Governor Newsom Honors Promise to Expand Critical State Anti-Hunger Programs for Some Californians, But Abandons Humanitarian Immigrants
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2026
CONTACT
Edward Sifuentes, esifuentes@caimmigrant.org, (760) 936-2632
Hayley Burgess, hayley@wavelengthcommunications.com, (213) 523-0708
SACRAMENTO, CA – Gov. Gavin Newsom’s May Revision of the proposed 2026-27 State Budget released yesterday maintained California's commitment to the planned automation for the expansion of the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which will provide food assistance beginning October 2027 to Californians ages 55 and older, regardless of immigration status. However, the governor's proposal fails to address a looming hunger crisis that would leave tens of thousands of immigrants out of critical food assistance.
On April 1, a federal bill, H.R. 1, began stripping food benefits from refugees, asylees, and other immigrants with humanitarian status — solely due to their immigration status. An estimated 6,000 Californians have already lost their CalFresh benefits as a result. Without state action, 72,000 humanitarian immigrants will have lost food assistance by early 2027.
In response to the May Revision, members of the Food4All coalition issued the following statements:
Jackie Mendelson, Policy Advocate at Nourish California:
“We applaud Newsom for continuing the planned expansion of CFAP, but ultimately the budget’s failure to include humanitarian immigrants who are newly excluded from CalFresh puts tens of thousands of Californians, and their families, at risk of going hungry. California’s leaders cannot follow Trump’s lead and neglect our immigrant neighbors. If we want our state to thrive, they must put action behind their words and invest in the wellbeing of all Californians, regardless of age or immigration status. Every single person who calls our state home deserves to feed themselves with dignity, no matter where they were born.”
Benyamin Chao, Supervising Health & Public Benefits Policy Manager at the California Immigrant Policy Center:
“The continued commitment to the CFAP expansion for Californians age 55 and older remains an important step towards the safety and security of all Californians, but falls short of addressing the full scale of hunger in our state. With thousands of refugees and humanitarian immigrants losing food assistance every month because of new federal restrictions, California must not mirror the federal government’s exclusionary approach by leaving vulnerable families without a safety net when they face hunger."
Assemblywoman Celeste Rodriguez (D-43):
“We appreciate that the Governor maintained the planned CFAP expansion for immigrant Californians age 55 and older, because no senior should be forced to choose between food, medicine, or other basic necessities. But hundreds of thousands of Californians, including those under 55 and humanitarian immigrants, are still being left behind at a moment when federal actions are already stripping food assistance away from vulnerable families. California has long led with the understanding that access to food is a basic human need, and we must continue working toward a system where no one goes hungry because of their immigration status or age.”
Ana-Alicia Carr, Director of Policy and Coalitions at the Los Angeles Food Policy Council:
“The Los Angeles Food Policy Council stands firm in its dedication to ensuring everyone has healthy, affordable, accessible, sustainable and fair food. While we are encouraged that the Governor maintained his commitment to the CFAP expansion for adults 55 and older, ongoing and emerging challenges threaten food security for many others. Younger immigrant adults still lack a planned pathway to access our most effective anti-hunger program. Additionally, nearly 11,000 newly excluded humanitarian immigrants in Los Angeles County alone are losing access to Calfresh benefits due to federal changes. Diminished spending power is a detriment to families, retailers, food producers and local economies - California must do more to ensure a strong safety net for all.”
Monica Saucedo, senior policy fellow at the California Budget & Policy Center:
”Governor Newsom’s May Revision fails Californians with low incomes who are on the brink of a hunger crisis. Without bold state action, thousands of Californians, including humanitarian immigrants who are children, people with disabilities, and parents to US citizens, will be stripped of their CalFresh eligibility over the coming months. While the planned CFAP expansion to older adults is an important step, 72,000 humanitarian immigrants and 40,000 US citizen and legal permanent resident family members will still lose assistance without additional investments as inflation and food costs continue to rise at the fastest level in years.”
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The Food4All coalition is a diverse, robust coalition of more than 100 anti-hunger, anti-poverty, immigrant rights, and grassroots organizations that are working together to bring an equitable food safety net that does not discriminate based on immigration status.
Founded in 1992 and operating for over a quarter century as California Food Policy Advocates, Nourish California is a nonpartisan, statewide 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We engage in policy advocacy and research at the local, regional, and state levels in California and at the federal level. When our small team isn’t out meeting with communities, partners, and policymakers, we can be found in our offices in Oakland, Los Angeles (virtual), and San Diego (virtual).
The California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) is a statewide immigrant rights organization that advocates for policies that protect and advance the rights of immigrants and their families throughout California. CIPC combines legislative and policy advocacy, strategic communications, statewide organizing, and regional coalition capacity building to pursue its mission of advocating for policies that uphold the humanity of immigrants and refugees while advancing racial, social, and economic justice.
