FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Ed Sifuentes, esifuentes@caimmigrant.org, (760) 936-2632
Hayley Gammill, hayley@wavelengthcommunications.com, 213-523-0708
California Preserves Commitment to Expand Critical Anti-Hunger Programs for Some Residents, But More is Needed to Prevent Looming Hunger Crisis
SACRAMENTO, CA – Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the 2026-27 State Budget yesterday, preserving California’s commitment to expand food access for some Californians — but falling short of what’s needed to prevent a growing hunger crisis that will leave tens of thousands without critical food assistance.
The budget maintains the planned automation for the expansion of the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which will extend food assistance beginning in October 2027 to Californians ages 55 and older, regardless of immigration status. However, the final budget deal left out investments to include food benefit access for humanitarian immigrants, who are actively losing access to CalFresh under the federal budget bill, H.R. 1 — despite the inclusion of $5 million for this in the original budget bill that passed from the Legislature two weeks ago.
Advocates warn that many immigrant families across California will remain locked out of food assistance with no relief in sight. Tens of thousands of immigrants granted humanitarian protection and hundreds of thousands of Californians ages 54 and below will continue to be excluded from food assistance, due solely to their immigration status. As the federal government continues to gut the national safety net, the Food4All coalition cautions that California cannot afford a patchwork response that leaves our most vulnerable neighbors behind.
Members of the Food4All coalition issued the following statements:
Jackie Mendelson, Policy Advocate at Nourish California:
“The renewed commitment to providing historic food assistance for Californians ages 55 and older, regardless of immigration status, will help hundreds of thousands of our California neighbors. Yet, the harm of excluding humanitarian immigrants and other Californians due only to immigration status ripples across our entire state. It impacts our health, access to housing, and collective stability in our communities. No Californian should have to go hungry, and we cannot pick and choose who is worthy of being able to put food on the table for themselves and their loved ones.”
Benyamin Chao, Supervising Health & Public Benefits Policy Manager at the California Immigrant Policy Center:
“It’s difficult to celebrate progress while tens of thousands of immigrants across this state have been abandoned after losing access to CalFresh. We are shocked that, in the final negotiations, the governor and legislature reversed their plan to prepare our state-funded food program to protect humanitarian immigrants. California has the resources and the responsibility to do more, and we will keep pushing until every resident, regardless of immigration status, can afford enough to eat.”
Assemblywoman Celeste Rodriguez:
“The need to eat is universal, and no one should go hungry because of their race or where they were born. This budget protects an important promise to older Californians by preserving the planned expansion of CFAP, but we know the need doesn’t end there, and future budgets must continue to honor that commitment. As families continue to face rising costs and harmful federal attacks on immigrant communities, California must keep fighting to ensure everyone has access to the food they need to live with dignity. Food is a human right, and our work is far from over.”
Melissa Arvizu, Director of Nutrition & Food Security Program:
“Through our programs and community outreach efforts, we have observed ongoing changes in food access needs, including a 14% decrease in CalFresh applications from 2025 to 2026 and a 10% decrease in outreach screenings and client participation. These experiences reinforce the importance of continued investment in resources and support systems that help communities access nutritious food and maintain their health and well-being. We will continue working alongside partners, community organizations, and individuals so that all people, regardless of who they are or where they live, can achieve their highest level of health.”
Vanessa Terán, Policy Director at the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP):
“We are deeply saddened and disconcerted by the Governor’s decision to reject funding to restore food assistance for the humanitarian immigrant population. During such a frightening and difficult time of immigration enforcement across California and the nation, this rejection is felt deeply by those who are most vulnerable. We view the recent expansion of food assistance for undocumented individuals over the age of 55 as a significant victory and a testament to the compassion of our current legislative leadership. This is a vital step in the right direction for California, providing essential support to the seniors who have labored in our fields and who are in critical need due to their immigration status.”
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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.
