Skyrocketing healthcare budget for illegal immigrants haunts blue state taxpayers
A California budget official revealed this week that taxpayers in the Democrat-run state are paying billions of dollars more on healthcare for illegal immigrants than previously known.
Guadalupe Manriquez, the California Department of Finance program budget manager, told the state Assembly Budget Committee Monday the state is "spending $9.5 billion total funds" to "cover undocumented individuals in Medi-Cal" in the current year.
Manriquez explained that this is a "revised number based on the governor's budget-updated estimates," adding the earlier figure was from the earlier "budget act."
California Families Celebrate Trump Administration's Probe Into State's Refusal To Follow Trans Athlete Order
"Of the $9.5 billion, $8.4 billion is general fund," she said.
Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio noted that the cost of healthcare for illegal immigrants could be enough to help solve some of the state's budget woes and "avoid going into the rainy day fund," The Center Square reported. He said the number originally floated was roughly $6 billion.
Read On The Fox News App
A new state law enacted at the start of 2024 ensures that "immigration status doesn't matter" for those looking to apply for taxpayer-backed insurance, according to the state's health department website.
Ice Arrests Homeless Illegal Immigrant Who Asked To Be Detained Or Else He Would 'Go Out And Commit Crimes'
California Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher told Fox News Digital in a statement that gutting the insurance availability for illegal immigrants would make a significant dent in the state's deficit.
"California's budget is $30 billion in the red, but instead of tightening its belt, Sacramento is doubling down on reckless spending," the Republican said.
Click Here For More Immigration Coverage
"The state is shelling out $9.5 billion on healthcare for illegal immigrants while emergency rooms overflow, hospitals teeter on the brink and working Californians struggle to see a doctor," he continued. "Rather than making responsible choices, leaders are raiding the rainy-day fund to keep the spending spree going. This isn't just a budget crisis — it's a complete failure of leadership."
Democratic Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo said during the hearing that healthcare costs are a major target of the new administration, which leads to uncertainty for the state.
"We know that today unelected Elon Musk and DOGE have taken their sights to Medicare and Medicaid, which is Medi-Cal here in California. And that is, you know, well over half of our budget," the lawmaker said.
The spending discussion comes at a time when the federal government is conducting a major crackdown on illegal immigration, including raids done by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and much stricter policies at the border itself.
Steve Hilton, founder of Golden Together and a Fox News contributor, said it's "yet another example of California Democrats' totally wrong priorities."
"Here's yet another example of California Democrats' totally wrong priorities. They have nearly doubled the state budget in the last ten years, yet over a third of Californians cannot meet their basic needs," Hilton said.
"We have the highest poverty rate in America. We pay the highest taxes and get the worst results. People are asking, "Where did all our money go?" And here's the answer: ideological obsessions like this — free healthcare for people who are here illegally. People have had enough of all this. There's going to be change in California sooner than people think."Original article source: Skyrocketing healthcare budget for illegal immigrants haunts blue state taxpayers
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
44 minutes ago
- Axios
Trump shrugs off possible reconciliation with Musk
President Trump said he assumes his relationship with Elon Musk has ended and that he has no desire to repair it after the pair publicly fell out last week. "I think it's a shame that he's so depressed and so heartbroken," Trump said of the billionaire in a phone call with NBC News' Kristen Welker. The big picture: Trump's comments also came with a warning to Musk when the president said the Tesla CEO could face "serious consequences" should he fund Democratic candidates in the next election running against Republicans who vote for Trump's "big, beautiful bill." The billionaire, who contributed more than $290 million to Republicans in the 2024 election but has since said he'd cut back on political spending, posted last week that politicians "who betrayed the American people" should be fired in November. Trump declined to elaborate on what the consequences would be for Musk. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said in a Sunday interview on ABC's "This Week" that it would be a "big mistake" for Musk to go after Republicans who vote for the bill. Driving the news: Trump said he has no plans to speak to the Tesla CEO during the Saturday phone interview with Welker. Asked if he thought his relationship with Musk was over, Trump said he "would assume so." He accused the once-close administration ally of being "disrespectful to the office of the President." Catch up quick: The alliance between Trump and the former chainsaw-wielding face of DOGE exploded last week as Musk continuously campaigned against the massive tax-and-spending package, blasting it as a "disgusting abomination." Speaking to reporters during an Oval Office appearance alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Thursday, Trump said he was "very disappointed" in Musk, who he claimed was very familiar with the inner workings of the legislation. While Trump talked, Musk fired back in real-time on X, claiming in one post that Trump would have lost the election without him. Zoom in: In one post that appears to have been deleted, Musk accused the president of being "in the Epstein files." Trump told NBC that it's "old news."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Iconic Hollywood filmmaker David Mamet dishes on why he was 'kicked out of the left'
One famed filmmaker and playwright spoke to Fox News about his transformation from a "brain-dead liberal" to his journey into constitutional conservatism. Film director and playwright David Mamet, known for writing the stage play "Glengarry Glen Ross" and its film adaptation, opened up about his political values during a Thursday interview on the "Brian Kilmeade Show." Biden Fundraiser Calls Trump A 'F---ing Genius' As Democrats Wonder If Their Brand Is Broken Mamet discussed how he got "kicked out of the left" about 25 years ago and what led him to discover his right-leaning values. He noted his past comments referring to himself as a "brain-dead liberal" and urging for political civility in an article he wrote, resulting in many of his leftist peers losing contact with him. "I didn't know any Republicans, so I didn't understand what conservatism was," he said. "Then I got kicked out of the left, and I started researching what the constitutional conservatism was about, and I got very, very interested and very excited about it — here I am now." Billy Joel Opens Up About Affair That Led To Two Suicide Attempts Read On The Fox News App Mamet noted that he became disillusioned with the Democratic Party and its values, explaining how he thought that the party did not best represent American workers and had become the "party of the elites." "I discovered my conservative beliefs because I discovered everything I thought and believed about the Democratic Party was false," he said. Amid a tumultuous period in American politics, Mamet expressed optimism about the future following President Donald Trump's election victory in November 2024. "America is self-correcting again, as we saw in the election," Mamet said. "And the red states are thriving." Referring to his vast theater experience, Mamet also touched upon the media and entertainment's focus on "social consciousness." Trump's Pardon Of Chrisleys Praised By Joe Giudice As 'The Only Way' After 'Harsh' Prison Sentences "Black people are people too, gay people are people too, but the problem with that is, everybody knows that," he said. "So we don't want to come to a theater or a movie to get lectured to, right? Our wives will do that — so in order to keep their place, the idea of a meritocracy crumbled in the media, so the awards and safety, or the illusion… was awarded to those who could scream the loudest." Mamet released his book "The Disenlightenment: Politics, Horror, and Entertainment" on June 3, which details his musings about politics and article source: Iconic Hollywood filmmaker David Mamet dishes on why he was 'kicked out of the left'
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
Paxton presents an opportunity in Texas — if Democrats can take advantage of it
Texas Republicans' messy Senate primary is giving Democrats hope that they could finally have an opening to wedge into higher office in the red state — for real this time. But a potential pileup of candidates as the party sees renewed interest in the race could spoil their chances of finally flipping the Lone Star State. Attorney General Ken Paxton, who endured multiple scandals while in office, is leading in the polls against longtime incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn. A Paxton victory could divide Republicans and potentially even sway some to support a Democrat. Nearly two dozen Texas Democratic members of Congress, party leaders and strategists described a sense of opportunity, but were divided on the type of candidate to run. Some argued for a progressive, others thought a more centrist candidate could gain traction, while others weren't even sure Democrats could pull off a win. There are calls both for new blood and for a proven candidate. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) just wants a candidate who'd 'sound like a Texas Democrat' and could buck national trends.. 'I think this is just a great opportunity for Democrats, and we don't need to blow it,' said Veasey, who said he isn't interested in a run. Flipping Texas is a perennial Democratic dream, but core constituencies have moved further to the right, and Democrats haven't held a Senate seat in the state since 1993. The state's expensive media markets require fundraising prowess. That leaves the party with a crowded field of interested candidates, but none with a proven track record of winning statewide. Plenty of Democrats are skeptical they'd even win against Paxton, whose nomination isn't guaranteed. 'I am hopeful that [Cornyn] could pull it off, because if you're going to have a Republican in Texas, why not let it be John,' said Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas). Democrats acknowledge they'd stand little chance of unseating Cornyn, who's been a fixture in Texas politics for decades. But Paxton, a Trump loyalist who was impeached by the Republican-held Texas House (and acquitted in the impeachment trial) and faced a federal corruption investigation, has been a polarizing figure in the Texas GOP, and, Democrats hope, an opponent they could defeat. 'Democrats are foaming at the mouth about Ken Paxton,' said Katherine Fischer, deputy executive director of Texas Majority PAC, which works to elect Democrats statewide. 'We're seeing in local elections in Texas and across the country there is already a backlash against Trump and against MAGA. Ken Paxton is about as MAGA as you can get.' First they need to find a viable Senate candidate. After coming up short in previous cycles, many Texas Democrats are hesitant about supporting former Reps. Colin Allred and Beto O'Rourke, both of whom have signaled their interest in another bid. O'Rourke, who unsuccessfully ran statewide in 2018 and 2022, has been hosting packed town halls across the state. Allred, who lost to Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024 by about 8.5 percentage points, has said he was 'seriously considering' another run. 'Well, [Allred and O'Rourke are] both talking about it, and I hope that they will resolve that one person's running and not all,' said Rep. Lloyd Doggett. Allred's failed campaign has left a bad taste among some Texans, especially progressives, who believe he did not run aggressively or do enough grassroots outreach. And while O'Rourke is still a favorite son in Texas Democratic circles, many of those supporters believe he will be haunted by his position against assault rifles in a gun-loving state. 'They both tried it, and especially the last time, the margins were pretty wide,' said Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas). 'And I think those are all things to consider.' Joel Montfort, a Texas-based Democratic strategist, agreed: 'Putting the same two guys up over and over, I don't think that's going to deliver us.' That's why some say it's time to try something new. Texas Democrats have talked up potential bids by state Rep. James Talarico, the Democratic seminarian and frequently viral member who helped prosecute Paxton during his impeachment. Talarico told POLITICO: 'I'm having conversations about how I can best serve Texas, and that includes the Senate race. But in my training as a pastor, you learn the importance of listening and how hard it is to truly listen. With so much at stake for Texas, I'm trying to listen more than I talk right now.' His potential candidacy is generating some interest from players who have run successful upstart campaigns. 'It's going to take a Democrat who can make the case against Washington D.C., the status quo, and the powers that to be to win a senate race in Texas,' said Andrew Mamo, a veteran of Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign who is informally advising Talarico. 'James is one of the rare people in the party with the profile and most importantly the storytelling skills to get that done.' State Sen. Nathan Johnson, a Dallas lawyer, is in the mix but he's also eyeing a run for attorney general. Some party insiders privately worry a state lawmaker won't bring the necessary firepower, saying they need to find a candidate with experience running statewide — or at least someone who represents Texas in Congress — due to the sheer amount of resources required to compete in the second-largest state. Veasey and fellow Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro have both been talked up as potential candidates, though Veasey in an interview ruled out a run. A person close to Castro said he was actively looking at the race. While Democrats across the nation believe backlash against President Donald Trump's unpopular agenda like his DOGE cuts and trade war will help in the midterms, the Democratic dream of winning Texas — which once seemed like only a matter of time — now feels farther away. The party's coalition problems are on stark display in South Texas, where Latino-heavy border districts like Gonzalez's shifted dramatically toward Trump. Gonzalez and other Democrats have been warning of their party's need to reverse their fortunes with Latino voters. 'There is work to be done on Latino erosion,' said Tory Gavito, an Austin-based Democratic strategist. 'There is work to be done to make sure infrastructure is incredibly sound in places like Houston and Dallas and San Antonio and South Texas.' Progressive Democrats are eager to back a candidate who runs to the left of Allred, based on their belief that working-class voters can be brought back to the party with a populist economic message. 'We've got to have somebody run who's going to be willing to go travel the state, and connect with a diverse set of working-class voters,' said Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas). 'In Texas, people are looking for somebody that's authentic and real, willing to tell it like it is, that's going to energize our base, but then bring a lot of disaffected voters back to the polls.' Allred is widely seen by Texas Democrats as the preferred candidate of Washington, and some said they're tired of out-of-state consultants in their backyard. 'We don't want people from D.C. telling Texans what to do,' said Nancy Thompson, a Democratic activist and founder of Mothers Against Greg Abbott. A strong contingent of the party, however, believes that running too far to the left would blow up their chances in what remains a socially conservative state. 'You have to have real candidates that are willing to sound like everyday Texans,' said Veasey. 'Being part of the national team will get your ass killed.'
