Democrats voted to shut down the government because the Republican resolution did not include an extension of Biden-era Obamacare grants, a point of contention for Democratic support. Previous estimates indicated that permanently extending the tax credit could increase the deficit by $350 million from 2026 to 2035.
Republicans contended that Congress should first focus on government funding before addressing the tax credit extension. Among the dissenters, Democrats John Fetterman from Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto from Nevada, and independent Angus King from Maine were the only members of their caucus to back keeping the government operational. Fetterman expressed that voting to shut down the government was a “sad day for our country.”
In response to the shutdown, White House spokesman Karoline Leavitt warned that it could result in “thousands” of federal layoffs in the days ahead.
