DHS questions Newsom for funding health care for undocumented immigrants as ambulance costs rise 383%

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has once again put California under the spotlight after state data showed that the ambulance transportation funded by taxpayers could increase by as much as 383% over the next two years, Fox News Digital reported.

The Trump administration notes that this escalation coincides with decisions by governor Gavin Newsom to maintain undocumented adults' access to Medi-Cal services, a program that combines state and federal funds.

An increase that worries Washington

Numbers released by the state itself point to an accelerated increase: the cost per move, which was $339 in 2022, reached $1,168 in 2024. California has already filed requests to raise that figure to $1,597 in 2025 and $1,637 in 2026, which would bring the total hike to about 383%. Although the state does not officially link the increase to care for undocumented immigrants, DHS stresses that these beneficiaries primarily use emergency services, precisely the line item where the increases occur.

"California Democrats, like Gavin Newsom, should stop putting illegal aliens over Americans," DHS Undersecretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital.

A state adjusting its Medi-Cal policy

Earlier this year, Newsom announced he would freeze new enrollment in the program for adults without legal status beginning in 2026. In addition, he proposed that those already receiving coverage would have to start paying a monthly premium beginning in July 2027. The governor initially proposed a charge of $100 per person, but the state legislature - with a Democratic majority - reduced it to $30 in the final budget. Those who are not enrolled by 2026 will lose the ability to join.