Medicaid Cuts Endanger 26 Million Latinos — 72% of Latino Voters Sound the Alarm

The latest proposal by Congressional Republicans to slash at least $715 billion from Medicaid, a move paired with President Trump’s $4.9 trillion tax break plan, is not just bad policy, it’s a moral failure. This plan would rip away essential health coverage from millions of Americans, disproportionately harming Latinos, who are among the largest beneficiaries of Medicaid and CHIP.

This isn’t a budget — it’s a blueprint for abandoning America’s working families. Slashing Medicaid to pay for tax breaks for billionaires is a calculated decision that will deepen inequality and leave millions behind — especially in Latino communities that already face systemic barriers to care. This is about priorities. When families are struggling with access to healthcare and rising costs, we cannot afford to gut the very programs that keep communities afloat.

As the wealthiest nation in the world, our elected officials should be embarrassed to promote this massive redistribution of wealth. Put simply, this proposal is trickle-down economics on steroids—something the 1980s already taught us does not work. There is little beauty in the so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill Act’—it’s dark, cruel, and irresponsible, dragging our country backward. That’s a choice.

Latino Families on the Front Lines

Latinos make up nearly 28% of all Medicaid and CHIP enrollees, despite comprising 19% of the U.S. population. That means roughly 26.8 million Latinos rely on these programs for critical health care services.

If enacted, President Trump’s proposed budget would:

• Jeopardize coverage for over half of Latino children:
  Medicaid and CHIP cover more than 50% of Latino kids, providing essential care like vaccines, check-ups, and early screenings.
  

• Undermine maternal health for Hispanic mothers:
  In 2021, 58.1% of births among Hispanic women were covered by Medicaid. Cutting these funds would reduce access to safe prenatal and childbirth care.
  

• Threaten reproductive health for Latina women:
  About 1 in 4 women of reproductive age rely on Medicaid for contraceptive and reproductive care. With 58% of Latina women in their reproductive years, preserving access to these services is essential.
  

• Worsen mental health disparities:
  Only 36.1% of Latino adults with mental illness currently receive care. Medicaid is a crucial pathway to mental health services.
  

• Exacerbate insurance gaps:
  17.9% of Latinos under 65 are uninsured—nearly triple the rate of White non-Hispanics. Cuts would push even more families into uninsurance.

States with the largest Latino populations will be impacted the most:

• California: 50% of Medicaid enrollees are Latino

• New Mexico: 54% of Medicaid enrollees are Latino

• Texas: 47% of Medicaid enrollees are Latino

Latino Voters Overwhelmingly Reject Medicaid Cuts

A strong majority of Latino voters — 72% — are concerned about President Trump’s proposed Medicaid cuts, according to the Voto Latino Foundation’s latest national survey conducted with the Latino Community Foundation. The poll, which surveyed 1,000 Latino voters from the 2024 elections, found deep concern across the board, especially among low-income voters and younger Latino men — groups already hit hard by inflation and rising healthcare costs.

As this budget bill makes its way to the Senate in the coming weeks, we must urge our Senators to reject these harmful cuts and take immediate steps to codify long-term protections for Medicaid. Health care access should not be subject to political whims — it is a fundamental human right. Every person — regardless of income, background, or ZIP code — deserves access to affordable, quality care.