Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California will allocate $35 million in state funding to help immigrant families facing the Trump administration’s deportation efforts. The money, set aside by the state Legislature in the budget, will connect immigrant families with food assistance, legal services, and other basic needs, according to Kim Johnson, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency.
California’s move reflects growing tension between the state and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement, even as the state faces a $2.9 billion budget deficit. The allocation signals Democratic resistance to federal deportation policies at a moment when immigrant families report heightened fear and economic hardship.
“When federal actions create fear and instability, our responsibility is to show up for families,” said Kim Johnson, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency. “This investment strengthens local partners who are helping people access legal services and meet basic needs during an incredibly difficult moment.”
California’s allocation comes despite significant budget constraints. The state expects a $2.9 billion deficit in the coming budget year and is limiting health care coverage for unauthorized immigrants this year to help resolve a larger shortfall in 2025.
Impact on Immigrant Communities
A spokesperson for Newsom said the governor has heard directly from immigrant families and community leaders about the impact of the Trump administration’s enforcement efforts. “People are afraid to leave their homes, afraid to go to school or work, and unable to afford groceries,” the spokesperson said. CalMatters has reported on families in farmworker communities foregoing critical medical care.
Federal Enforcement Campaign
The Trump administration has pursued aggressive immigration enforcement nationwide. President Trump signed a budget bill that included $170 billion for immigration enforcement, detention, and deportation efforts over four years. That federal investment is designed to facilitate the deportation of up to 1 million people per year.
California’s sanctuary law limits cooperation between state and federal immigration authorities, but it does not prevent state corrections staff from transferring people convicted of violent or serious felonies to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. State funds for immigration legal services come with restrictions preventing assistance to people with serious or violent felony convictions fighting deportations.
Partisan Disagreement
The funding announcement drew sharp disagreement between Republicans and Democrats. Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, a Republican from San Diego, called the allocation “absurd.” “If you were audited by the IRS and found to owe money and back taxes, as a citizen, you couldn’t say, ‘Well, I want a free lawyer to fight the federal government,’” DeMaio said.
State Sen. Lena Gonzalez, chairperson of the California Latino Legislative Caucus and a Democrat from Long Beach, countered that the funds are essential. “The federal government is waging a war on our communities – and we won’t stand for it,” she said. “We are putting money behind an effort to stop the fear, stop the separation of our families and stop violating our basic rights.”