Leavitt Dodges ER Immigration Question; Doctors Rebuke

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt repeatedly dodged whether emergency rooms should check immigration status before treating critically ill or dying patients, saying such decisions are for healthcare professionals and legal experts. Her refusal drew sharp rebukes from physicians, including Dr. Jonathan Reiner and ER doctor Craig Spencer, who said withholding emergency care on the basis of immigration status would be 'grossly immoral.' Legal experts note that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) requires Medicare-participating hospitals to provide emergency screening and stabilization regardless of ability to pay or citizenship. During the exchange Leavitt blamed Democrats and the Biden administration for allowing migrants to obtain benefits, echoing Republican talking points amid a government shutdown centered on immigration and healthcare. Reporters pressed her for a clear stance on whether dying undocumented patients deserve lifesaving treatment and whether the administration supports EMTALA protections, but she declined to answer directly.