Several Democratic governors have cut health coverage for illegal immigrants amid budget pressures and projected savings, with Illinois expecting savings of approximately $330 million. Amid the shift in priorities, Democratic strategist James Carville has suggested that the party is moving past 2024 figures such as former Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Republican lawmakers have pointed to the changes to press for similar limits, arguing that state funds should prioritize citizens.
Carville stated, “Anybody that had anything to do with 2024, the party wants to move on from that.” He added, “This isn’t anybody’s fault. This goes to Walz, too. I wouldn’t run again.”
Carville added, “That would be my—if I were your friend, if I would be your chief advisor, I’m doing this not—from a personal standpoint. This is not going to be the environment that a 2024 Democrat that—the Democrats are not going to look to anybody that had anything to do with the 2024 campaign.”
In Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker ended a program for more than 30,000 adults, while Walz removed undocumented individuals from MinnesotaCare. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed capping new Medi-Cal enrollment with premiums in 2027.
Walz said, “No one got everything they wanted.” He added, “There were very difficult conversations… but at the end of the day, we were able to come to this agreement.”
Newsom said, “We are not cutting or rolling back those that are already enrolled in our Medi-Cal system, we’re just capping it.” He added, “No state has done more than the state of California… That’s a point of pride.”
Advocates have warned that the rollbacks may raise emergency costs and strain safety-net systems. St. John’s Community Health President Jim Mangia wrote, “These governors may be known for their sharp anti-Trump rhetoric, but their recent policy choices echo the very worst aspects of his administration: using immigrants—particularly those without the right to vote—as economic scapegoats.”
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SOURCE: More Cuts: Illegal Immigrants Suffer Blow in Blue States