Jeffries says ‘no Democrat’ trying to give health care to migrants without legal status
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Sunday that “no Democrat” in Congress is attempting to expand health care benefits to migrants without legal status.
“Federal law clearly prohibits the expenditure of taxpayer dollars to provide health care to undocumented immigrants. Period, full stop,” Jeffries said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “And no Democrat on Capitol Hill is trying to change that law.”
As the government shutdown approaches a full week, the Senate continues to negotiate on competing proposals to fund the government. The Republican-backed bill would fund the government through Nov. 21.
The Democratic-backed proposal would fund the government through October, permanently extend subsidies offered under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and restore nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts. As part of the back-and-forth, Republican lawmakers have accused Democrats in Congress of seeking to expand health care coverage to migrants without legal status.
Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by President Trump on July 4, restrictions on access were implemented for lawfully present immigrants, including refugees and asylees. The law, according to the nonpartisan health policy research group KFF, reduces eligibility for Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and ACA Marketplace enrollment.
Medicaid payments for emergency services are able to be made to hospitals on behalf of immigrants without legal status. According to KFF, those payments accounted for less than 1 percent of total Medicaid spending in fiscal 2023.
The July budget law implemented reductions in the amount of federal funding provided to hospitals for such emergency services. Migrants without legal status, though, are ineligible to receive full access to the aforementioned programs.
Jeffries, meanwhile, said Democrats’ focus is on extending the ACA subsidies, which expire at the end of this year. If the subsidies expire, premiums for millions of Americans could increase come January 2026.
“We are standing up for the health care of hard-working American taxpayers, of working-class Americans, of middle-class Americans, and everyday Americans who have seen over the last several months Republicans pass their one big ugly bill,” the New York Democrat added.