Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Service Collaboration
by Claudia Boyd-Barrett for KFF Health News
For months, Maria, 55, a caregiver in Orange County, has hidden her smile. With no dental insurance and decaying front teeth, she relies on pain pills. A dentist quoted $2,400 for treatment — far beyond her means. Maria, an undocumented immigrant, fears deportation and asked that only her first name be used.
She is one of 2.6 million immigrants in California without legal status. The state had gradually expanded Medi-Cal to include them, but a budget deal signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom will freeze new enrollment in January 2026 for those 19 and older. Current enrollees ages 19 to 59 will also face $30 monthly premiums starting in July 2027. Dental benefits will end in 2026.
Meanwhile, reports that Medicaid enrollee data is being shared with federal immigration authorities are fueling fear. Advocates say raids — including one at a health clinic — already deter people from seeking care. “Disappointed and scared” was Maria’s reaction upon hearing the news.
Federal officials defend the data sharing, saying it addresses systemic neglect and prevents fraud. The Trump administration has also threatened to withhold funds from states covering immigrants without legal status. About 1.6 million undocumented people are currently enrolled in Medi-Cal.
California began the expansion in 2016 with children, later adding youth, older adults, and, this year, people ages 26 to 49. Community health workers, many Latino, have helped promote enrollment. But Seciah Aquino of the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California says her group now advises promotores to warn about data risks. “They take it personally that advice they gave could hurt someone,” she said.
Newsom condemned the data sharing as “legally dubious.” Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla have urged the Department of Homeland Security to destroy the information. Other states, including Illinois and Washington, also reported that enrollee data was shared.
Health providers warn that cuts will drive immigrants to costly emergency care. In 2009, after Medi-Cal adult dental benefits were slashed, dentists reported patients arriving with infections so severe they needed hospitalization.
Still, opposition is growing. A May Public Policy Institute of California poll found 58 percent of adults oppose benefits for undocumented residents.
For Maria, who supports three children back home, the uncertainty is overwhelming. She started filling out Medi-Cal paperwork but hesitated after hearing about the data risks. Enrolling, she said, no longer feels safe.
