In Response to Governor’s Budget Proposal, Immigrant Worker Advocates Call for Revenue, More Support for Immigrant Workers
LOS ANGELES — As the federal administration’s violence and attacks against immigrant communities escalate, the California Network for Immigrant and Worker Justice (CNIWJ) is calling on state leaders to do more to support and protect immigrant workers and families in the FY 2026-2027 state budget. The Governor’s budget proposal, released today, fails to adequately address the crisis being faced by immigrant workers in our state. CNIWJ calls on state leaders to find ways to plug the gaps left by the federal government and to support communities who are being directly attacked by the Trump Administration.
“The California Network for Immigrant and Worker Justice is led by organizations who serve and organize with our state’s most excluded workers,” said Veronica Alvarado, CNIWJ co-chair. “We are acutely aware of existing gaps in our social safety net – gaps that were further exacerbated by last year’s state budget and that face new threats from cuts at the federal level. We call on Governor Newsom and the Legislature to prioritize our most vulnerable in their time of need. Now is the moment to affirm our California values and support essential programs and services to ensure we weather this time in our country as equitably and humanely as possible.”
“The biggest hardships we have experienced since the raids started is that work has become more difficult to find,” said Gregorio, a garment worker in the Los Angeles area and CNIWJ member. “Businesses are closing down because workers are not showing up to work. We live in fear to get on the bus, commute to work, and even go to the store. This is psychologically traumatizing to me, my wife, and my kids. My kids who were born here see the violence from the raids and are scared they will be picked up too. Any cuts to health care or any social safety net will just hurt us more. Our elderly community who can no longer work would be severely impacted as well.”
In response to the budget proposal, CNIWJ also submitted a letter to the Governor, Assembly Speaker Rivas, and Senate Pro Tem Limón urging them to pass a budget that protects safety net programs, pursues new progressive revenue generation, and protects Californians from federal attacks.
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For more information contact: media@warehouseworkers.org
The California Network for Immigrant and Worker Justice, formerly known as the Safety Net for All Coalition, is a coalition of over 120 immigrant and worker rights organizations from across California. We organize for a safety net for excluded workers during unemployment, and to build a resilient economy that works for everyone.
