Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks is continuing to circulate false claims about the ongoing government shutdown, most notably, the baseless accusation that Democrats are demanding $1.5 trillion for “illegal immigrants.” No version of the current budget negotiations includes such a provision, and under existing law, undocumented immigrants are already barred from receiving these healthcare subsidies.
At the core of the Democratic proposal is a push to extend expiring health care subsidies first expanded under the 2021 COVID relief bill. These subsidies, used by millions of working-class Americans to lower insurance premiums, are set to lapse by the end of the year, potentially triggering rate hikes and coverage losses for as many as 24 million people. Nearly 92% of enrollees on the Affordable Care Act marketplace currently benefit from the enhanced tax credits.
While Miller-Meeks’ messaging misstates the debate, her office did acknowledge the real consequences of the shutdown, highlighting delayed pay for 18,000 federal employees in Iowa, disrupted small business loans totaling $16 million, and over $130 million in weekly economic losses to Iowa alone.
With no deal yet in sight, federal services remain strained, and the risk of deeper impacts grows by the week.
