El Arc de California Responds to Governor’s Budget Targeting Immigrant Families

El Arc de California, the state’s leading coalition of Latino disability advocacy organizations, is deeply alarmed by Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Revise of the state budget proposal, which threatens to reverse California’s progress on health equity by targeting undocumented individuals with disabilities and their caregivers—many of them Latino.

The proposal would freeze enrollment into full-scope Medi-Cal for undocumented adults over the age of 19, impose a $100/month premium on those already enrolled, and eliminate access to critical services such as In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), dental care, and long-term care benefits.

This proposal strikes at the heart of California’s immigrant communities and directly harms families already facing disproportionate barriers in accessing disability services.

“Latino immigrant families are the backbone of our communities. Stripping their access to IHSS and essential health services is not just fiscally short-sighted—it is morally unacceptable,” said Joe Perales, Director of El Arc de California.

In recent years, California has made historic strides in expanding Medi-Cal to cover all income-eligible adults regardless of immigration status, recognizing that health care is a human right. These changes provided lifelines for undocumented families caring for children and adults with disabilities—many of whom rely on IHSS to ensure safety, dignity, and care at home.

This budget proposal would walk back that progress, leaving thousands of undocumented individuals—many of them essential workers and caregivers—without access to the services that keep their families afloat.

We call on the Governor and the Legislature to:

• Reject proposals that roll back Medi-Cal access for undocumented Californians.
• Protect IHSS, dental, and long-term care benefits for all Medi-Cal recipients.
• Uphold California’s promise of equity and inclusion for immigrant and Latino communities.
• Include disability justice in every budget decision—because no person with a disability should be left behind due to immigration status.

The proposed cuts violate the values we share as Californians. At El Arc de California, we believe that every person—regardless of immigration status—deserves access to care, support, and opportunity. We will not stand by as immigrant families are pushed out of the very systems they helped build and support.

“We stand in solidarity with California’s undocumented community—especially the thousands of Latino families raising children and adults with developmental disabilities. These proposed cuts erase years of progress toward equitable health access and place an unjust burden on families already marginalized by the system,” Said Grace Huerta, Vice President of The Arc of California Board of Directors, and Chair of the El Arc de California Advisory Committee

We need advocates and allies to speak up, and use the power of their voice. Here are two ways you can join us in opposing these unjust budget proposals:

1. Email or call your assembly member and senator urging them to reject this budget proposal: Click HERE to find your legislator.
2. Share your story with us, by emailing info@thearcca.org