SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — On Friday, California legislators will cast their votes on a budget proposal aimed at halting enrollment in a state-supported health care program designed for immigrants without legal status, in an effort to address a $12 billion budget deficit.
Their strategy represents a more limited version of a proposal initially put forward by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom in May. Despite having the largest state budget in the nation, California is contending with a budget shortfall for the third consecutive year. This fiscal challenge has compelled Democratic leaders to make reductions to various progressive policy initiatives, including the significant health care expansion for low-income adult immigrants without legal status.
The decision comes amidst growing tensions in Los Angeles related to President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown throughout Southern California. As protesters have occupied the streets, occasionally clashing with law enforcement over several days, Trump has asserted that the protests have become violent. Consequently, he activated more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines, despite opposition from city and state officials. The demonstrations have mainly been peaceful. In response, California has taken legal action against the federal government to halt the deployment.
The decision to freeze Medicaid enrollment highlights Democratic state leaders’ struggle to protect progressive priorities against budget challenges. Illinois and Minnesota, also led by Democratic governors, are on track to end health care access to low-income adults without legal status after facing budget shortfalls.
It is not the state’s final spending plan. Newsom and legislative leaders are still negotiating solutions before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1. Lawmakers must pass a balanced budget by Sunday or else they would forfeit their salaries. Democratic state leaders are also bracing for potential federal cuts to health care programs and other broad economic uncertainty such as federal tariff policies that could force them to make even deeper cuts.
Republican lawmakers say the Legislature’s budget doesn’t do enough to rein in costs ahead of future deficits.
“We have a structural deficit of ongoing programs continuing to increase at a greater rate than revenues are increasing,” state Sen. Roger Niello said. “So far, there’s nothing seen to reverse that.”
Freezing access and adding premiums
The state has more than 1.6 million people without legal status enrolled in its health care program this fiscal year, according to the budget.
Under Newsom’s plan, low-income adults without legal status would no longer be eligible to apply for Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, starting in 2026. Those who are already enrolled wouldn’t be kicked off their plans but would have to start paying a $100 monthly premium in 2027. State officials said the plan would help curb future spending and save $5.4 billion by fiscal year 2028-2029.
Lawmakers mostly agreed on the plan to halt enrollment for adults without legal status, but their proposal also includes a provision to allow people to reenroll within six months if they lose coverage for missing payment. The monthly premium would also lower by roughly a third to $30 and would only apply to adults between 19 and 59 under the Legislature’s plan. The proposal would save roughly $3.8 billion by fiscal year 2027-2028.
The proposals would likely result in people losing coverage because they can’t afford the premiums and send more people into emergency rooms, advocates said.
“This is no way to respond to concerns about the health and safety of communities that power our economy and contribute billions in state taxes,” said Masih Fouladi, Executive Director of the California Immigrant Policy Center.
Democrats divided
California was among one of the first states to extend free health care benefits to all low-income adults regardless of their immigration status, an ambitious plan touted by Newsom to help the nation’s most populous state inch closer to a goal of universal health care. But the cost ran billions more than the administration had anticipated and is projected to keep growing.
California provides free health care to more than a third of its 39 million people.
Several Democrats said the Medicaid enrollment freeze does not align with California values, adding the Legislature is breaking promises to taxpayers.
“People have already a decreased amount of trust in government and when we continue to go back on our words, it makes it even harder,” State Sen. Caroline Menjivar, a Democrat, said of the proposal at a hearing this week.
Democratic state Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson defended the budget proposal, saying that the plan is not cutting benefits to people who are already enrolled as Legislature also avoided more devastating cuts in social services. Lawmakers rejected the governor’s plan to cut funding for a program providing in-home domestic and personal care services for some low-income residents and Californians with disabilities. They also rejected a proposal that would have cut funding for Planned Parenthood’s budget by a third.
“No one who is currently covered will lose their health care coverage,” she said.
