Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed ties slavery to US health-care flaws, supports care for undocumented immigrants

Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, now a Senate candidate, reiterated comments from a 2022 interview that slavery’s legacy continues to influence the United States’ for-profit health-care system. He said structural racism prevents the nation from adopting a universal, government-run model like Medicare for All and that opposition to taxpayer-funded treatment for undocumented immigrants is a “deliberate, racist attack.” El-Sayed linked these views to historic “Reagan-esque” tropes about unearned care and defended the proposed $3.5 trillion yearly price tag, arguing middle-class taxpayers should pay instead of insurers.

He also called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The comments surface amid a tight Senate contest against former Rep. Mike Rogers, where El-Said holds a slight lead in recent polls. He has faced scrutiny for past associations with far-left commentator Hasan Piker and the Democratic Socialists of America but says he will be held accountable for his statements.