The Trump White House has a simple — and dishonest — explanation for why the government is shut down: Democrats are demanding free health care for undocumented immigrants.
Senate Democrats have “shut down the government,” said Vice President JD Vance during a White House briefing on Thursday, “because we won’t give billions of dollars to health care funding for illegal aliens.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson put out a statement with the wordy title, “Democrats are Choosing Health Care for Illegal Aliens over American Troop Pay, Nutritional Assistance for Women, Infants, and Children.”
Denying emergency care to someone with a life-threatening condition, simply because they are an “illegal alien” — or for any reason — is morally abhorrent.
In a bizarre and bigoted AI video posted on Trump’s X and Truth Social feeds — and since boosted by the White House’s X account — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is shown wearing a sombrero and a mustache. Next to him is Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who, in a fake voice, says everyone hates Democrats and that’s why the party wants to give undocumented immigrants free health care, so “they can vote for us.”
Of course, none of this is true. But it’s par for the course with this White House.
Since Donald Trump took office in January, his administration has employed one dehumanizing and racist attack after another against undocumented immigrants. They have called immigrants an invading force, depicted them as bloodthirsty criminals and described them in terms that cross the line into dehumanization.
As Johnson and Vance are undoubtedly aware, undocumented immigrants cannot purchase federal health insurance plans. They’re not eligible for Medicaid, and they are prohibited from purchasing subsidized health care coverage via Obamacare.
In reality, Democrats are pushing to extend Obamacare tax credits that are set to expire at the end of the year and also roll back Medicaid cuts that were included in the Republican tax cut bill, enacted in July. But not only has the White House continued to make these false claims, Vance’s comments on Thursday went a step further, far beyond the pale.
According to Vance, “If you’re an American citizen and you’ve been to the hospital in the last few years, you’ve probably noticed that wait times are especially large and very often somebody who’s there in the ER is an illegal alien. Why do those people get health care benefits at hospitals paid for by American citizens?”
Most Americans could answer this question rather easily.
Denying emergency care to someone with a life-threatening condition, simply because they are an “illegal alien” — or for any reason — is morally abhorrent.
Vance also ridiculed Democratic claims that they aren’t looking to cover undocumented immigrants by pointing to a program in New York state to allow undocumented immigrants over the age of 65 to purchase health insurance. Never mind that this is a program paid for with state, not federal dollars, but what kind of a person — particularly one who calls themselves a pro-life Catholic — opposes letting senior citizens buy health insurance?
Vance is not alone in his inhumanity. When asked if emergency rooms should check immigration status before treating a dying patient, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, “That’s a question for health care professionals and legal experts to answer.”
To be clear, there is a very specific legal answer — and quite obvious moral response — to the question posed to Leavitt.
Hospitals are required by law to provide lifesaving care to anyone who enters an emergency room. It’s a provision of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, which was signed into law by the original “Make America Great Again” Republican president, Ronald Reagan, in 1986.
The Medicaid program reimburses hospitals that provide emergency care. This is not health care coverage for “illegal aliens.” Instead, it is meant to defray the costs of providing care for anyone who enters the ER, whether they are undocumented migrants or Americans without health insurance. The repeated dehumanization of undocumented immigrants is a stain not just on the White House but on America. But forget the law. Leavitt also calls herself a devout Catholic and often leads the White House press team in a daily prayer. The key constituency of Donald Trump is evangelical, “pro-life” Christians. One might expect both to support the preservation of life above all else. But as is so often the case with those who work for this White House — and many who support it — crude, cynical and heartless politics trumps all else. You don’t have to take my word for it. Consider, for example, the words of Pope Leo XIV. Earlier this week, he was asked about the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago’s decision to present a lifetime achievement award to Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin (Pope Leo is originally from Illinois). The Archdiocese’s move has sparked controversy because Durbin supports abortion rights and, of course, the Catholic Church is adamantly opposed to abortion. According to Leo, “Someone who says ‘I’m against abortion’ but says ‘I’m in favor of the death penalty’ is not really pro-life. So, someone who says that ‘I’m against abortion, but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants who are in the United States,’ I don’t know if that’s pro-life.” Imagine if someone asked Leo about the pro-life bona fides of someone who questions providing potentially lifesaving health care. Not surprisingly, Leavitt pushed back on the pope’s comments, saying she rejects the idea that “illegal immigrants” are receiving “inhumane treatment … under this administration.” But when members of the Trump administration are complaining that “illegal aliens” are receiving lifesaving emergency care or using the bogeyman of undocumented immigrants receiving health care coverage as a cynical political talking point, the inhumanity is evident to all. Americans do not see eye to eye on immigration. Plenty of Americans share my view that immigration — even illegal immigration — is a net positive for America, both economically and culturally. We vehemently disagree with those who take a hard line on deporting undocumented immigrants, but it’s not an unreasonable position. One can look at the same issue and fail to see eye to eye. But what shouldn’t be in disagreement is that the millions of undocumented migrants who reside in the United States deserve a modicum of respect and basic humanity. They are not less human simply because of their legal status. However, that is precisely the position taken by the Trump administration and its supporters. The repeated dehumanization of undocumented immigrants, which has become so routine that it is hardly even remarkable anymore, is a stain not just on the White House but on America. We can and should be better than this.
Michael A. Cohen is a political writer and a fellow with the Eurasia Group Foundation. 
