By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews
Congressman Keith Self (R–TX3) hosted a telephone town hall this week in which he defended his party’s handling of the federal shutdown, praised Trump-era economic and immigration policies, and made several claims that prompted confusion and concern among some constituents listening on the call.
The event, which lasted roughly an hour on October 30, 2025, allowed participants to press “0” to submit questions screened by staff and “7” to subscribe to the Congressman’s newsletter. Some callers said the event felt more scripted than participatory.
Claim 1: “The Democratic CR provides $1.5 trillion in new spending, including $192 billion for illegal immigrant health care.”
Self’s statement: “Democrats are refusing to fund the government because they want $1.5 trillion in new spending… including $192 billion for health care for non-citizens. That’s in their continuing resolution.”
Fact check: Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federally funded Medicaid/CHIP or ACA coverage (beyond emergency Medicaid); restoring or extending ACA subsidy levels does not newly cover undocumented immigrants. The $1.5 trillion figure reflects GOP critiques of 10-year budget baselines, not a single-year spike. The $192 billion figure comes from a Paragon Health Institute estimate of 10-year costs if July 2025 immigrant-eligibility restrictions were reversed; it is not a line item granting “fully funded health care” to undocumented immigrants.
Verdict: False and misleading.
Constituent response: “He spent several minutes claiming the Democratic CR would provide fully funded government health care for illegal aliens — a lie clearly meant to influence the poll responses,” wrote Rich Benat of Celeste, who attempted to ask for clarification and was disconnected. “Constituents deserve citations, not talking points.”
Claim 2: “Our border is finally secure. Numbers are practically nil.”
Fact check: CBP reported 8,386 Border Patrol apprehensions at the southwest border in September 2025 — a multi-year low and far below 2023 peaks — and 26,002 total nationwide encounters (Border Patrol plus ports of entry) for the month. Encounters have declined sharply, but “practically nil” and “secure” overstate the point; thousands of encounters still occur monthly (CBP data, September 2025).
Verdict: Partly true (numbers are very low), but the phrasing is hyperbolic.
Claim 3: “We are a free-market economy — anytime we can get the government out of it, it’s better for the American people.”
Context & fact check: Self said this while defending tariff policies. Tariffs are government-imposed taxes on imports and are widely recognized by economists as market interventions. Endorsing expansive executive tariff authority conflicts with a strictly “get government out” free-market claim.
Verdict: Contradictory / misleading.
Constituent response: “The hypocrisy was striking,” wrote Pam Garden. “Congress has surrendered its oversight so the President can impose tariffs — that is not a free-market economy.”
Claim 4: “The President is using Article II authority to defend the United States… he can use emergency powers.”
Fact check: The President is Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy; for the militia of the several states, the Constitution specifies “when called into the actual Service of the United States.” The use of “emergency powers” arises from statute — not Article II alone — principally the National Emergencies Act, which sets time limits and permits Congress to terminate such declarations.
Verdict: Inaccurate framing. Emergency authority must be statutory and is subject to congressional oversight.
Constituent response: Donna Wurster, a 21-year Army veteran, said the interpretation is inconsistent with constitutional training and Article I authorities reserved to Congress.
Claim 5: “Sharia law is incompatible with the U.S. Constitution; we’ve introduced bills to stop U.S. courts from accepting Sharia judgments or allowing those who follow it to enter or remain in the United States.”
Fact check: There is no evidence of U.S. courts enforcing Sharia law in ways that violate the Constitution. Self appeared to reference a Texas case often cited in political discussions about Islamic law and family disputes. In that instance, the Texas Supreme Court reviewed a private marriage contract containing an arbitration clause referencing “Islamic law” and reaffirmed that such agreements remain subject to judicial review and cannot override state or federal law. No Texas court has ever upheld a decision allowing religious or foreign law to override constitutional protections. Legal experts note that proposed “anti-Sharia” measures are redundant, as existing state and federal laws already bar enforcement of any foreign or religious code that conflicts with U.S. law.
Verdict: False and inflammatory.
Self’s description exaggerates a nonexistent legal threat by equating religious arbitration with constitutional subversion.
Claim 6: “No tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security for the vast majority.”
Fact check: The 2025 law created deductions (e.g., up to $25,000 for qualified tips, subject to income phase-outs) and raised thresholds for taxing Social Security benefits. These are deductions, not blanket exemptions; payroll taxes still apply, and income limits reduce benefits for higher earners.
Verdict: Partly true but exaggerated.
Constituent Frustration Over Access and Accuracy
Several callers told TX3DNews their questions were never aired or were rewritten by screeners before reaching the Congressman. Others described the call as “one-way communication.” “It was not a real town hall,” said Pam Harden. Rich Benat added that after pressing “0” and asking about emergency medical care for undocumented patients, “the screener rewrote my question, then hung up.”
Bottom Line
Telephone town halls can be an effective way for elected officials to reach large audiences, but they demand accuracy and accountability. When policy claims mix with political messaging, the duty to provide verifiable information becomes essential.
TX3DNews has requested documentation from Rep. Self’s office for all figures and statutory references cited during the call but as of publication, his office has not responded to requests for citation or clarification. TX3DNews will update this report if documentation is later provided.