Senator JD Vance

The vice-presidential debate on October 1, 2024, between Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator JD Vance covered various issues, from immigration to healthcare, often veering into false and misleading claims. Both candidates presented points that warrant closer examination. Here’s a breakdown of some of the inaccurate statements made during the debate.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz

Vance’s Claim About $100 Billion in Unfrozen Iranian Assets

JD Vance alleged that the Biden-Harris administration allowed Iran to access over $100 billion in unfrozen assets, which Iran supposedly used to purchase weapons for attacks on U.S. allies. The Facts: Vance’s assertion is inaccurate. In reality, the Biden administration agreed to unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian assets last year as part of a deal to secure the release of five U.S. citizens detained by Iran. However, U.S. officials have confirmed that none of this money has been released to Iran yet. Furthermore, the $100 billion figure Vance mentioned refers to a deal from 2016, during the Obama administration, which allowed Iran access to frozen assets held in various foreign banks following the easing of sanctions as part of the nuclear deal. Even then, experts clarified that only about $50 billion of the frozen assets were accessible to Iran. Vance’s claim exaggerates the financial resources Iran has received under the current administration.

Walz’s Overstatement of Insulin Costs

Governor Walz claimed during the debate that before recent price caps, insulin costs reached as high as $800. The Facts: Walz overstated the figure. A study from December 2022 found that Americans with Medicare or private insurance paid an average of $452 per year for insulin before the new law capping prices at $35 per month was enacted. While insulin costs have been a significant burden for many, the $800 figure that Walz mentioned is higher than most estimates.

Vance’s Link Between Immigration and Housing Costs

JD Vance suggested that the influx of immigrants has driven up housing prices by competing with Americans for homes. The Facts: While immigration may have some influence on housing demand, most economists point to the long-term decline in housing supply as the primary driver of increasing home prices. The number of new homes built annually dropped drastically after the 2008 financial crisis and has only recently returned to pre-crisis levels. Although Vance referenced an economic analysis from the Federal Reserve that links immigration to inflationary pressures, the broader economic consensus attributes rising housing costs more to supply shortages. In fact, many homebuilders rely on immigrant labor to help meet housing demands.

Walz’s Incorrect Claim About Project 2025’s Pregnancy Registry

Tim Walz claimed that Project 2025, a conservative policy initiative, includes a registry of pregnancies. The Facts: Walz’s claim is inaccurate. Project 2025 does propose the collection of data on abortion-related statistics, such as the number of abortions performed, the age of the mother, and the gestational age of the fetus, but it does not suggest creating a registry of pregnancies. Instead, the initiative aims to gather reliable statistical data about abortion and maternal deaths related to abortion.

Vance’s Overestimate of Illegal Immigration Numbers

Vance claimed that there are 20 to 25 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. The Facts: This figure is inflated. The Department of Homeland Security’s latest estimate, from January 2022, put the number of undocumented immigrants at around 11 million, most of whom have been in the country since before 2010. While there have been over 10 million arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border from January 2021 to September 2024, these are arrests, not unique individuals, as many attempted multiple crossings. The number of individuals crossing illegally is likely much lower than Vance’s inflated estimate.

Vance’s Misrepresentation of Minnesota Abortion Law

Vance claimed that Minnesota’s abortion law allows doctors to withhold lifesaving care from babies who survive botched abortions. The Facts: This claim misrepresents the Minnesota law, which was updated in 2023. The revised law requires medical personnel to provide care for any infant born alive, including those who survive abortions. Both the current and previous versions of the law state that any infant born alive is legally recognized as a human and entitled to immediate protection. Infanticide remains criminalized in Minnesota, and the law does not permit the neglect of infants born alive.

Vance’s Comments on Trump and January 6th

During the debate, Vance defended former President Trump, claiming that Trump had urged the January 6th protesters to be peaceful. The Facts: While it’s true that Trump told the crowd to “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard,” Vance ignored the more incendiary language Trump used in the same speech. Trump also told his supporters, “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore,” which came after his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, suggested “trial by combat.” These statements fueled the mob’s march to the Capitol and are a crucial part of understanding Trump’s role in the events of January 6th, 2021.

Conclusion

The debate between Tim Walz and JD Vance was mostly civil, but both candidates made several inaccurate or misleading claims. Vance overstated the impact of immigration on housing prices and inflated the number of undocumented immigrants, while also falsely claiming that Iran received $100 billion in unfrozen assets under the current administration. Walz, on the other hand, exaggerated the cost of insulin before recent price caps and wrongly accused Project 2025 of proposing a pregnancy registry. Both candidates should take care to provide accurate information to voters as they address these critical issues.