Afternoon Hot Take: Newsom’s Half-Measures Keep Illegal Immigrants on Healthcare Welfare

Newsom Tweaks Illegal Immigrant Medi-Cal Benefits, Positioning for a Presidential Run

Photo credit: WikiCommons

This morning, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a slight trim to his lavish Medi-Cal expansion for illegal immigrants—those who broke U.S. immigration laws to enter and stay in California. This is classic Newsom: a flashy move to earn media hugs as the “adult in the room” while the costly program persists. Let’s examine the data on this program that incentivizes illegal immigration.

Newsom’s plan pauses new Medi-Cal enrollment for illegal immigrants starting at the beginning of next year and charges enrollees $100 monthly premiums starting in 2027! This isn’t a rollback—it’s a Band-Aid. State data shows 1.6 million illegal immigrants are enrolled in Medi-Cal, part of 15 million total enrollees. The 2024–25 budget allocated $6.4 billion for illegal immigrant coverage, but costs hit $9.5 billion—a $3.1 billion overrun. Newsom borrowed $6.2 billion to cover the shortfall.

When Newsom expanded Medi-Cal to all illegal immigrants in 2024, he gushed, “In California, we believe everyone deserves access to quality, affordable health care coverage—regardless of income or immigration status.” His enthusiasm ignored reality. California’s 4.7 million illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children—12% of the population—strain resources. The $8.4 billion annual cost rivals that of K-12 education spending, exacerbating provider shortages.

This program attracts illegal immigrants. Offering taxpayer-funded healthcare to those who violate U.S. laws encourages more border crossings and overstays, exacerbating California’s crisis. The state’s $68 billion budget deficit makes Newsom’s half-measures laughable. A $100 premium and enrollment freeze won’t dent the overrun, and Newsom plans to use $7.1 billion from the rainy-day fund. Cutting this program entirely would avoid such measures. Instead, if this passes, look for government-funded ads urging people to sign up before the end-of-the-year cutoff.

Newsom’s tweak is pure PR, not reform. He’s posturing as a moderate Democrat for a 2028 presidential run rather than addressing the fiscal or immigration mess. He’s dodged transparency on costs, blaming pharmacy prices. Meanwhile, citizens face longer wait times. This isn’t leadership—it’s a cynical play to appease his radical base while dodging accountability. We are forced to ask this question again: Is this the kind of “leadership” Americans want to export from California to the White House?

P.S. Do you want a great example of how the media is complicit in Newsom’s PR plan? Look no further than the big headline in the Los Angeles Times coverage of this announcement this morning: “Newsom calls for walking back free healthcare for eligible undocumented immigrants.”

You’ve just read my summary of the key points. Does this sound like “walking back” anything to you? The headline implies he wants to stop the program, and he’s not calling for anything of the sort. But it does cause those scanning the Times to think he’s more moderate. Multiply this by numerous other biased mainstream media sources.

The “Afternoon Hot Take” is where I provide a write-up about something current in the news. I’m not sure if I’ll do these every weekday, but that’s an aspirational goal!