Immigrant Advocates Protest Delayed Healthcare Expansion for Undocumented in California

Los Angeles, USA: Following Governor Gavin Newsom’s announcement that expanded Medi-Cal benefits for undocumented immigrants would be deferred amid a projected $12 billion deficit, advocacy groups organized rallies in major California cities. Demonstrators say postponing healthcare coverage will hit low-wage earners the hardest, limiting preventative care and causing financial strain for families. Newsom’s office defends the decision as a necessary trade-off to maintain budget stability, citing skyrocketing costs from increased enrollment. Lawmakers on both sides are proposing amendments and alternative funding approaches, but with the shortfall larger than anticipated, state leaders face difficult spending choices.