CNN anchor Boris Sanchez pushed back on Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) with a fact-check over the government shutdown and claims by Republicans that Democrats want to fund healthcare for illegal immigrants.
CNN anchor Boris Sanchez pushed back on Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) with a fact-check as Republicans repeat a false claim that Democrats want health insurance for undocumented immigrants, with Fine proclaiming "it's not nuanced at all" amid the ongoing government shutdown.
"I do want to ask you specifically about that claim that we've heard from many Republicans that Democrats want to provide free healthcare to undocumented immigrants," Sanchez said.
"It's much more nuanced than that, isn't it? Because a lot of folks that are being, that are currently ineligible, that Democrats are arguing should be eligible, are here lawfully, at least presently? A lot of these folks are asylum seekers. They've applied for asylum in the United States. The refugees or their DACA recipients. So it's not as though many of them don't actually have permission to be in the country. Right?" Sanchez asked.
Fine bristled — and doubled down.
"It's not nuanced at all," Fine said in response. "Inpreparation for this interview,I went on my X feed... and I put examples from New York, North Carolina and Rhode Island, whereunquestionably illegalimmigrants — not DACA people,not refugees, illegal immigrants — are told that they can get Medicaid. It is happening. It isnot right. And the Democratproposal to stop the shutdownrequires us to let theseillegals get Medicaid, and we'renot going to be held hostage forthat. We should be focused on Americans, not on illegalimmigrants."
Sanchez again tried to correct the congressional leader and give him another chance to correct the misinformation.
"I believe their proposalspeaks to those who are lawfullypresent in the country," Sanchez responded. "Again,people seeking asylum, DACArecipients, refugees. So it isnot necessarily a full blanketproposal for undocumentedimmigrants, isn't there somemisdirection that's going on,some conflation between folksthat don't have permission to bethere, and folks that theadministration may argue camehere via a program that the lastadministration installed thatthey see as illegal but arestill nevertheless holding someform of permission to be here."
And again, Fine did not explain the difference, continuing the ongoing Republican talking point.
"No, our bill that we passedthe Working Families Tax Cutsaid the kinds of programs thatI've featured on my feed from New York, Rhode Island, NorthCarolina cannot continue whereunquestionable illegalimmigrants are told they can get Medicaid. This is not true. Andthe Democrats' proposal says 'no,no, no, let's back that up' sothat they can get it. It isclear."
Fine tried to argue that Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) wants undocumented immigrants to have Medicaid.
"We're not OK withthat," he said. "And the bottom line is Democrats should not be holding Americans hostage in order toget free healthcare for illegalimmigrants. Reopen thegovernment. If you want to argueabout it. Over the next sevenweeks, do it. But stop holdingeverybody hostage over thesedemands."