As of January 1, 2024, illegal immigrants residing in California will be eligible for taxpayer-funded health insurance.
The plan will make California the first state in the nation to offer health insurance to the millions of illegal migrants present in the state.
In January, illegal immigrants will qualify for Medi-Cal, the state-funded version of Medicaid.
Previously, only illegal immigrant children qualified for the state’s insurance program, although Governor Gavin Newsom (D) expanded the program to allow those over 50 and between the ages of 19-25 to be eligible.
According to ABC News, the latest expansion allows for all undocumented immigrants to qualify for Medi-Cal.
“In California, we believe everyone deserves access to quality, affordable health care coverage – regardless of income or immigration status,” Newsom’s office told the outlet. “Through this expansion, we’re making sure families and communities across California are healthier, stronger, and able to get the care they need when they need it.”
In May, California State Sen. María Elena Durazo (D) said the Medi-Cal expansion was a “historic investment.”
“This historic investment speaks to California’s commitment to health care as a human right,” she stated.
The expansion of the taxpayer-funded program comes as California lost over 75,000 residents in 2023, according to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau.
California also announced a $4.5 million pilot program specifically aimed at providing free immigration legal aid to undocumented farmworkers.
“Farmworkers are the backbone of our economy and we won’t stand by as bad actors use the threat of deportation as a form of exploitation,” Newsom said in a press release. “In the absence of Congress modernizing our broken, outdated immigration system, California continues our efforts to support immigrant families.”
An estimated 50% of California’s farmworkers are reportedly in the country illegally.
“This new pilot program looks to prevent the exploitation of undocumented farmworkers by providing additional tools for California labor enforcement departments to help address workers’ fears of pursuing their rights due to their immigration status,” the press release adds.
