Vice President J.D. Vance on Tuesday accused Democrats of using what he called a “sleight of hand” tactic during ongoing budget talks — claiming their push to reopen the government is secretly tied to restoring taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants.
In a video message posted on X, Vance argued Democrats were misleading the public by denying that the current shutdown is linked to noncitizen healthcare. “You can look at the legislative text,” he said. “There are two clear ways Democrats are demanding taxpayer money go toward healthcare for illegal aliens.”
Vance pointed first to a Biden-era reimbursement program that paid hospitals for treating undocumented immigrants. He said that policy, ended under Trump’s administration, is one Democrats now want reinstated — at a potential cost of “hundreds of billions of dollars.”
“That’s bad for Americans who need those services,” Vance said. “And it’s bad for taxpayers who don’t want to foot the bill.”
He also criticized the Biden administration’s parole programs, which allowed large numbers of migrants into the country under “parolee” status, making them eligible for publicly funded benefits. “We turned that off,” Vance said. “Democrats want to switch it back on.”
According to Vance, Democrats are holding up government funding — including paychecks for U.S. troops — until Trump agrees to restore these programs. “It’s not just bad policy,” he said. “We are not going to negotiate while being held hostage.”
The vice president urged Democrats to support the Republican-backed continuing resolution that would reopen the government without the disputed provisions. “Turn the government back on, and then we can debate health policy,” he said.
The issue came into sharper focus when CNN’s Jake Tapper pressed House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) about the language in Democrats’ proposal. Jeffries denied Republicans’ accusations, calling them “a lie,” but Tapper pointed to sections restoring emergency Medicaid payments to hospitals treating undocumented immigrants and extending coverage to asylum seekers and those with Temporary Protected Status.
“Why include that?” Tapper asked. Jeffries did not directly respond.
Republicans maintain that funding for illegal immigrant healthcare is explicitly written into the Democrats’ proposal. “It’s in black and white,” Vance emphasized. “This isn’t a talking point — it’s in the bill.”
Vance also questioned Democrats’ timing. “That program doesn’t even expire until next year,” he said. “So why force a government shutdown now over something that isn’t urgent?”
The White House and GOP leadership say they remain open to discussing healthcare policy separately, but insist Democrats must first pass a “clean” funding measure.
Now in its first week, the standoff has forced federal agencies to prepare for furloughs, leaving ICE agents and other essential law enforcement personnel working without pay.
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