FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Robert Nunez,
rnunez@lchc.org
Broken Promises: California Budget Agreement Sets Dangerous Precedent for Immigrant Health
LCHC condemns harmful Medi-Cal rollbacks for immigrants in the final 2025–2026 California budget agreement, which ultimately endangers the health of Latine communities and betrays California’s equity promises.
(Sacramento, CA) –Governor Newsom and legislative leadership agreed on a harmful 2025–2026 state budget, which includes cuts to Medi-Cal for undocumented Californians in the form of freezes for new enrollees and newly required premiums for this population in California. Although we acknowledge that this final budget agreement includes the legislature’s proposed changes, which partially push back and delay the Governor’s original, more punitive proposal, the fact is that state leaders are balancing the budget of the world’s fourth-largest economy on the backs of the most vulnerable.
Today, as we continue to witness families being torn apart, we are immensely disappointed that the Governor’s final budget still includes harmful freezes, premiums, and other rollbacks to Medi-Cal, that fall short of protecting immigrant and Latine communities who are the current targets of violent and dehumanizing deportations.
“In the face of federal threats and growing immigration enforcement across California, we needed California leaders to take a stronger stand for immigrant health,” said Mar Velez, Director of Policy for the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. “This final budget walks back California’s equity commitments by freezing Medi-Cal expansions and weakening the safety net at a time when our communities need it most. It sets a dangerous precedent, signaling that care for immigrants is negotiable. Budgets reflect values, and this one falls short.”
Medi-Cal serves 40% of California’s population, which is almost 15 million Californians, over half of whom are Latine. The program has been a lifesaver for over 50% of the Latine population who rely on it. Latine and immigrant communities are powerful contributors to our California economy. Latinos contribute over $83 billion in CA state taxes, and in 2024 our California Latino GDP was over $1 trillion dollars. . Immigrants contribute $51.4 billion in California state taxes, and undocumented Californians contribute over $8.5 billion in state taxes. Immigrant communities are simply asking for the care, dignity, and access to the very systems they’ve paid into. Instead, this budget asks immigrants to continue paying into a system that refuses to acknowledge or care for them. By failing to protect their health, we have broken the promise of even the most modest version of the American Dream.
To our Governor and legislative leaders, this is only the start of difficult conversations. We urge you to uphold our values and the promises you’ve made to immigrant communities. It is time to explore new revenue sources that can sustain our healthcare system. Your leadership can ensure that California’s wealthiest industries pay their fair share.
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About LCHC:
Latino Coalition for a Healthy California (LCHC) is the leading statewide policy organization with a specific emphasis on Latine & Indigenous health. For over 33 years, LCHC has worked on transforming systems to achieve health justice. We pride ourselves in translating community solutions into equitable policy and lasting systemic change. Our work focuses on legislative and administrative advocacy, people power, and narrative change.
