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Democratic Representative Maxine Waters seemed to acknowledge that her party was halting government operations to ensure healthcare for undocumented immigrants.
In a heated discussion, the California congresswoman strongly criticized the reasons behind her party’s decision to obstruct a Republican-backed funding proposal, which led to a federal shutdown at 12:01 am on Wednesday.
A reporter asked her on Tuesday: ‘Are Democrats demanding healthcare for illegal aliens?’
Waters stated: ‘Democrats are pushing for universal health care. Our goal is to preserve lives and ensure that healthcare is accessible to those in dire need, with the government’s support.’
The clash was seized on by Donald Trump, who wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday: ‘Maxine Waters admitted that she is demanding Healthcare for Illegal Aliens, and it’s going to be Top of the Line, taking American Taxpayers’ Healthcare away from them.’
The Democrats’ proposals do not provide new federal health benefits to people living in the U.S. illegally. Party leaders are seeking to restore the previous eligibility for certain legal immigrants and non-citizens—such as DACA recipients, refugees, and asylum-seekers—which were curtailed by Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill.
One Democratic provision that provides emergency funding to hospitals is money that could be allocated to undocumented immigrants, some argue.
Republicans supported a short-term measure to fund the government generally at current levels through November 21 but Democrats blocked it, insisting the measure address their concerns on health care.
TV reporter Alison Steinberg asked California Democrat Maxine Waters if her party’s demands to keep the government prioritized the needs of illegal migrants over those of US citizens
Steinberg, who works for the right-wing Lindell TV network, was branded ‘divisive’ by Waters
They want to reverse the Medicaid cuts in President Trump’s package of tax breaks and spending reductions from the summer.
Democrats also want to extend tax credits that make health insurance premiums more accessible for millions of people who purchase through marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act.
Hours before the shutdown on Wednesday, Alison Steinberg, reporter for the right-wing Lindell TV network, was grilling Waters outside Congress.
‘Do Democrats want to prioritize the health care of illegal aliens over a government shutdown?’ Steinberg asked. ‘Because if the government does shut down, American workers will be furloughed.’
‘Excuse me. Stop it right there,’ Waters interjected. ‘We’re not prioritizing. What we’re doing is saying simply we want to keep the government open, and we want to work with the Republicans and have a bipartisan agreement to keep this government open, and health care is at the top of our agenda.’
‘So you’re good with the government shutdown, even if it means giving healthcare to people who aren’t Americans?’ Steinberg pressed Waters.
‘Well, you keep, that’s what you’re pushing on. What you’re trying to do is you’re standing here and you’re trying to make me say that somehow we’re going to put non-citizens over Americans. Quit it. Stop it. This is the kind of journalism we don’t need,’ Waters jabbed back.
‘You’re divisive. No, you’re not. You’re being divisive. No. Please. You don’t need to ask that question,’ Waters continued. ‘You’re just trying to get controversy here. You’re not going to get it from me. We want to save health care for all people,’ the California Democrat concluded.
Trump signaled Thursday that he plans to follow through on his threat for mass layoffs of federal workers as he ratcheted pressure on Democrats.
The president announced he would meet budget chief Russell Vought ‘to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent.’
Some 80 migrants from Guatemala are deported to their country with a United States military plane at the Fort Bliss facility in El Paso, Texas on January 30, 2025
Vice-President JD Vance with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at the White House on Wednesday
Trump’s announcement on his Truth Social platform came with the government entering the second day of a stoppage that is expected to see 750,000 employees being sent home without pay across a wide range of agencies.
Vought told House Republicans on Wednesday many of those workers would be targeted for permanent layoffs to be announced in the next day or two, echoing Trump spokesman Karoline Leavitt’s threat that firings were ‘imminent.’
Trump has emphasized that he views cutbacks as a way of increasing pain on Democrats, arguing that ‘we can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them. Like cutting vast numbers of people out.’
The administration has also announced that it is pausing $18million in federal funding for infrastructure projects in heavily Democratic New York City, citing concerns about diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
But the messaging on layoffs has been mixed, with Vice-President JD Vance on Wednesday portraying workforce reductions as a necessary evil that the administration would rather avoid.
Vance told reporters federal agencies were not being targeted based on politics, but added: ‘Let’s be honest – if this thing drags on for another few days or, God forbid, another few weeks, we are going to have to lay people off.’
Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his House of Representatives counterpart Hakeem Jeffries have dismissed the threat as an attempt at intimidation and said mass firings would not stand up in court.
Three Senate Democrats have broken with their colleagues but the rest have been voting against a House-passed resolution to keep the government funded.
The Senate is not voting on Thursday because of the Jewish Yom Kippur holiday, but another vote is expected on Friday and on most days until the standoff is resolved.
For now, Democrats are dug in on their demands for extending healthcare subsidies before they will agree to a funding deal.
Five additional Democratic votes would be needed to reach the 60-vote threshold in the 100-member Senate to green-light the House-passed bill.
