June 6, 2025
A recent bipartisan statewide survey of California likely voters finds that a clear majority of California voters support maintaining Medi-Cal coverage for all eligible Californians regardless of immigration status. FM3 Research (D) and New Bridge Strategy (R) completed a survey of 880 California voters likely to participate in the November 2026 electioni to assess their attitudes toward recent proposals to change California’s expansion of Medi-Cal coverage to include all qualifying Californians, regardless of their immigration status. Key specific findings of the survey include the following:
- A solid majority of voters supports providing Medi-Cal to all low-income Californians, regardless of immigration status. Fully 56% of likely voters back the current policy of including all qualifying Californians in the program, with 39% “strongly” supportive. In contrast, 41% of voters oppose it (Figure 1). Support for the policy is greatest among Democrats, with 86% in favor; a plurality of independents also backs the policy.
Figure 1: Support for Offering Medi-Cal Coverage Regardless of Immigration Status
Medi-Cal is California’s version of the federal Medicaid healthcare program. Over the last decade, California has expanded access to Medi-Cal to include all low-income Californians, including families, seniors, people with disabilities, and more, regardless of their immigration status. Today, more than a third of Californians, nearly 15 million people, are enrolled in Medi-Cal, including 1.6 million undocumented Californians. Do you support or oppose California’s current Medi-Cal policy that provides healthcare coverage to all low-income Californians, regardless of immigration status?
Support for the policy also cuts across the electorate’s major demographic groups, including:
- 62% of voters ages under age 50, 51% of voters ages 50-64, and 52% of voters ages 65 and over;
- 53% of voters in Los Angeles County, 57% in the counties surrounding Los Angeles, 61% in the Bay Area, 61% in San Diego, 51% in Sacramento and Northern California, and 53% in the Central Valley and Central Coast; and
- 60% of white voters, 54% of Latino voters, 63% of African American/Black voters, and 50% of Asian American/Pacific Islander voters.
- Nearly half of voters say they would view state elected officials who support the current Medi-Cal policy “more favorably.” A 49% plurality would take a more positive view of a state elected official who supported offering Medi-Cal to all low-income Californians, regardless of immigration status. Only about one-third (34%) would view such an official less favorably. More than three-quarters of Democrats (77%) and a plurality of independents would take a more positive view of such an official.
Figure 2: Impact of a State Elected Official’s Support for Providing Medi-Cal Coverage Regardless of Immigration Status on Views of That Official
If you knew that a state elected official supported this current Medi-Cal policy, would it make you view them more favorably, less favorably, or would it make no difference to you?
- These sentiments are rooted in voters’ strongly positive views of Medi-Cal and of the contributions immigrants make to California. Nearly two-thirds of voters view Medi-Cal favorably (64%), while only one- quarter view it unfavorably. Additionally, two-thirds of voters (67%) agree that “immigrants who have grown up in our state and have lived here for many years are basically Californians” and that “undocumented immigrants contribute to our community.” Voters offer broad agreement that “immigrants are a vital part of the California economy” (72%) and that “healthcare is a human right” (75%).
- Presented with some of the budget tradeoffs involved in maintaining current Medi-Cal coverage, voters remain supportive. Survey respondents were presented with two alternative strategies for addressing California’s budget shortfall: terminating Medi-Cal coverage for undocumented immigrants, or raising taxes on the wealthiest Californians. A sizable majority (55%) prefers to raise taxes on wealthy Californians, compared to just 37% who prefer to terminate Medi-Cal for undocumented immigrants.
- After an exchange of pro and con messaging on the issue, a majority of voters continues to support maintaining Medi-Cal coverage regardless of immigration status. After voters hear messaging on both sides of the issue, most continue to back current policy (as shown in Figure 3) – suggesting that voters have clearly- defined positions on the issue that shift little in the face of arguments on either side.
Figure 3: Support for Current Expanded Medi-Cal Policy After Pro and Con Messaging
Taken together, the findings of the survey show that Californians strongly value Medi-Cal, embrace the contributions immigrants make to California, and favor continuing an existing policy that extends Medi-Cal coverage to all qualifying Californians regardless of immigration status. In the context of the state’s budget deficit, voters are more supportive of taxing wealthy Californians than they are of cutting healthcare coverage for immigrants. They take a more positive view of state elected officials who will defend the existing policy and preserve Medi-Cal coverage.
See full release here.