Des Moines Sun

Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican representing Iowa, posted a series of statements on September 19, 2025, addressing issues related to Medicaid spending, religious liberty on college campuses, and immigration enforcement partnerships.

In a post criticizing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s approach to budget negotiations, Grassley wrote on September 19: "Schumer’s shutdown plan wld repeal commonsense fraud/waste/abuse initiatives Dems must want 2WASTE precious Medicaid $ 4 fraudulent enrollment + illegal excess payments INSTEAD of using UR $ 2 protect most vulnerable like elderly/disabled/children/pregnant moms + rural hospitals". Grassley has frequently advocated for oversight measures in federal healthcare programs and has argued that reducing waste and fraud in Medicaid is essential for safeguarding resources for the most vulnerable populations.

Later the same day, Grassley announced new legislative activity concerning religious liberty at public colleges. He stated: "I introd bill 2day w Sen Lankford 2 ensure public colleges give religious students orgs the same treatment as all other student groups Religious liberty is a protected constitutional right & applies across America incl college campuses". This initiative follows ongoing national debates about the rights of student organizations with religious affiliations to access campus resources and recognition on equal terms with other groups.

Grassley also highlighted his longstanding involvement in immigration policy by referencing his role in establishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 287(g) program. On September 19 he wrote: "History 4 u I led establishment of ICE's 287(g) program in 1996 2 expand fed gov ability to partner w state & local law enforcement 2 enforce immigration laws Trump Admin says it has reached 1k partners Gr8 news 2 keep communities safe and remove worst of worst frm USA". The ICE 287(g) program allows federal authorities to collaborate with state and local law enforcement agencies in enforcing immigration laws. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, this partnership model was designed to increase cooperation between federal and local entities regarding immigration enforcement responsibilities (https://www.ice.gov/identify-and-arrest/287g).

Grassley's recent posts reflect his ongoing focus on government accountability in healthcare spending, protection of constitutional rights on college campuses, and support for collaborative approaches to immigration enforcement.