What Do Democrats and Republicans Want in Government Shutdown Dispute?

Democrats say they’re protecting health care subsidies, which Republicans say would restore loopholes that let illegal immigrants access taxpayer-funded care.

The U.S. Capitol building on the second day of the government shutdown on Capitol Hill in Washington on Oct. 2, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

Partisan deadlock on Capitol Hill has triggered a government shutdown, with Democrats conditioning their support for a stopgap funding bill on health care provisions they say are essential to protecting Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.

Meanwhile, Republicans say that the Democratic plan would once again open the door to billions of taxpayer dollars flowing to illegal immigrants and other non-citizens.