The moment resurfaced on social media amid a heated government shutdown debate in Congress over healthcare. (Credit: NBC News) As the federal government shutdown continues, a clip from the 2020 Democratic presidential primary went viral when the candidates were asked if they support providing healthcare to those in the country illegally. "Is JD Vance a liar or just woefully ignorant when claiming that Democrats want to give health benefits to undocumented immigrants?" former Democratic Minnesota Sen. Al Franken posted to X on Wednesday, which led to the clip being posted in the comments by one user. "Raise your hand if your government plan would provide coverage for undocumented immigrants," NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie asked while moderating the June 2019 debate followed by all ten Democrats on stage raising their hands. JOHNSON SAYS DEMOCRATs LYING ABOUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS GETTING HEALTHCARE Before he entered politics, Al Franken was a performer on "Saturday Night Live" for a decade. (R. Diamond/Getty Images) Franken’s post triggered a range of responses, including from conservatives. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE "You should stick to intimate photography," GOP communicator Matt Whitlock posted on X, referring to the disgraced ex-senator’s scandal that included a photo of him smiling while posing and groping Leeann Tweeden, who was sleeping in the photo. DEMS IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER OBAMACARE’S SPIKING PREMIUM COSTS TORPEDO THEIR NARRATIVE "Why don’t we let Democrats answer that?" Heritage Action posted the debate clip. Democratic presidential candidates debate each other on NBC News in June 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) The clip, which included multiple current members of Congress like Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. and Sen Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., also garnered the attention of billionaire Elon Musk , who posted "lol" in response to the debate video, which means "laugh out loud." Part of the ongoing government shutdown debate centers on subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, which would lead to a rise in premiums that opponents say prove that the program is unsustainable. Illegal immigrants are unable to get insurance on the ACA marketplace, but Emergency Medicaid is covered as well as several states that use state taxpayer dollars for illegal immigrants to enroll in Medicaid. SPEAKER JOHNSON, ABC’’S STEPHANOPOULOS CLASH OVER GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS GETTING HEALTHCARE Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks as U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) looks on during a press conference on the first day of a partial government shutdown, at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, D.C., Oct. 1, 2025. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) However, California was once the subject of a federal audit where they were recommended to refund over $52.7 million in "improperly claimed" medical costs for those with "unsatisfactory immigration status." "Democrats are now trying to run away from their RIDICULOUS $1.5 Trilillion big government spending bill — now that Americans are learning what’s in it," House Speaker Mike Johnson posted to X on Thursday. "Some Democrats now claim they don’t want illegal immigrants on Medicaid — but their previous votes, and the ACTUAL LANGUAGE of their current bill, say otherwise." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP However, some Democrats have also criticized Republicans for bringing up state-based Medicaid programs that offer coverage to illegal immigrants. "This isn’t funded by the Federal Government or ACA Tax credits. [The Vice President] is lying again. However if he wants to tell the GOP to write a bill to exclude illegal immigrants from buying on the market and restore ACA tax credits to 24 million Americans, I would be game," Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizo., said in response to a post from Vice President JD Vance, which included a screenshot showing New York’s public health insurance coverage for "undocumented immigrants over age 65." As of Thursday afternoon, it’s unclear when the shutdown will end. Cameron Arcand is a politics writer at Fox News Digital in Washington D.C. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @cameron_arcand

The ongoing government shutdown debate primarily revolves around federal subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a program that has faced criticism due to rising premium costs. A key point of contention is whether undocumented immigrants, who are ineligible for ACA coverage through the standard marketplace, should be entitled to healthcare benefits. Emergency Medicaid, along with state-funded programs in certain states, do provide coverage to undocumented immigrants. Republicans argue that Democrats are misleading the public by falsely claiming they oppose providing healthcare to undocumented immigrants, citing past votes and the language of current legislation. Conversely, Democrats contend that the Republicans' focus on state-based Medicaid programs is a tactic to obscure the true cost of the shutdown and the potential impact on ACA subsidies.