Report: California Using Taxpayer Funds to Give Homeless Transgender Illegals Sex Changes

Conservative News DailyApril 17, 2026

Autonomous journalist Christopher Rufo alleges that California is providing taxpayer-funded sex-change procedures to homeless undocumented migrants, a claim he promotes in City Journal and in posts on X.

– Rufo says his reporting found that transgender migrants come to California for hormones,breast implants,and “bottom surgeries,” all paid for by taxpayers,according to his city Journal piece.

– A clip features an interview with a transgender Honduran migrant named Lyca, who said he entered the U.S. illegally seeking access to free procedures and who said he has Medi-Cal (California’s state health program).

– Rufo notes that Medi-Cal has expanded under Gov. Gavin Newsom to cover full-scope care for undocumented immigrants, including what the state labels transgender procedures.

– The reporting mentions another migrant, “Alondra,” encountered at San Francisco’s St. Vincent De Paul shelter, and describes similar claims about housing assistance and access to Medi-Cal.

– The piece quotes social-media posts from Rufo and from independent reporter Jonathan Choe, including claims that California’s government will cover shelter, hormones, and surgeries for migrants who reach the state.

– The article includes embedded tweets and videos, but also notes that the shelter’s response or official comment from authorities was not obtained in some parts of the story.

– The presentation combines Rufo’s city Journal account with social-media material and commentary on California’s budget context, framing the issue as a controversy over “taxpayer-funded” transgender procedures for illegal immigrants.

Earlier this week, independent journalist Christopher Rufo said he had uncovered a shocking abuse of taxpayer dollars in California.

Rufo d his reporting in a post on the social media platform X. He also wrote an account that was published by the conservative news site City Journal.

“SCOOP: California is giving free sex-change procedures to homeless illegal aliens,” Rufo wrote.

SCOOP: California is giving free sex-change procedures to homeless illegal aliens. Our team went into the shelters and discovered that trans migrants are coming into the state for hormones, breast implants, and “bottom surgeries”—all on the taxpayer dime. https://t.co/mDs7ivwjG5

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@christopherrufo) April 15, 2026

“Our team went into the shelters and discovered that trans migrants are coming into the state for hormones, breast implants, and ‘bottom surgeries’—all on the taxpayer dime,” he added.

In a separate post, Rufo elaborated, specifically naming California Gov. Gavin Newsom — a man who wants to be president of the United States.

“EXCLUSIVE: Gavin Newsom is giving free sex-change procedures to homeless illegal aliens,” he wrote.

EXCLUSIVE: Gavin Newsom is giving free sex-change procedures to homeless illegal aliens. @ChoeShow is on the ground with this shocking story. pic.twitter.com/P5gJ5og91D

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@christopherrufo) April 15, 2026

The post included a video clip from independent reporter Jonathan Choe, Rufo’s co-author on the City Journal piece.

In the clip, Choe interviewed an individual identified as a transgender illegal from Central America.

EXCLUSIVE: Homeless transgender illegals in California are crossing the border to receive taxpayer-funded sex changes. It’s one of the worst kept secrets on the streets.
Meanwhile, the state is facing a multibillion dollar budget shortfall. I wonder why? https://t.co/J29AIPyHW2 pic.twitter.com/AZiOcsphsS

— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) April 15, 2026

The individual, identified as a Honduran man named “Lyca,” spoke to Choe through an interpreter.

According to the translation, Lyca said he entered the United States illegally seeking access to free sex-change procedures.

Rufo indicated that Lyca was far from the only illegal immigrant in the Golden State seeking to take advantage of the system.

In his City Journal report, Rufo described encountering multiple individuals in similar situations.

At St. Vincent De Paul’s Multi-Service Center South, San Francisco’s largest homeless shelter, Rufo wrote that his team had also spoken to “Alondra” — another illegal from Honduras who identified as a transgender woman.

Both men indicated that they were receiving assistance from local government programs.

Lyca also said the shelter did not ask questions about his immigration status, according to Rufo.

“Tenho Medi-Cal,” Lyca said, which translates to “I have Medi-Cal.” Medi-Cal is California’s state health-care program.

The shelter’s executive director did not respond to request for comment, Rufo wrote.

Under policies implemented during Newsom’s administration, Medi-Cal expanded to provide full-scope coverage to illegal immigrants.

That coverage includes what the state classifies as transgender procedures, which the left often describes as “gender-affirming care.”

The translator told Choe that both men said they were approved to receive free housing.

Rufo summed up the situation in the closing paragraph of his City Journal report:

“Apparently, word has traveled down the continent to the transgender communities in Mexico, Honduras, and elsewhere: if you make it all the way to California, the government will pay for your shelter, hormones, and surgeries—no questions asked,” he wrote.