Between 360,000 and 500,000 undocumented immigrants in California would become eligible for state health insurance if they receive protection from deportation under Obama’s executive actions. 

According to a study by UC Berkeley’s Center for Labor Research and Education and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, up to 57 percent of immigrants in California who are eligible for Obama’s executive actions are low-income and would eligible for Medi-Cal — not under the Affordable Care Act.

“We have left behind millions of undocumented workers and students who are excluded from health coverage options under the Affordable Care Act,” said Laurel Lucia, policy analyst at the UC Berkeley Labor Center. “California is leading among states by providing comprehensive health care services to low-income residents granted DACA and DAPA, which is an important step toward closing the state’s largest eligibility gap.”

The president’s actions are intended to offer a relief to approximately 5 million undocumented immigrants. The first one would expand the deferred action program for undocumented youth (DACA) implemented in 2012 by allowing an additional number of "dreamers" to apply for a protection from deportation and a work permit. The second one, known as DAPA, would allow parents of American citizens or residents to apply for the same protections.

However the president’s actions were blocked last month by a Federal Judge in Texas following a lawsuit by a coalition of 26 states.