**San Francisco Latinx Democratic Club Statement Opposing Newsom’s Cuts to Medi‑Cal for Undocumented Californians**
San Francisco, CA - The San Francisco Latinx Democratic Club (SFLDC) strongly opposes Governor Gavin Newsom’s newly proposed budget cuts that target health‑care access for undocumented Californians. We have always believed that health care is a basic human right; denying it on the basis of immigration status is unethical, discriminatory, and shortsighted.
In the May Revision of the 2025‑26 state budget, Governor Newsom proposes to:
- Freeze new Medi‑Cal enrollment for undocumented adults starting in 2026, locking out anyone who has not already signed up.
- Impose a $100 monthly premium on the undocumented adults who manage to retain coverage.
- Eliminate critical benefits such as long‑term care and full dental services for this population.
The administration claims these rollbacks could eventually save billions per year, but even with the cuts California still faces an estimated $12 billion deficit for the 2025‑26 fiscal year. Slashing care for our most vulnerable neighbors will not balance the books; it will merely shift costs to emergency rooms, worsen public‑health outcomes, and deepen existing inequities.
Ensuring meaningful access to preventive and comprehensive health care for undocumented immigrants strengthens public health for everyone, curbs expensive emergency‑room reliance, and upholds our state’s professed values of equity and inclusion. By threatening that access, the Governor reneges on his own promise of universal health care and sacrifices immigrant communities for perceived political gain.
These potential cuts further intensify the hostile climate immigrants already endure at the federal level. California must not join that chorus of exclusion.
Call to Action
We urge the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to introduce and swiftly pass a resolution that:
- Formally opposes the Governor’s proposed Medi‑Cal cuts and enrollment freeze;
- Affirms San Francisco’s commitment to protect and, where necessary, locally fund comprehensive health coverage for undocumented residents, including protecting and expanding HealthySF for undocumented individuals.
Health care for undocumented Californians is not a line item—it is a lifeline. The SFLDC calls on local leaders to stand up for Latinos and ensure that lifeline is never severed.