California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have expressed their disapproval of President Donald Trump regarding the financial implications of deploying troops to manage anti-ICE protests within their jurisdiction—a cost that is considerably less than what taxpayers allocate for services for undocumented immigrants in the state.
“This is an utterly disgraceful allocation of taxpayer funds that could be utilized to genuinely assist individuals,” Bass recently remarked on X. “Despicable.”
“$134 million that ought to be directed towards LA’s fire recovery,” Newsom stated on X. “Shameful.”
Numerous individuals on social media reacted to their comments by emphasizing the billions of taxpayer dollars expended on undocumented immigrants in California. Among those contributing to the discussion was White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller.
“Just wait until you discover how many trillions we are obligated to spend on illegal aliens,” Miller commented on X in response to Newsom.
“Now consider the $9 billion you extracted from our state treasury to finance your free healthcare initiative for illegal immigrants,” campaign strategist Andrew Clark remarked on X.
“How many billions have you allocated to undocumented individuals, Gavin? It’s well into the hundreds of billions,” Conservative activist and filmmaker Robby Starbuck noted on X. “THAT funding should have been directed towards your citizens and fire recovery, yet you allocated it to undocumented immigrants.
Recent analyses reviewed by Fox News Digital indicate that California invests at least tens of billions of dollars each year on undocumented immigrants—far surpassing the $134 million expense of deploying federal troops to address the recent unrest.
A cost assessment conducted by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), featured in a 2023 press release by the House Budget Committee, estimated that California expended over $22 billion in 2022 alone on benefits and services extended to undocumented immigrants.
Meanwhile, the state — led by Newsom and a Democratic supermajority in the California Assembly — is facing a $12 billion budget deficit while upholding some of the highest taxes, housing expenses, and regulatory conditions in the nation.
In a recent cost analysis, FAIR estimated that services for undocumented immigrants cost California taxpayers $31 billion each year. A 2019 FAIR report also revealed that the state allocates over $2 billion annually for incarceration and court-related expenses concerning illegal immigrants.
Earlier this year, Newsom sought an additional $2.8 billion loan to address a growing deficit in California’s Medicaid program—a shortfall largely attributed to the expanded coverage for illegal immigrants.
Last year, California became the first state to extend Medi-Cal coverage to all low-income adults aged 26 to 49, irrespective of immigration status. According to state statistics, around 1.6 million undocumented immigrants are now enrolled in the program, alongside 15 million other residents of California.
In addition to the significant taxpayer expenditure on individuals residing in the country illegally, a recent WalletHub study indicated that California ranks near the bottom nationally in terms of taxpayer return on investment. The study assessed state and local tax revenues against the quality of services provided in sectors such as education, healthcare, public safety, the economy, and infrastructure.
California was ranked 47th overall in taxpayer efficiency, according to the finance company.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin countered criticism from California Democrats, emphasizing that without prompt action from federal troops, the rioters could inflict millions of dollars in property damage—an expense that would ultimately burden taxpayers.
“Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass are conveniently overlooking the significant costs associated with mass looting, rioters damaging LA’s family-owned businesses, public property, and igniting cars and other assets,” McLaughlin stated.
