12-05-2025
Federal cuts could impact health care and social services for Michigan immigrant families, community leaders say
As Congress prepares to consider massive cuts to health care and social services, those changes could spell significant changes for families in Michigan, particularly within the immigrant community.
"These folks are our neighbors. They're our coworkers. They live in communities across the state, and they play key roles in Michigan's economy," said Christine Sauvé with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center.
As part of its budget reconciliation bill, Congress is considering potentially cutting $163 billion from federal spending to boost defense and homeland security. That nearly 10 % reduction would drastically cut vital community resources for all citizens, including education, subsidized food programs, and housing support.
"Any safety net restrictions imposed through budget reconciliation will harm only lawfully present immigrants and their U.S. citizen children, rather, U.S. citizen family members," said Esther Reyes with the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition.
Some potential program cuts that would directly impact Michiganders include the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helped more than 430,000 households in the state last year, the Child Tax Credit and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
"With food prices persistently high and wages frozen in place, food security is already out of reach for far too many Michigan families and children," said Anna Almanza with the Food Bank Council of Michigan.
"We'll see Michigan families losing that access to care and will experience costly delays in care, not just immigrants," said Jackie Chandler with the Michigan Primary Care Association.
While the current budget plan still has a long way to go, community leaders say it is essential to prepare for what may come.
