The White House doubled down in a new memo on its messaging against the Democrats’ shutdown position and claimed that if the Democrats’ demands are met, nearly $200 billion would flow to healthcare for illegal immigrants.

The memo, first obtained by Fox News Digital, argued that congressional Democrats’ desire to repeal the healthcare title of President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill,’ now dubbed the Working Families Tax Cut Act, could see just over $192 billion in spending on healthcare for illegal immigrants.

‘Democrats are demanding these reforms be repealed as a condition of keeping the government open for four weeks,’ the memo read. ‘This would result in the federal government spending nearly $200 billion on healthcare for illegal immigrants and non-citizens over the next decade — nearly enough to fund the entire Children’s Health Insurance Program over the same period— all while repealing reforms that strengthen care for the most vulnerable Americans.’

Senate Democrats have so far blocked three attempts by Republicans in the upper chamber to pass the House GOP’s short-term funding extension, which would keep the government open until Nov. 21 while lawmakers work to fund the government with appropriations bills.

For now, there is no clear path forward to end the shutdown, which began on midnight Wednesday.

Democrats also have their own plan that Republicans have similarly blocked that would keep the government open until Oct. 31, and it would claw back canceled funding for NPR and PBS and repeal the healthcare section of the president’s signature piece of legislation.

Trump and Republicans have accused Democrats of shutting down the government in a bid to provide healthcare for illegal immigrants, rather than their desire to extend expiring Obamacare tax credits.

‘That is a damn lie,’ Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor. ‘Not $1 of Medicare, Medicaid or [Obamacare] is allowed to go to undocumented immigrants, not a dollar. So why do they keep saying this? This seems to be their theme because they’re afraid to talk about the real issue. It’s typical that the Republican response is to have a diversion, try to scare people emotionally.’

However, the White House lays six provisions within the ‘big, beautiful bill’ that, if repealed, would see funding once again flow to provide healthcare for illegal immigrants.

Among the changes brought on by the megabill are provisions that would end Medicaid funding for most non-citizens, end the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for emergency care for illegal immigrants, end Medicare funding for most non-citizens and end Obamacare funding for most non-citizens.

There are also provisions that close the ‘California loophole,’ which the White House charged other states abused to draw in more funding for illegal immigrants, and a ‘special rule’ that subverts language within Obamacare that prevents most immigrants from receiving Medicaid for five years by allowing immigrants earning below the poverty line to get Obamacare premium subsidies.

‘Democrats’ funding proposal would put American Patients Last by undoing critical [Working Families Tax Cut Act] reforms, thereby spending nearly $200 billion in taxpayer money on healthcare benefits for illegal immigrants and other non-citizens,’ the memo read. 

After living through the Oct. 7 massacre while reporting from southern Israel and covering the war that unfolded in Gaza over the past two years, my takeaway is clear.

Hamas must release the hostages, lay down their arms and end the suffering of the Palestinian people.

In his 20-point peace plan, President Donald Trump has offered the residents of Gaza a future. A path forward. A chance at life. This flame of hope will be quickly extinguished without clear-minded and selfless decision-making by the remnants of Hamas leadership still alive in the aftermath of the conflict.

Regardless of your position on the war, objective observers would agree that this is a fork in the road for the Gaza Strip. Accepting the deal ultimately leads to Gaza being rebuilt, a new moderate government being ushered in and the start of a process that could lead to future discussions about Palestinian statehood. Rejecting the agreement will lead to Israel taking the entirety of the enclave, killing thousands more people and possibly making Gaza’s residents leave for other countries.

Hamas should consider what was being discussed just over six months ago, when both President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were approving a plan to forcefully displace Palestinian civilians from Gaza. The current agreement lets them stay, rebuild and maintain their culture. 

It’s not a perfect plan, but it’s far better than the alternative. Israel has promised to continue with their ground operation against Hamas. The outcome for Hamas will be the same either way. They’ll either be out of power diplomatically or militarily. The latter traps the Palestinian people in the line of fire and could see them pushed from their land for good. 

The suffering of innocent noncombatants in this war must end. That includes the hostages who were forcefully dragged from their homes two years ago. Hamas official Ghazi Hamad said in a recent interview that the hostages are being treated with Islamic principles. Holding civilians against their will in tunnels while refusing them access to the Red Cross is not within the bounds of Islamic principles. The hostages should be immediately released.

In our reporting, I’ve been critical of Israel’s military operation against Gaza due to the mass killing of civilians and widespread destruction in pursuit of a goal that still seems ever fleeting: defeating Hamas, a group built around an ideology, that could be easily rebranded under a new name. 

An estimated 65,000 people have been killed in the Israeli campaign. Israeli officials privately do not disagree with that number, but stress that among the total are thousands of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists. 

Yes, the combatant to civilian ratio is relatively low for recent global conflicts. No, that doesn’t make the deaths of civilians any less notable.

In addition to saving their own people, ensuring the Palestinians maintain traditions on their own land and charting a healthy path forward for the next generation, Hamas would also get amnesty for their own leadership and fighters. They would get to live.

In remarks from President Trump alongside Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, the commander in chief did something very important. He humanized Palestinians and Israelis. He rightly said, ‘There are many Palestinians who wish to live in peace.’ 

Trump also spoke about the families of the hostages, who hold up signs speaking to him, asking for his help to bring their loved ones home. His comments spoke directly to civilian populations who have greatly suffered. 

The Trump peace plan has been praised by countries around the world, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, the United Kingdom, France and Italy. The question now is if it will be accepted by Hamas.

The answer lies in the ability of negotiating countries to convince Hamas of the stark reality. The future of the Palestinian people, the lives of the hostages and control of Gaza are at risk.

Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for the government shutdown, saying Schumer listened to far-left members of the Democratic Party over his fear of a primary challenge from fellow New York lawmaker and progressive ‘Squad’ member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Vance criticized Schumer and congressional Democrats in remarks about the shutdown during a White House press briefing, saying there were ‘a lot of different answers’ about why the Democrats shutdown the government before he laid out the ‘reality.’

‘But the reality here, and let’s be honest about the politics, is that Chuck Schumer is terrified he’s going to get a primary challenge from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,’ Vance said. ‘The reason why the American people’s government is shut down is because Chuck Schumer is listening to the far-left radicals in his own party because he’s terrified of a primary challenge.’

Vance further excoriated Schumer, saying if the shutdown persists, the senator’s wing of the Democratic Party is responsible for the fallout.

‘Our troops are not getting paid starting today because of the Chuck Schumer wing of the Democratic Party,’ the vice president said. ‘We have people who require food assistance, low-income Americans who require food assistance, who will not get it unless we reopen the government, thanks to Chuck Schumer and his wing of the Democratic Party. 

‘We have flood insurance as we start hurricane season in the southeastern part of our country. That flood insurance is going to disappear because of Chuck Schumer and the far left of the Democratic Party.’

Vance reiterated lawmakers’ need to reopen the government, which entered a partial shutdown Wednesday after the midnight funding deadline passed with Democrats and Republicans failing to agree on a funding bill.

Another reason the Democrats forced a shutdown, according to Vance, was that Democrats want to reinstate Biden-era federal funding for emergency healthcare for illegal immigrants that was ended under the Trump administration.

‘So, I’d invite Chuck Schumer to join the moderate Democrats and 52 Senate Republicans, do the right thing, open up the people’s government and then let’s fix health care policy for the American people,’ Vance said.

The White House responded to a separate question following up on Vance’s remarks about Schumer and Ocasio-Cortez. 

‘I think that certainly Sen. Schumer was not expecting three moderates to break with him last night,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. ‘In fact, last night you heard Sen. Schumer say he can’t guarantee that he will be able to hold his caucus together.’

Leavitt said the White House encourages Democrats to have ‘the courage to do the right thing’ and vote on the resolution to keep the government funded.

Vice President JD Vance brushed off outrage over President Donald Trump sharing a video meme depicting House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a sombrero, saying he was confused by claims it was ‘racist.’ 

‘Oh, I think it’s funny,’ Vance said Wednesday when asked if posting sombrero memes was ‘helpful’ while trying to reach a government funding agreement with Democrats. ‘The president’s joking and we’re having a good time. You can negotiate in good faith while also poking a little bit of fun at some of the absurdities of the Democrats’ positions and even, you know, poking some, some fun at the absurdity of the Democrats themselves.’ 

‘I’ll tell Hakeem Jeffries right now, I make this solemn promise to you, that if you help us reopen the government, the sombrero memes will stop,’ he quipped. 

Vance joined the White House press briefing Wednesday to address the government shutdown that took effect earlier that morning after Democrat and Republican lawmakers failed to reach a funding bill agreement. The administration has pinned blame on Democrats for the shutdown, arguing members of the party are trying to push through a measure that would provide healthcare to illegal immigrants, which Democratic lawmakers have denied. 

Vance’s response follows Trump posting a meme video Monday to Truth Social that depicted Jeffries wearing a mustache and a sombrero while mariachi music played in the background. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also was depicted in the video, with an AI-generated voice stating ‘nobody likes Democrats anymore’ due to ‘our woke, trans’ agenda. 

The video included profanities and mocked Democrats as trying to appeal to illegal immigrants as prospective new voters. 

Jeffries, as well as other Democrats and media outlets, characterized the video as ‘racist.’ 

‘Mr. President, the next time you have something to say about me, don’t cop out through a racist and fake AI video,’ Jeffries told reporters Tuesday, according to Politico. ‘When I’m back in the Oval Office, say it to my face.’

Fox News Digital reached out to Jeffries’ office for comment and has not yet received a reply. 

Vance also took issue with media outlets making a point to clarify to viewers that the video was ‘AI-generated,’ pointing to the comical mustache and sombrero in the video that indicated it was a joke. 

‘Hakeem Jeffries said it was a racist, and I know that he said that,’ Vance said. ‘And I honestly don’t even know what that means. Like, is … he a Mexican-American that is offended by having a sombrero meme?’ 

‘And I saw one of the major TV stations put the meme up and then say, this is AI generated. And he had like the curly animated mustache, too. … Do you really not realize the American people recognize that he did not actually come to the White House wearing a sombrero and a black, curly animation mustache, like, give the country a little bit of credit,’ he continued. 

When asked about another AI video Trump shared and then deleted on Truth Social in September — which depicted futuristic-looking ‘med beds’ that can cure illnesses — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump enjoys sharing memes online. 

‘He likes to share memes. He likes to share videos, he likes to repost things that he sees other people post on social media as well. And I think it’s quite refreshing that we have a president who is so open and honest directly himself,’ she said.

FBI Director Kash Patel is cutting ties with the Anti-Defamation League that the bureau forged under its former boss James Comey.

‘James Comey disgraced the FBI by writing ‘love letters’ to the ADL and embedding agents with an extreme group functioning like a terrorist organization and the disgraceful operation they ran spying on Americans. That was not law enforcement, it was activism dressed up as counterterrorism, and it put Americans in danger,’ Patel told Fox News Digital.

‘That era is finished. This FBI formally rejects Comey’s policies and any partnership with the ADL,’ he added.

On May 8, 2017, Comey addressed the Anti-Defamation League National Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. and declared his and the FBI’s ‘love’ for the organization. He began by referencing a 2014 speech which he called a ‘love letter to the ADL,’ adding, ‘Three years later I can say, from the perspective of the FBI, we’re still in love with you.’

‘We are not only educating ourselves, we are working with the ADL to build bridges in the communities we serve,’ Comey said in his 2017 speech. 

‘For more than 100 years, you have advocated for fairness and equality… And for all of that, we are grateful. As a law enforcement and national security agency, yes. But also as Americans. As humans,’ Comey said.

He concluded his speech with the words, ‘Love, the FBI.’

The ADL has recently faced backlash from Elon Musk and Republican lawmakers for listing Turning Point USA (TPUSA), Charlie Kirk’s organization, as an extremist group. As a result, the group removed its entire ‘Glossary of Extremism and Hate’ on Tuesday.

‘With over 1,000 entries written over many years, the ADL Glossary of Extremism has served as a source of high-level information on a wide range of topics for years. At the same time, an increasing number of entries in the Glossary were outdated,’ the ADL wrote on X regarding the glossary. ‘We also saw a number of entries intentionally misrepresented and misused.’

The organization also said that retiring the glossary would allow it ‘to explore new strategies and creative approaches to deliver our data and present our research more effectively.’

‘It will keep us focused on ensuring we do what we do best: fighting antisemitism and hate in the most impactful ways possible.’

The outrage comes nearly three weeks after Kirk was assassinated during an event at Utah Valley University.

‘The FBI was taking their ‘hate group’ definitions from ADL, which is why FBI was investigating Charlie Kirk [and] Turning Point, instead of his murderers,’ Musk wrote in a post on X. In a separate post, Musk referred to the ADL as ‘a hate group.’

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said the organization needed to explain its categorization of TPUSA.

‘Seems to me like if they don’t agree with you, they will label you a ‘hate group,’’ Luna wrote on X.

TPUSA’s backgrounder page on the ADL website falls under the ‘Center of Extremism’ tag and describes the conservative group as having ties to ‘a range of right-wing extremists and has generated support from anti-Muslim bigots, alt-lite activists and some corners of the white supremacist alt-right.’

Fox News Digital contacted the ADL for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.