Dem Senator Jeanne Shaheen Exposed on Live TV After Denying Democrats Want Healthcare for Illegal Immigrants

Democrats are learning the hard way that the internet has a long memory — and this week, Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire was forced into an embarrassing on-air stumble that showcased the credibility crisis now plaguing her party.

While appearing on Fox & Friends Thursday morning, Shaheen attempted to brush off Republican claims that Democrats are keeping the federal government closed in order to secure taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants. But when pressed, her denial collapsed under the weight of her own party’s record.

“I haven’t heard anybody in my party saying that illegal immigrants should get access to the health insurance marketplace,” Shaheen insisted, hoping to distance herself from progressives like Rep. Ilhan Omar and Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Fox host Lawrence Jones wasn’t about to let that claim slide. “I’m so glad you said that,” he told her before airing a montage from the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries.

The footage showed a telling moment: every Democrat on stage — from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg — raised their hands when asked if they supported healthcare coverage for illegal immigrants. At the time, the progressive base cheered. On Thursday, there was only an awkward silence.

“That’s literally every member of your party,” Jones pointed out as the clip ended.

Shaheen fired back, “I beg to disagree with you. I have not said that in the past. In New Hampshire, we do not provide health insurance for illegal immigrants. We have never done that, and you’re just wrong.”

But the damage was done. The clip spoke louder than Shaheen’s denials, and it underscored a reality Democrats are desperate to avoid: they have long courted the far-left by pledging benefits for illegal immigrants, but now that voters are pushing back, they’re scrambling to rewrite history.

A Growing Political Liability

Republicans — including Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson — have hammered home the message that Democrats are prolonging the shutdown over illegal immigrant healthcare. The GOP says Democrats blocked a short-term continuing resolution unless it restored subsidies for undocumented immigrants through emergency Medicaid and “temporary protected status” programs.

Democrats deny it, claiming they only want to protect Affordable Care Act subsidies for low-income Americans. Yet their own record tells a different story.

Back in 2019, then-candidate Joe Biden promised undocumented immigrants “should be able to buy into the system like everyone else.” Bernie Sanders took it even further, proposing taxpayer-funded universal coverage “regardless of immigration status.” These are not fringe voices — these are the party’s leaders.

The American people haven’t forgotten. Polling from Pew and Gallup this summer found that nearly 70% of Americans oppose taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants — including independents and even a sizable share of Democrats. The numbers reveal why Shaheen and her colleagues are suddenly trying to walk back their past positions.

A Party Out of Step With Voters

Even some Democrats admit the strategy is backfiring. Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), who recently voted with Republicans to fund the government, said bluntly that his party is “giving in to far-left groups” and losing credibility with working-class voters.

Conservative commentator Guy Benson summed it up best: “The Democrats are trying to rewrite history. They were for it when it played well with the progressive base. Now that voters are angry about open borders, they’re suddenly pretending they never said any of this.”

For Shaheen, the viral exchange with Jones wasn’t just an awkward moment — it was a flashing warning sign. The Democratic Party’s long trail of public promises is catching up with them, and no amount of denial can erase the video evidence.