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California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have lambasted President Trump for the financial cost of sending troops to quell anti-ICE riots in their jurisdiction, which came with a price tag dramatically less than the bill taxpayers foot to pay for illegal immigrants in the state.
“Just an absolutely shameful use of taxpayer dollars that could be used to actually HELP people,” Bass recently posted on X. “Despicable.”
“$134 million that should be going to LA’s fire recovery,” Newsom posted on X. “Shameful.”
Many on social media responded to the posts from Newsom and Bass and commented on how illegal immigrants cost taxpayers billions of dollars in California, including White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller.
GOP LAWMAKER DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY FOR LAPD’S DELAYED RESPONSE TIME HELPING ASSAULTED ICE OFFICERS
California shells out tens of billions of taxpayer dollars to illegal immigrants every year. (Getty)
“Wait till you find out how many trillions we have to spend on illegal aliens,” Miller posted on X in response to Newsom.
“Now do the $9 billion you drained out of our state treasury to fund your free healthcare for illegals immigrants scheme,” campaign strategist Andrew Clark posted on X.
“How many billions have you spent on illegals Gavin? It’s well into the hundreds of billions,”Conservative activist and filmmaker Robby Starbuck posted on X. “THAT money should have gone to your citizens and fire recovery but you gave it to illegals.
Recent studies reviewed by Fox News Digital show that California spends at least tens of billions on illegal immigrants each year, far more than the $134 million cost of sending in federal troops to respond to rioting.
A Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) cost analysis, promoted by the House Budget Committee in a 2023 press release, found that “benefits and services provided to illegal aliens in California alone in 2022” amounted to more than $22 billion.
In a more recent cost analysis, FAIR calculated that services for illegal immigrants cost California taxpayers $31 billion per year.
A 2019 study from FAIR found that incarceration costs of illegal immigrants going through the court process and being housed in jail cost California over $2 billion per year.
Earlier this year, Newsom asked for an additional $2.8 billion loan to address a bloated deficit in the state’s Medicaid program, which has surpassed budget expectations largely due to coverage for illegal immigrants.
WATCH: DEM, MEDIA OUTLETS INSIST LA ANTI-ICE RIOTS ARE ‘PEACEFUL’ DESPITE VIOLENCE, INJURED COPS
Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a news conference in Oakland, Calif (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
Last year, California expanded Medi-Cal to cover all low-income adults ages 26 through 49, regardless of immigration status, making it the first state to do so. Roughly 1.6 million illegal immigrants are enrolled in the state’s healthcare program, according to state data, and 15 million California residents are enrolled.
In addition to the amount of taxpayer dollars spent on individuals illegally in the country, a recent study by Wallethub found that California ranks nearly last in the country when it comes to return on investment for taxpayers.
Wallethub examined state and local tax collections and then compared that with the quality of services received in education, health, safety, the economy, and infrastructure and pollution. The Golden State ranks 47th in taxpayer efficiency in the United States.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin fired back at California Democrats and pointed to the cost the rioters could inflict, already estimated in the millions as of Thursday, on the taxpayers in terms of property damage if not quickly quelled by federal troops.
“Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass are conveniently ignoring the high price of mass looting, rioters destroying LA’s family businesses, public property, and setting cars and other property on fire,” McLaughlin said.
A protester waves the Mexican flag in front of a burning Waymo vehicle during an anti-ICE protest in downtown Los Angeles, California, on June 8, 2025. (Getty Images)
“President Trump will not stand by while these lawless rioters loot and destroy a great American city. Newsom and Bass should be thanking President Trump for providing additional support to restore law and order and stop the destruction of LA.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Newsom Communications Director Izzy Gardon said there is an “irrefutable return on investment when Californians have access to education and healthcare.”
“There’s zero return for taxpayers when Trump blows $140 million of YOUR dollars to pull troops off the border and away from wildfire prep just so they can sit idle in L.A. while he cosplays as a dictator and chases Fox News headlines. This isn’t public safety — it’s a political stunt and a disgrace.”
Bass’s office directed Fox News Digital to a comment the mayor made on MSNBC.
“We are a city of immigrants,” Bass said. “We have entire industries that wouldn’t even be able to function without immigrant labor. So this is terrible to families, but it also is a very powerful blow to the local economy if this is going to continue.”
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Late Thursday, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Thursday directing President Donald Trump to return control of the National Guard to California.
The order, which takes effect at noon Friday, said the deployment of the Guard was illegal and both violated the Tenth Amendment and exceeded Trump’s statutory authority.
The Trump administration appealed that decision and hours later the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked the federal judge’s order.
The court said it would hold a hearing on the matter on June 17.
Fox News Digital’s Jamie Joseph and Associated Press contributed to this report
