I came to America nearly 14 years ago and, as an immigrant, I feel that I owe America and have never forgotten that I am a guest in this country. America was built on the idea of freedom and fair play and the idea that if you put in a hard day’s work you can do anything.
That is why I am so shocked that the Democrats are putting illegal immigrants above American taxpayers and above immigrants like me who came here legally and played by the rules.
This latest government shutdown isn’t about Social Security checks or national parks. It’s about illegal immigration and whether hardworking American taxpayers should be forced to fund it.
Medi-Cal is a federal program. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic legislators expanded it to cover illegal immigrants, ballooning costs by more than $6 billion this year alone.
When Republicans refused to write another blank check, Democrats turned to Washington, demanding more federal dollars.
This wasn’t a surprise. Newsom once called it a “small price to pay” at $3 billion. Then it was $3.4 billion more. Then $2.8 billion more. It never ends. New York, California and Oregon have all announced health care programs for undocumented immigrants, and they rely heavily on federal money to make it work.
How? Simple. Federal dollars go in, states move their own dollars to fund illegal programs, and the federal money fills the gap. Money is fungible. Infrastructure meant for citizens is repurposed to provide health care to those here illegally, and enforcement against fraud is practically nonexistent.
For years, the federal government reimbursed states at 90% for emergency care for illegal immigrants. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill, that loophole was narrowed and strict verification measures were put in place.
Democrats now want to bring the old system back — and more.
When Republicans said “No,” Democrats responded by shutting the government down.
They didn’t shut it down to protect Social Security. They didn’t shut it down to fund veterans. They shut it down because they want more taxpayer dollars to fund illegal immigrant health care.
House Speaker Mike Johnson exposed the math: $192.8 billion in taxpayer funds Democrats want to funnel into benefits for illegal immigrants. And when reporters confronted the White House, the press secretary didn’t deny it — she doubled down.
The Biden administration already granted parole and asylum to millions of illegal immigrants, unlocking access to Obamacare subsidies and Affordable Care Act tax credits. Even then-Vice President Kamala Harris admitted it’s a “sleight of hand.”
The OBBB explicitly barred taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants. But Sen. Chuck Schumer pushed to strip those protections as part of the Democrats’ continuing resolution. They tried to sneak in spending provisions to undo enforcement and restore benefits for non-citizens.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer said it best:
“What’s behind the shutdown is you have a scared old man that’s afraid of losing his leadership position — Chuck Schumer. This has nothing to do with health care. It has to do, again, with Chuck Schumer and Democrats’ misguided priorities that put illegals ahead of taxpaying American citizens.”
Emmer revealed that Schumer’s alternative funding proposal would have put 1.4 million illegal immigrants back on Medicaid, undoing the verification rules Republicans put in place.
“We put those tools in the Working Families Tax Cut Act — the Big, Beautiful Bill. The CBO estimated that it would kick 1.4 million illegals off Medicaid. And Schumer wants to reverse it,” Emmer said.
In 2019, every Democrat presidential candidate raised their hand in support of health care for illegal immigrants. Today, they’ve escalated that position to shutting down the government to protect it.
This is not compassion; it’s misplaced priorities. It is about the Democrats running scared of their lunatic communist base. Democrats can spin the shutdown however they like. The truth is simple: They shut down the government because Republicans refused to fund illegal immigration.
This fight is about protecting the American taxpayer, upholding the law, and stopping the endless flow of federal dollars into illegal programs. It isn’t about healthcare. It’s about sovereignty. It’s about law. And it’s about standing up for the people who built, pay for, and live in this country.
Saying Farewell
This is my last column for The Signal. I want to thank you all for reading and for the many kind messages of support that I have received. If I can leave you all with one final thought, it is this:
We must always protect the American Dream. Where you work hard, play by the rules, and can do anything you put your mind to. We must fight for freedom and reject socialism, which hides behind “fairness” but is a pernicious disease, designed to strip you of the very freedoms America is famous for.
Neil Fitzgerald is an international nonprofit leader having served in the U.S., U.K. and globally for various nonprofit and charity boards. He served as a conservative council member in the U.K. and as a campaign manager. “Right Here, Right Now” appears on Saturdays and rotates among local Republicans.
