Senator Durazo Calls on Governor Newsom and Legislature to Reverse May Revision Cuts to Immigrant Health Care

SACRAMENTO - Governor Newsom released his May Revision to the 2026-27 state budget yesterday. The proposed budget does not reverse the Medi-Cal enrollment freeze for undocumented Californians - and goes further, raising the monthly premium for enrolled undocumented adults from $30 to $50.

Senator María Elena Durazo, author of SB 1422, the Medi-Cal Access Restoration Act, issued the following statement:

"Undocumented Californians are already under assault from the Trump Administration - facing deportation threats, workplace raids, and federal policies designed to strip away every support system they have. These are people who contribute $8.5 billion in state and local taxes every year. They have earned access to the safety-net programs their own tax dollars support. This May Revision is a missed opportunity.

California's hospitals and clinics are on the precipice. Federal cuts from H.R. 1 are already hitting hard, and this revised budget compounds that pressure. When people lose coverage and cannot get back on within the short grace period, they have no option but the emergency room - at twelve times the cost of a routine visit. That cost lands on counties, on hospitals, and on all Californians. Raising premiums will push more enrolled Californians off coverage and make this cost shift worse.

I am still carrying SB 1422. The legislative path is open. What we need now is the political will to fund it in the final budget. The people we are fighting for harvest our food, build our homes, and care for our families. They deserve access to the care their taxes already pay for."

BACKGROUND

The May Revision proposes the following changes affecting undocumented Californians enrolled in Medi-Cal:

• The monthly premium for adults with unsatisfactory immigration status ages 19-59 will increase from $30 to $50.
• The enrollment freeze first imposed in the 2025-26 budget remains in place. Individuals who lose coverage cannot reenroll past 90 days, even if they are otherwise income-eligible.

SB 1422, the Medi-Cal Access Restoration Act, would end the enrollment freeze and restore full-scope Medi-Cal access for undocumented Californians ages 19 and older beginning January 1, 2027. The bill passed the Senate Health Committee on April 8 and the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 14. It continues to move through the legislative process.

SB 1422 is co-sponsored by Health4All, the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, the California Immigrant Policy Center, and Health Access California.

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Senator María Elena Durazo represents the 26th Senate District which includes Central Los Angeles, Northeast Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, and the City of Vernon.