State’s benefits and protections targeted by the Trump Administration can expect further threats and uncertainties – leaders outline what’s next for Californians.
On Tuesday, April 29, Courage California, joined by Health Access, The California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC), California Children and Families Commission (First5CA), and End Child Poverty CA, held a press conference to discuss the impacts of President Trump’s First Volatile 100 Days in office and how they are preparing as further executive orders, spending cuts, and threats are made – including what Californians can do to protect themselves, their families, and community members, and how to stay informed.
“Trump’s first hundred days have and will continue to make a substantial impact on California. But with Courage and Unity, state leaders and advocates are doing their part in preparing for what’s to come, to protect California’s access to our social safety net, due process and legal representation, and the investments in our communities that keep us healthy, safe, and connected to each other,” said Irene Kao, Executive Director of Courage California.
Excerpts:
“When the Trump administration partially terminated the program that allows legal service providers to represent unaccompanied children, they put thousands of children at risk of losing their attorneys and representation,” said Sukaina Hussain, Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives at The California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC). “Organizations across our state that specialize in representing immigrant children received federal government notices to immediately stop work on their contracts. In addition, refugee resettlement agencies are also struggling to provide services to families due to federal bans on refugee resettlement and stop-work orders, which have impacted critical services to refugees that already live in our communities.”
Hussain outlined the tools that Californians have to protect against such attacks, such as SB 54, the California Values Act, building infrastructure for long-term community power and long-term advocacy, and trainings provided by Rapid Response Networks.
“Countless organizations have been leading Know Your Rights and Family Preparedness trainings that have been fundamental components of the rapid response work. These trainings empower community members with critical information about their rights, regardless of their immigration status. In underserved regions like the Central Valley, the Central Coast, and the Inland Empire, these efforts are even more critical because resources and legal services are limited and ICE activity is often increased,” said Hussain.
“One of the things that we’ve been seeing is the importance of actually being present, advocating, and talking to our representatives at the federal level, at the state level, and at the local level,” shared Jorge De La Cruz, Deputy Director of External and Governmental Affairs at California Children and Families Commission (First5CA). According to Cruz, it’s imperative that we support legislation that will help children. “AB 1261 by Assemblymember Bonta does exactly that. It provides legal counsel to children facing immigration judges,” said Cruz. “I think we can all agree that children shouldn’t have to face immigration judges on their own.”
He shared that people should continue to be proactive by writing letters to their state legislators and congressional members to let them know how they are being affected by harmful orders and policies coming from the Trump administration – emphasizing the need for human stories.
“One of the tools that we have to continue using and increasing is really providing these real stories from real folks. What does that mean? If you’re being affected by these federal changes, feel free to share your stories, reach out to First 5 California,” said Cruz, “Because it is powerful when our leaders are able to put a face to the name, a face to the bill, a face to the executive orders that are affecting essential programs that support children and families, such as Medi-Cal, SNAP, CalFresh, and Head Start.”
“I think it’s been clear that the first 100 days have been a full frontal assault, an attempt to assault the progress that’s been made to prevent children and families from experiencing poverty. We know all too well that poverty is a policy choice. Look no further than the enhanced Child Tax Credit,” said Andrew Cheyne, Managing Director of Public Policy at End Child Poverty CA. “Congress, with the stroke of a pen, greatly reduced poverty by a half.”
Since the expiration of the Child Tax Credit, “we’ve seen poverty rise to shocking levels, including reopening deep disparities for indigenous, black, immigrant, and other communities who experienced the greatest disenfranchisement and discrimination,” said Cheyne.
Noting the continued rising costs, deep tariffs, and mass layoffs of federal employees, Cheyne shared that recent reports show that one in four families is taking out loans to afford groceries. “To say things are unsustainable is a gross understatement. And yet Congress and the federal administration are threatening even more devastating cuts… much of which is under the racist dog whistle of work requirements, which we know not only failed [in the past], but are premised on the racist basis that people experiencing poverty must be punished to work,” said Cheyne. “In the fourth largest economy in the world, it can’t be the case that we lack the revenues. We have the wealth, we have the resources; we need the political will to achieve the more just and equitable future that we know is possible.”
According to Chris Noble at Health Access, there are almost 17 million Californians who receive health coverage through public programs that rely on federal funding and rules – including Medi-Cal and our Covered California ACA marketplace plan.
“How protected are we in California from federal attacks? Our federal Medicaid dollars make up more than half of our Medi-Cal spending. So our Medi-Cal program is dependent on federal dollars to stay afloat,” said Chris Noble, Organizing Director at Health Access and the coalition Fight for Our Health.
“But Republicans are trying to demand $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid to fund their tax breaks. Those tax breaks are for greedy corporations and the most wealthy people of this country,” said Noble. They “are trying to propose things like work requirements or per capita caps as a way to get to that $880 billion cut to justify their tax cuts for billionaires. Let’s be clear, those programs will reduce coverage. They will push more people into emergency rooms. They will ensure that our healthcare system is continuously overburdened, and if anything, even more costly.”
Noble said that there is no way to make those cuts without stripping Medicaid and care away from millions of people and families in California, and he encouraged Californians to reach out to their congressional members to tell them their constituents need them to protect Medicaid/Medi-Cal.
He stressed that any cuts would result in a reduction of health services, lost jobs of providers, and the coverage of providers – health system impacts that will touch every American, every Californian.
“We’ve seen California leading in a lot of spaces, such as the Attorney General taking litigation into the federal courts, and a lot of California organizations as plaintiffs and joining a lot of those fights. So there’s a lot to celebrate,” said Cheyne, Public Policy at End Child Poverty CA. “But let me be clear, do not be complacent, do not take it for granted.”