WASHINGTON, DC – September 30, 2025: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) delivered remarks alongside fellow House Democratic leaders and members during a rally on the House Steps on Capitol Hill. The gathering was part of Democrats’ demand that Congressional Republicans negotiate on spending to avoid a federal government shutdown. (Photo by Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post)
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The federal government officially shut down early Wednesday following an acrimonious deadlock in Congress over spending. Democrats have sought to spotlight health care subsidies and eligibility issues as key sticking points.
Senate Democrats rejected a Republican-led proposal that would have extended funding at current levels until November 21, voting largely along party lines. This shutdown marks the first since January 2019, during the Trump administration.
Democrats stated they could not support the GOP-led funding extension unless Republicans agreed to certain concessions on health care policy — primarily the continuation of pandemic-era Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.
Republicans countered these demands by falsely claiming Democrats were trying to force the government to provide full health care benefits to undocumented immigrants.
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### Background: Trump’s Impact on Health Care Law
In July, former President Donald Trump signed a sweeping tax and immigration bill that rolled back significant portions of the ACA, popularly known as Obamacare. Democrats have pushed for at least some of those cuts to be reversed.
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### What Do Democrats Want in the Shutdown?
House and Senate Democrats argue that Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” will increase health care costs for Americans. They aim to leverage their position, especially in the Senate, to secure changes that provide relief to those affected.
In a Monday meeting with Trump, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) presented key requests, including:
– Extending subsidies for individuals insured through the ACA marketplace, which have been in place since the pandemic.
– Securing a White House guarantee not to unilaterally cut health care funding in the future.
The White House indicated Republicans are willing to negotiate on extending ACA subsidies only after the government reopens.
Within the GOP, moderates have pushed for subsidy extensions, but more conservative members have vowed to block them, creating a split in the party.
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### Consequences of Not Extending ACA Subsidies
The impact of allowing these enhanced tax credits to expire is expected to be significant. According to an analysis by the health policy group KFF:
– ACA marketplace consumers’ out-of-pocket premiums would increase by more than 75% on average.
– Insurers are proposing a median premium increase of about 18% for 2026 — more than double last year’s median increase of 7%.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that without an extension of ACA subsidies, approximately 4 million people could lose their insurance coverage over the next decade.
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### What Do Republicans Say About Health Care for Undocumented Immigrants?
Republican leaders have repeatedly and falsely claimed that Democrats want the government to provide full health care benefits to undocumented immigrants.
President Trump stated last week on Truth Social:
*”The Democrats want Illegal Aliens, many of them VIOLENT CRIMINALS, to receive FREE Healthcare. We cannot let this happen!”*
Vice President JD Vance echoed this on X (formerly Twitter) on September 25, saying:
*”Democrats are about to shut down the government because they demand we fund health care for illegal aliens.”*
The Senate Republicans’ official X account posted an illustration resembling a ransom note, listing “Democrat Demands,” including “Give illegal aliens free healthcare.”
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### Are Undocumented Immigrants Eligible for Federally Funded Health Care?
According to HealthCare.gov, undocumented immigrants and many legal immigrants are already ineligible for most federal benefits. Eligible individuals include U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and lawfully present immigrants.
The website clarifies:
*”Undocumented immigrants can’t get Marketplace health coverage. They may apply for coverage on behalf of documented individuals.”*
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### Why Do Republicans Say Democrats Want $1.5 Trillion in Spending?
Last month, Democrats introduced their own government funding extension plan ahead of the shutdown deadline. In announcing the plan, Schumer stated:
*”The legislation would address the health care crisis that President Trump and Republican lawmakers have single-handedly created by reversing the catastrophic healthcare cuts that would kick millions off their coverage and permanently extend the premium ACA tax credits.”*
The Democrats’ proposal seeks to make ACA subsidies permanent and reverse $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts included in Trump’s bill.
A Congressional Budget Office analysis concluded that making ACA subsidies permanent would:
– Increase the deficit by nearly $350 billion over the next decade.
– Increase the number of insured individuals by 3.8 million.
Republicans criticized the Democrats’ proposal, which also includes increased oversight of administration spending and funding for public broadcasting, dubbing it a “$1.5 trillion ransom note to taxpayers.” They also accused Democrats of deliberately causing the shutdown.
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