In the midst of the Schumer Shutdown, Democrats were accused of advocating for taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants.
This was a claim they vehemently denied, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) stating, "Federal law prohibits the use of Medicare, Medicaid, the Childrens Health Insurance Program, and the Affordable Care Act to provide health insurance in any way, shape, or form to undocumented immigrantsperiod, full stop. Democrats arent trying to change that."
However, the actions of the Democrats seemed to contradict Jeffries' statement. The issue of taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants was a contentious one, and the Democrats' insistence on it was seen as a major factor prolonging the shutdown. This, in turn, led to increased frustration among the American public, who were witnessing the delay in funding for the military and SNAP recipients.
Fast forward to December, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) openly admitted to allocating billions in taxpayer dollars to healthcare for illegal immigrants. He stated, "I'm proud of that. I believe in universal health care." This was a stark contrast to the earlier claims made by Democrats, and it was a move that was seen as a failure on the border issue.
According to RedState, it was revealed in March that California was exploiting a loophole in Medicaid to fund healthcare for illegal immigrants through their Medi-Cal scheme. Paul Winfree, president and CEO of the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC), explained, "States can do these provider taxes to funnel money back to the state, that they are then using to pay for, to put illegal immigrants on Medicaid. Thats quite literally whats going on."
An HHS Inspector General Report from May found that "California Improperly Claimed $52.7 Million in Federal Medicaid Reimbursement for Capitation Payments Made on Behalf of Noncitizens With Unsatisfactory Immigration Status." The money was allegedly paid back to the federal government the following month.
Newsom's admission sparked a flurry of reactions, with many pointing out the contradiction in his stance. One tweet read, "I dont quite get how Trump is lying about Dems giving illegal immigrants healthcare if Dems in Americas most populous state actually did it."
Another pointed out the problems with Newsom's approach, stating, "One that isnt getting enough discussion is that Gavin Newsom wants credit for taxpayer funded healthcare for illegal immigrants but wants to sound reasonable on the border. He doesnt acknowledge how one helped cause the other."
Newsom's statement is likely to have significant implications for future elections. It is anticipated that his admission will be used in GOP ads during the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election campaign season, where Newsom is expected to be a candidate. As one tweet predicted, "There are about 5 general election ads that will come from this appearance alone."
This highlights the potential political fallout from Newsom's controversial stance on taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants.
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