Newsom’s Health Plan Cuts Out Undocumented Californians

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who previously promised to deliver universal health care for all, unveiled a budget on Wednesday that would roll back health care benefits for undocumented immigrants in the state.

Starting in 2026, Newsom’s proposal would bar undocumented adults aged 19 and older from enrolling in Medi-Cal, the state’s public health program for low-income and disabled residents. The governor cited California’s multibillion-dollar budget deficit — blaming rising Medi-Cal enrollment and Trump’s tariffs — as justification for the cuts.

Newsom rejected the idea that his administration was “cutting or rolling back” the program, claiming they were “just capping it, particularly for those without documentation.”

The plan has sparked condemnation from health and immigrant rights advocates. “We are outraged,” said Joshua Stehlik, policy director for the California Immigrant Policy Center. “We feel like the governor is abandoning his legacy with this proposed rollback.”

Amanda McAllister-Wallner, executive director of Health Access California, called the cuts “reckless and unconscionable.”

“This is a betrayal of the governor’s commitment to California immigrants, and an abandonment of his legacy, which brought California so close to universal health care,” she said.

Currently, about 1.6 million undocumented immigrants are enrolled in Medi-Cal and would retain their benefits. Children would still be eligible to enroll, and emergency and pregnancy-related services would remain accessible through federally funded “limited scope” Medi-Cal. But starting in January 2026, undocumented adults not already enrolled would lose access to broader services, including doctor visits and prescriptions.

Additional changes are proposed for 2027, including a $100 monthly premium for adults with “unsatisfactory immigration status.” According to Newsom’s office, this category “refers to people whose immigration status makes them ineligible for federally funded Medicaid, including people with lawful status and the undocumented.”

Newsom’s budget plan requires approval from the California Legislature, which must pass a budget by June 15. “The Assembly will thoroughly review the Governor’s May budget revision during public hearings, and we will continue to stand up to the chaotic actions of Trump and his Republican allies,” said Democratic Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas.

However, Democratic lawmakers have shown little interest in cutting Medi-Cal access. Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez, co-chair of the Latino Legislative Caucus, commented, “Absolutely I’m opposed to what is being put forward right now, that would reform Medi-Cal in a way that cuts folks that are working Californians.”

Critics have also said that the proposal would deal a serious blow to undocumented communities, undoing hard-won gains in access to care as anti-immigrant policies from the Trump administration continue to escalate. “It feels like a particularly difficult moment to target vulnerable immigrants when they’re under such relentless attacks by the Trump administration,” Stehlik said.

Just this week, the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it has opened an investigation into California’s Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), a longstanding state initiative that provides monthly support to elderly, blind, and disabled immigrants with legal status. However, according to the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles (CHIRLA), the state covers the full cost of the program, and people without legal immigration status are not allowed to enroll.

“It is simply another attempt by the Trump administration to demonize and attack immigrant Californians,” California Immigrant Policy Center told NBC News. “This investigation’s only objective is to cast a negative light on California’s inclusive policies and sow misinformation and confusion.”