July 1, 2025

Democratic governors slash healthcare for immigrants in 2028 political calculation

Three Democratic governors cut immigrant healthcare for 2028 race

Three potential 2028 Democratic contenders—California's Gavin Newsom, Illinois' JB Pritzker, and Minnesota's Tim Walz—slashed undocumented immigrant healthcare programs in 2025. Newsom froze new Medi-Cal enrollment and imposed $100 monthly premiums to save $5.4 billion by 2029.

Pritzker ended Illinois's immigrant health program, cutting coverage for 32,000 residents to trim $404 million.

Minnesota repealed undocumented adult eligibility from MinnesotaCare, stripping coverage from 17,000 people and saving $56.9 million. The cuts signal Democratic governors positioning themselves as fiscal moderates ahead of 2028 primary fights.

California Governor Gavin NewsomGavin Newsom's 2025-26 budget froze new Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented immigrants and imposed $100 monthly premiums starting in 2027 after the program cost $2.7 billion more than projected. His administration borrowed $3.4 billion from the state's general fund to cover unexpected costs while preparing for potential 2028 presidential campaign fundraising.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker ended the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program in July 2025, eliminating coverage for 30,000 undocumented residents to save $404 million annually. The program cost 286% more than the $1 billion projection when created in 2021, giving Pritzker political cover to blame 'Trump and Republicans tanking our national economy' for cuts.

Minnesota Governor Tim WalzTim Walz signed legislation ending undocumented adult eligibility for MinnesotaCare, stripping coverage from 17,000 people and saving $56.9 million through bipartisan support in the evenly divided House and Democratic-controlled Senate. Undocumented children retain eligibility, creating selective healthcare access based on age and political palatability.

House Republican reconciliation bills threaten to reduce federal Medicaid matching rates from 90% to 80% for expansion states covering undocumented immigrants, potentially costing California $3 billion annually in federal reimbursements. Utah and Illinois have 'trigger laws' that would terminate entire Medicaid expansion programs if federal matching rates decline.

Fourteen states plus D.C. use state-only funds to provide health coverage to undocumented children, with seven also covering adults, creating a patchwork system vulnerable to federal financial coercion. Emergency room visits by undocumented immigrants increased 23% as preventive care became inaccessible through eliminated state programs.

Progressive strategist Jennifer DriverJennifer Driver warned the cuts 'feed into the conservative narrative that undocumented immigrants are a drain on our communities,' while National Immigration Law Center's Tanya Broder argued that 'terminating state coverage will compromise our collective health and healthcare infrastructure serving all residents.'

California state Senator Scott WienerScott Wiener advocated resistance, saying 'We need to stand our ground. California has made a decision that we want to provide healthcare to our residents regardless of immigration status,' but maintaining this position requires absorbing massive federal financial penalties.

🏥Public Health🛂Immigration🗳️Elections

What You Can Do

1

Contact your Governor's office to oppose immigrant healthcare cuts that create public health risks for entire communities by calling the main switchboard

2

Support community health centers at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov that provide care regardless of immigration status and need funding to absorb displaced patients

3

Call state legislators demanding restoration of immigrant healthcare programs before the next budget session using the National Conference of State Legislatures directory

4

Volunteer with local immigrant advocacy organizations providing healthcare navigation and emergency assistance to families losing coverage through state program cuts

5

Donate to free clinics through the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics at nafcclinics.org serving undocumented populations losing state coverage

6

Join public health advocacy through the American Public Health Association at apha.org defending healthcare access regardless of immigration status as community protection