Trump's $134M Tab Crushed by CA's $31B Immigrant Bill

Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, at a guest appearance at the California Defense Leadership Summit in Sacramento, CA, 2022. Photo courtesy of U.S. Space Force photo by Airman 1st Class Ryan Quijas. Public domain.

California Democrats recently blasted President Donald Trump's $134 million federal troop deployment to Los Angeles to quell anti-ICE riots, labeling it a wasteful use of taxpayer dollars. But their outrage quickly collided with public records and budget analyses showing that the same politicians have long supported tens of billions of dollars in state spending for undocumented immigrants. The contrast between their federal spending criticism and state budget commitments has sparked a fierce debate.

Too Little, Too Late? The Troop Deployment Outrage

When the Trump administration deployed federal troops to respond to anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, the $134 million price tag drew sharp rebukes from California's top Democrats. According to Fox News, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) slammed the spending as "shameful," arguing the money could have been better used for fire recovery efforts.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) described it as a "despicable" use of taxpayer funds, as reported by Fox News.

However, the outrage over the troop deployment's cost soon ran into inconvenient facts. Social media users and conservative commentators highlighted that California spends billions annually on services for undocumented immigrants — a figure that dwarfs the federal troop deployment cost by a wide margin.

The One Thing They Didn't See Coming: The Bill for Undocumented Immigrants

Recent studies from the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) show that California's spending on undocumented immigrants and their U.S.-born children totals nearly $31 billion annually. This includes $22.8 billion on benefits and services for an estimated 3.23 million undocumented immigrants, plus an additional $8.1 billion for about 1.15 million U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants, PR Newswire reported.

These costs cover a broad range of public services: health care through Medi-Cal, K-12 education, in-state college tuition, housing assistance, and legal aid. California's Medicaid program alone has expanded to cover all low-income adults ages 26 through 49 regardless of immigration status, enrolling roughly 1.6 million undocumented immigrants.

The $31 billion figure is nearly 230 times the cost of the federal troop deployment, a fact that online critics have seized upon to highlight what they view as a glaring double standard.

Why This Could Blow up Fast: The Budget Reality

California's budget challenges are well documented. The state recently announced a $12 billion deficit, with Medi-Cal's rising costs cited as a major factor. Newsom's administration had to borrow an extra $2.7 billion to cover unexpected enrollment surges, largely driven by undocumented immigrants gaining access to taxpayer-funded health care.

Critics argue that this spending on undocumented immigrants exacerbates California's fiscal difficulties, diverting funds from other urgent needs like wildfire recovery, infrastructure, and public safety. Some contend the money could be better allocated to services for law-abiding residents or to address the state's homelessness crisis, which has worsened despite billions in spending.

The Internet's Take: Elite Hypocrisy or Compassionate Policy?

The online reaction has been intense. Conservative activists and commentators accuse California Democrats of hypocrisy — condemning the troop deployment as wasteful while quietly supporting massive spending on undocumented immigrants. Social media posts highlight the billions spent on undocumented immigrants as a betrayal of taxpayers and frame it as a glaring example of political double standards.

At the same time, supporters argue that providing health care, education, and legal protections for undocumented immigrants is a moral and practical policy. They note many undocumented immigrants contribute economically and that denying access to essential services could have public health and safety consequences.

According to Fox News, Newsom's communications director defended the spending as providing an "irrefutable return on investment," emphasizing the broader benefits of education and health care access for all Californians, regardless of immigration status.

What's Next? Political Fallout and Budget Battles

As California wrestles with its budget deficit, the debate over spending priorities deepens. Newsom has proposed ending new enrollments of undocumented immigrants in Medi-Cal and introducing small user premiums, signaling a potential move toward fiscal restraint.

However, with millions of undocumented immigrants residing in the state, any rollback risks pushback from immigrant communities and progressive allies. Meanwhile, critics continue to cite the troop deployment controversy as emblematic of what they see as mismanagement and misaligned priorities.

This clash spotlights larger political and fiscal battles shaping California's path forward, where taxpayer dollars, immigration policy, and public trust remain central issues.

References: Newsom Slams $134M for Federal Troops While CA Spends Billions on Illegal Immigrants | FAIR: Illegal Immigration Costs California Taxpayers Nearly $31 Billion a Year | How Gavin Newsom Busted Cali's Budget on Illegal Immigrants