Who is lying about healthcare for illegal aliens?
The issue of providing healthcare for illegal aliens has become a hot issue in terms of the current shutdown. Republicans say that Democrats want to extend health coverage to illegal aliens as a matter of policy. Democrats and their media flunkies declare that it is a huge lie.
The “lie” narrative is getting spread by Democrats and folks like MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough. It is an issue that brings out Scarborough’s habitual propensity to yell into the camera. He even questions House Speaker Johnson’s Christian faith for telling an indisputable lie that Joe and other see – or at least pretend to see. He lectured on “the lie” before interviewing Senate Minority Leader Schumer, who called it an “f-ing lie”. Never heard any Democrat say they want to extend healthcare to illegal aliens.
Those folks base their entire case that a specific claim that Democrats’ government shutdown demands do not include expanded Medicare, Medicaid or ACA coverage to illegal aliens. BUT (ß a very bit BUT) they are …lying. Yes, Scarborough is lying. Schumer is lying. And so are the rest of them.
President Biden’s healthcare program did not ban illegal aliens from Medicare, Medicaid and Obamacare. That was done later in Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill (BBB). When Democrats insist that it is illegal for undocumented aliens to enroll in those programs, they are correct — but ironically, they seem to be referring to the Trump legislation. One of the items on the long list of Democrat demands in return for supporting the GOP spending gap bill is the rescinding of certain features of the BBB — including the ban against illegal aliens. So … Democrats are pushing to allow all illegal aliens access to Medicare, Medicaid and Obamacare.
In pushing the narrative that Republicans are lying, it is the Democrats who are doing the fibbing. They are lying because they know granting taxpayer healthcare to illegal aliens is highly unpopular.
For those who respond to issues more intellectually – not just acceptance of political talking points no matter how loud they are presented – there are several questions that need to be answered to get a better understanding of the issue.
- Do Democrats favor extending taxpayer funded health coverage to illegal aliens?
- Does taxpayer money currently provide healthcare coverage for illegal aliens?
- Does federal taxpayer money currently provide healthcare services to illegal aliens?
The answer to all three questions is “yes”.
In his mendacious rants, Scarborough specifically says that “no one” is proposing that illegal aliens should receive taxpayer funded healthcare. Really, Joe? That is simply partisan BS, he claims. But, we know that Democrats favor extending federal taxpayer money to cover illegal aliens enrolling in Medicare, Medicaid and Obamacare because … they say so.
- Senator Bernie Sanders said, “When I talk about healthcare being a human right, that applies to all people regardless of immigration status.”
- In their 2020 election campaign both Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Kamala Harris said that their healthcare proposals would cover undocumented immigrants. Warren said, “Healthcare is a basic human right, and we fight for basic human rights. That means we fight for healthcare for everyone.”
- Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has stated that undocumented immigrants should be included in any Democrat healthcare plan: “We should care for everyone. Period.”
- Congresswoman Maxine Waters recently responded, “Democrats are demanding healthcare for everybody,” when asked about undocumented migrants.
- In the 2020 Democrat Presidential debate, the 10 contenders were asked to raise their hand if their healthcare plan offered free federal healthcare services to illegal aliens – and they all raised their hands. They were Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, California Senator Kamala Harris, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet. California Congressman Eric Swalwell, Author Marianne Williamson, millionaire businessman Andrew Yang and former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper.
And those are just the most prominent advocates.
Yes, providing Medicare, Medicaid and Obamacare coverage for illegal aliens has been – and is — a mainstay of Democratic Party policy. “Universal healthcare” and “healthcare for everyone” have been a rallying cry from Democrats for decades. It has been enshrined in Democratic Party platforms. Although it was not specifically stated in the 2024 platform, Presidential candidate Kamala Harris defined the party’s position when she specifically said it includes coverage for illegal aliens.
The Democrat position on universal healthcare coverage – with no exceptions — was seen in a bill introduced by Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. The Medicare for All Act, supported by Senator Sanders, proposes a universal healthcare system that would cover all U.S. residents –including illegal aliens”.
So now we know that Democrats want to provide healthcare coverage for illegal aliens despite their recent denials – and they have in the past and would again if they could. Their only barriers are Republican opposition and public disfavor.
The next question is: Are taxpayers currently paying for health services for illegal aliens? And is it due to Democrat policies? The answers are “yes” and “yes”. The blue state of California has Medi-Cal that provides state-funded (read that as taxpayer-funded) healthcare for illegal aliens. Illinois has its Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program – including illegal aliens. New York is planning to expand its Essential Plan to include illegal aliens. Other Democrat controlled states are considering similar measures.
Illegal aliens are also entitled to emergency room services – significantly funded by federal and state taxpayers. This has led to an explosion of admissions since many illegal aliens are using emergency rooms for dubious or non-emergency services. Basically, using emergency rooms for general healthcare services.
Of course, none of that involves federal taxpayer money. Right? Wrong!! A healthy portion of those state-based medical services are funded by block grants from Uncle Sam. More than $65 billion flow from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to underwrite state health programs –and much of it is applied to state-based medical services received by … illegal aliens.
Some will argue that the amount paid to underwrite the healthcare services is a small portion of overall government spending on healthcare – but it is still billions of dollars — and enough to refute Democrats’ claims that they do not favor using taxpayer money for illegal alien healthcare. That is also consistent with all the other benefits Democrats have bestowed on illegal aliens in order to entice them to cross the border.
So, to be clear … the healthcare legislation being proposed by Democrats in the battle over the government shutdown does open the door of healthcare coverage for illegal aliens. It is not wrong to say the Democrats favor such legislation … have enacted such legislation in the past … are already providing federal taxpayer paid healthcare services to illegal aliens … and are continuing to pursue that objective at both the state and federal levels.
If there is any lying going on about healthcare for illegal aliens, it is coming from Democrats. Unfortunately, they have the benefit of lying media folks, like Scarborough, to give them false credibility.
So, there ‘tis.
AI seems to say Horist is the liar in all this: “Despite recent political claims, undocumented immigrants were already barred from accessing federal programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare before President Biden took office. The Biden administration’s policies maintained this pre-existing federal law rather than establishing a new ban.
Key facts about undocumented immigrants and federal healthcare:
Federal law excludes undocumented immigrants. Since the 1996 welfare law, federal law has prohibited undocumented immigrants from enrolling in most federal benefit programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces.
Emergency Medicaid is the main exception. The one significant exception is Emergency Medicaid, which reimburses hospitals for emergency care provided to patients who are otherwise eligible for Medicaid based on income but are ineligible due to their immigration status. This is not the same as full health coverage.
Some states offer state-funded programs. Some states use their own funds to provide health coverage to certain immigrant populations, sometimes including undocumented children or adults. Eligibility for these state-level programs varies widely.
Context for recent discussions
Current political debate has focused on accusations about immigrant healthcare during government funding negotiations. In particular, some Republicans have misrepresented Democrats’ efforts to restore healthcare access for certain lawfully present immigrants as an attempt to provide free healthcare for undocumented individuals.
Changes under the Trump administration: The Trump administration enacted a law in July 2025 (H.R. 1) that cut funding for several healthcare programs and restricted coverage for some lawfully present immigrants.
Democrats’ response: Democrats sought to roll back some of those cuts and reverse eligibility restrictions for lawfully present immigrants, but their proposal did not extend federal benefits to undocumented individuals.
Accusations of misinformation: Fact-checkers and media outlets have noted that claims alleging Democrats are trying to give healthcare to “illegal aliens” are misleading, as federal law on the matter has not been challenged by Democrats.”
Something seems wrong here that Hoirst and AI are in such disagreement. Isn’t it pretty hard to get this stuff without a social security number and government ID?
R.I.P. Frank Danger. In this response, we see that the person behind the screen name “Frank Danger” no longer exists. AI appears to have assumed the name Frank Danger and the human brain that was once behind the pseudonym. The person behind Frank Danger is now an intellectual empty vessel. We now hear from “AI aka Frank Danger”. LOL Memo to the person behind Frank Danger: You learned how to manipulate AI. Good for you.
I seem to remember you, Joe, maybe others, rejoicing as you tested AI on a few stories. It’s just information to be viewed, perhaps the same way I view your right-wing blogosphere rags.
And I am pretty sure you will respond why your doing it is OK, but when I do it, it’s wrong.
I dream of a day when we can be “friends with differences.” I don’t see it on the horizon though.
Dunger you’re spinning and lying It’s been proven that illegal wetbacks have received free health care and prepaid debit cards. So don’t piss on our heads and say it’s raining. That’s why you’re called Dunger. You talk too much shit. Am I wrong? Prove it. Dunger.
Frank Danger…. Just ran across this. https://www.facebook.com/reel/3283262255178081 Democrats are telling a HUGE lie. And the fact that you can solicit one-side information — even inaccurate information — from AI is not news. There is a difference between seeking the truth and seeking support of a predetermined position. You engage int the latter.
Man saves dogs? What does that prove.
Nothing was inaccurate in the AI review. All true. And no dogs being saved either.
Or if you were believing the Press Secretary, any Press Secretary, any party, you are forgetting your own stories about how they lie, spin, whatever. But hey, there is a difference between seeking the truth and seeking support for Trump to support your predetermined position. You live the latter, always have, it was your job, you got paid to do it.
I am a free man, a businessman, and I NEVER got paid for my politics, or, in your case, politricks.
SO, feel free to try again to prove the AI wrong on the facts, with facts, and not some Trump talking head who would sell her own mother for the man who would be King: the Felon, Sex Abusing, King. This one was weak.
Better yet, don’t respond at all. Tis better it tis that way.
Larry like Trump uses the same idiot ideology, that if you say something is a lie often enough and widely enough the lie will be normalized in the political culture. Spreading lies which beget conspiracy theories, which reinforce propaganda has been Trump’s MO from his beginning with his initiating transactional relationship dealings while still in Junior High School. Trump has made a dubious science out of bold face prevarication and a cottage industry dedicate to fact checking his assertions. So, that Trump’s lies make up the sum total in his messaging. It is he, Trump who is the embodiment of and the quintessential poster child for Larry’s idea of mendacious.
Trump yells his proclamations over the media’s audio and visual like a person gone mad. If it works for audiences that lies ingrained in Trump’s following with repetition, then if he adds volume to his mendacity then the greater will be his supporters’ belief and less likely will be fact checking the content of his so called speeches. When he stands behind a lectern and launches into his usual talking points, which are always the same in untethered messaging and more a recitation of grievances most have heard him lament about before. Because his tangle of incomplete thoughts, unfinished sentences, and general chaos going in in his head, by any standard what people watching is not a real speech. What he has accomplished by behaving badly in the way the defines Trump”s incomitance in the Commander and Chief job. but, he is consistent in practice. Each day in his current term is another opportunity for embarrassment doing what he believes is the best job with greater accomplishments in office during his first nine months than anyother president had managed to do their e entire time occupying the White House. His saying that is to further embarrass himself, out nation, and spectacularly embarrassing the MAGA people’s party and its mother party, the GOP.
Larry, speaking of the personal character described in this article and reference made to Joe from “Morning Joe’. That in a word is is evidence of mendacity prime on your character. As you use the objectionable term in your characterization of Joe, you reveal you prejudice and jealousy of Joe and his lucrative success on network TV and carried on YouTube. you have never claimed objectivity having a presence in you opinion commentaries published on PBP. Therefore, it fair to presume political bias that carries considerable prejudice that favors the political right wing perspective and persons who advocate for your perspective. Assuming People are their politics and it’s their politics that is their primary driver for assessing another persons worth and whether relating with that person will be objective and apolitical or subjective in making a negative presumptive judgement. How you choose to relate to others goes to quality of character. Trump’s go to MO for his 79 years has be relating to all others on a transactional basis Which, when we say “cut to the chase” we mean Trump values a quick resolution for his question “what’s in it for me, D.J. Trump, POTUS, You Larry present as a bottom line focused surveyor of opportunities. Which is not am altogether nonpositive approach when weighing choices between business opportunities. However much you prefer the sceptics route when navigating person to person relationships, that pattern adhered to has a cost to benefit equation at every turn.
You and Trump share quite a number of opinion characteristics commonly associate with political preference orientation, ridged subjective assessment of other persons where identify political stripe is essential and determined by obeying party rules, others who don’t understand rules are necessary will be summarily dismissed if not hit with character assassination like personal abuse
the present state politics is faced with has the Republican Party in the majority and its members in a wrestling match to determine who has the controls that determine and direct power in governing. it’s not obvious who and where power in this government is and will be directed from. what is more clear by the day is that the Republicans’ in the administration, particularly those unelected Trump appointees are bent on demolishing this country’s democratic republic form of government. If that is not apparent to the whole country by now those who are not admitting they see what’s happening and can’t think democracy is in peril on Trump”s watch, then they are not listening to the drum beat that Trump and his minions are pounding out.
AC, spot on and great to see “mendacious” used so aptly.
Fact is, I printed a long AI piece a the top here with many facts PROVING Larry lies. His retort is that it was AI so disregard it and all the facts presented proving he lies. Wasn’t me, it was AI. I just asked the question.
I say it’s not AI, it’s LH that should be disregarded.
FYI: his book on Amazon is marked down from $24.99 to $6.99 for the Kindle version; if you wait a bit more, he might pay you to read it. The people have spoken, with zero reader reviews on Amazon.