California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) says that the system in California could “break” when Title 42 is lifted next week.
In an interview with ABC News on Monday, Newsom said, “The fact is, what we’ve got right now is not working and is about to break in a post-42 world unless we take some responsibility and ownership.”
During the interview, the governor painted a pessimistic picture of the post-Title 42 situation “as someone that feels responsible for being part of the solution” and blamed the Federal government for sending “more and more” immigrants to California.
Newsom pointed out that California’s nine facilities are already at capacity and accused the government of placing a “disproportionate” burden on California.
The remarks were surprising coming from Newsom, who has been one of the strongest advocates of illegal immigration and the provision of services to those entering the country without documentation.
In early 2019, Newsom rescinded the order of former California Gov. Jerry Brown (D), pulling off most of the 360 California National Guard troops stationed at the Mexican border. Newsom called it a “gray area,” whether they were actually participating in border security. He also called the border emergency “a manufactured crisis” during his State of the State address that year.
In 2020, Newsom announced a $125 million fund for undocumented immigrants affected by COVID-19. The fund, partially covered by taxpayer money, gave out cash payments of $500 each to 150,000 undocumented immigrants living in California.
In June, California became the first state to guarantee healthcare to all undocumented immigrants living in the state. The $307.9 billion operating budget pledges to make all low-income adults eligible for California’s Medicaid program by 2024, regardless of their immigration status. The coverage would include abortion services.
In September, Newsom signed a bill allowing undocumented immigrants the opportunity to obtain a state ID. The legislation was created to help expand access of undocumented immigrants to state programs such as health permits for street vendors and access to in-state tuition at public colleges and universities for undocumented students. During the signing of the bill, Newsom called California a “state of refuge.”
According to the Public Policy Institute of California, about 22% of California’s nearly 11 million immigrants are in the U.S. illegally.
