News

Fight Looms Over Medi-Cal for Adult Immigrants Without Papers

Published

10 years ago

February 29, 2016

By David Gorn, California Healthline

A plan to offer full state-sponsored health benefits for adult immigrants without papers is likely to spark one of the biggest political fights of the year in Sacramento.

Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens, introduced a bill last year to extend full Medi-Cal benefits to everyone living in California, regardless of immigration status. The scope of that bill was narrowed to cover only children, and it is now law.

An estimated 240,000 undocumented children will become eligible in May for full coverage through Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid, which provides health care for people with low incomes.

The next step, Lara believes, is to extend that coverage to 1.2 million adult immigrants living in California without legal documents and without health insurance.

Covering children without papers is one thing, but providing the same benefits to adults, who vastly outnumber the children, is a far more expensive — and contentious — proposition.

Some critics point to the cost — hundreds of millions of dollars. Others say it is simply wrong to spend tax dollars on people who, they say, have no right to be here.

Proponents say unauthorized immigrants are part of the state’s economic fabric and it benefits no one if they are sick.

“There’s a lot of momentum right now for this, it will definitely be at the forefront this year,” said Jesse Melgar, a spokesman for Lara.

Cost is the big issue, said Lucien Wulsin, executive director of the Insure the Uninsured Project. Initial estimates have ranged widely: The UC Berkeley Labor Center estimates $350 million a year while an Assembly analysis says it could hit $740 million.

Melgar said Lara wants to wait for the Senate budget analysis before targeting specific funding sources. “Right now it’s premature to discuss cost estimates,” he said.

Melgar noted that Gov. Brown “strongly supported” Medi-Cal coverage for the children, and said Lara hopes to work out a plan with the governor’s office to pay for the adults.

For some people, money is not the main issue.

No matter the price tag, it’s not how we should be spending our tax dollars, said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

“I think it’s horrible policy” and it would be “a magnet for more of the undocumented to come to this state,” Coupal said. “I think it’s hard to look taxpayers in the eye and say you want to provide medical care for people who don’t have a legal right to be here. It’s just not fair.”

But immigrants, including those undocumented, are a workforce reality in California, said Laurel Lucia, health care program manager at the U.C. Berkeley Labor Center.

She said that immigrants without papers constitute about nine percent of the state’s workforce, “and having a healthy workforce is important to all of us.”

Lucia noted that of the estimated 1.2 million immigrants in California who are undocumented and uninsured, roughly 870,000 receive federally funded emergency services.

The initial costs of full Medi-Cal coverage, she said, could be a little lower than expected because of the emergency care those immigrants receive. If people get no care at all, they tend to have more untreated conditions that can drive up the cost of treating them later, she explained.

Coverage of adults, Lucia added, could also lead to better coverage for children, since many eligible kids in families of mixed-immigration status go without care.

“About three-quarters of the households headed by an undocumented adult have a citizen in the family, and often a citizen child,” she said. “The whole family might not sign up for coverage, even if they’re eligible.”

The demographics of those targeted by Lara’s plan could make Medi-Cal coverage less expensive than average, Wulsin said. “That population tends to be a younger, low-using population.”

A political wild card could dramatically shift the conversation, such as the status of President Obama’s executive order granting temporary work permits and a reprieve from deportation to five million undocumented present immigrants across the country.

A federal district court suspended the order, and the Supreme Court is expected to hear the case this spring. If it is allowed to take effect, the cost of Lara’s proposal could go down. With work permits in hand, many adults who are here without official immigration papers would get better jobs and could afford their own insurance, or get it through employers.

In Sacramento, the powerful Latino caucus sets its policy agenda at the start of April. How high the issue lands on that list will help determine its fate this year.

Melgar noted that the caucus made health coverage for the undocumented its top priority last year.

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Oakland Mayor Pushes Charter Overhaul to Clarify Roles in City Government, Increase Accountability and Improve Service Delivery

Under the proposal, the mayor would serve as Oakland’s chief executive, overseeing city departments, implementing policy, proposing the annual budget, and managing day-to-day operations. The measure would also give the mayor veto power over legislation and the budget, though the City Council could override a veto with a two-thirds vote.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. File photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee is backing a sweeping proposal to restructure Oakland’s government, arguing the changes would make City Hall more accountable and improve the delivery of basic services like public safety, homelessness response, and infrastructure repairs.

The charter reform measure, introduced April 7 and co-sponsored by Oakland City Council President Kevin Jenkins, would ask voters in November to approve a “strong mayor, strong council” system designed to create clearer lines of authority inside city government.

The City Council, meanwhile, would maintain legislative authority by adopting ordinances, approving budgets, conducting oversight hearings, and confirming key mayoral appointments. The proposal would also create an Independent Budget and Legislative Analyst Office to provide nonpartisan fiscal and policy analysis for councilmembers.

“I’ve spent months listening to Oaklanders across every neighborhood about what they expect from their city government,” Lee said. “The Charter Reform Working Group’s engagement made clear that residents want a system where there are no questions about who is responsible for delivering results on public safety, homelessness, infrastructure, and basic services.”

Jenkins said the proposal would strengthen both executive leadership and council oversight.

“I’ve long believed Oakland works best when residents have clear lines of accountability and a government structure that aligns responsibility with results,” Jenkins said.

The proposal follows recommendations from the Mayor’s Charter Reform Working Group, co-facilitated by the League of Women Voters of Oakland and SPUR.

Over five months, the group conducted more than 60 interviews, held 14 public meetings across Oakland, and engaged more than 750 residents while reviewing governance models used in other cities.

“The process of engaging residents across Oakland surfaced the governance clarity Oakland needs,” said Sujata Srivastava of SPUR. “The Charter Reform Working Group has produced a thoughtful set of recommendations that if adopted could strengthen accountability and improve service delivery across city government.”

Polling cited by the mayor’s office suggests voters may be open to the changes. A February 2026 poll by the East Bay Polling Institute found 64% of voters support adopting a strong-mayor system. Separate polling conducted by the Oakland Chamber of Commerce and David Binder Research found support ranging from 61% to 63% among likely voters.

The measure is scheduled to be heard by the City Council Rules Committee on May 21. If approved by the council, it would appear on the November 2026 ballot, where Oakland voters would have the final say.

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Activism

The Ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Hold Day of Advocacy at the Capitol in Sacramento

A member of the “Divine Nine,” Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., was founded on Jan. 13, 1913, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The organization was established by 22 women who sought to shift the group’s focus from social activities to public service, academic excellence, and social activism.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro) presents a Senate resolution to the Delta Theta Sigma Sorority Farwest Region at the State Capitol on May 4. Photo courtesy of the Senate Rules Committee.

By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

On May 4, members of the Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., convened at the California State Capitol for the organization’s 23rd annual Delta Days in Sacramento.

The two-day advocacy event brings together chapters from across California to engage directly in the legislative process, connect with lawmakers, and advocate for policies impacting Black communities.

Members of the sorority were honored on the Senate floor by Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro), who is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta.

Richardson welcomed the Farwest Region during the presentation of a Senate resolution recognizing outgoing Regional Director Kimberly Usher for her leadership and service.

“In addition to the Far West Region, we are led by a fearless leader, regional director Kimberly Usher. She has now served her full term of what’s allowed,” Richardson said. “We are going to be having our regional conference, but we wanted to give it to her here, officially recognizing her service.”

The resolution was co-authored by Richardson and fellow members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) and Delta Sigma Theta, Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) and Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton).

Usher has served in the leadership role since 2022.

“We are founded on sisterhood that is deeply rooted in scholarship, service, and social action,” said Weber Pierson, a member of the Gamma Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

“Today, we continue a legacy of empowering communities and upholding the high cultural, intellectual, and moral standards established by our founders over a century ago,” she added.

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Rep. Kamlager-Dove Introduces Bill to Protect Women in Custody After Reports Detailing Miscarriages and Neglect

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) on May 7, reintroduced updated legislation aimed at strengthening protections and healthcare standards for pregnant and postpartum women held in federal custody, including in immigration detention facilities.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

The legislation builds on a bipartisan version previously passed by the House during the 117th Congress. The updated bill includes new standards for healthcare access, mental health and substance use treatment, high-risk pregnancy care, family unity protections and increased federal oversight.

“Proper pregnancy care is a human right, regardless of your immigration or incarceration status,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that there are virtually no legal safeguards for pregnant women in federal custody.”

The bill would also limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, improve data collection on maternal health in custody and require additional staff training and enforcement measures.

Supporters of the measure said the legislation is intended to address long-standing concerns about maternal healthcare and safety in detention settings, particularly for Black women and low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by incarceration and health disparities.

“Pregnant women in custody should never be subjected to dangerous and inhumane treatment that threatens their health, dignity, or the well-being of their babies,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP and a longtime public policy and government affairs strategist, in a statement.

A 2021 report estimated there are about 58,000 admissions of pregnant women into U.S. jails and prisons each year. Kamlager’s statement also cited a recent investigation by NBC News and Bloomberg Law that identified allegations of severe mistreatment or medical neglect involving at least 54 pregnant women or families in county jails between 2017 and 2024.

Federal policy under the Department of Homeland Security restricts the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants except in extreme cases. However, the agency reported that ICE deported 363 pregnant, postpartum or nursing women between January 2025 and February 2026, including 16 recorded miscarriages during that period.

The bill is cosponsored by several House Democrats and backed by organizations including the NAACP and the Vera Institute of Justice.