Residents filled the Las Palmas Community Center in McAllen on Saturday to hear from lawmakers and advocates discussing the impacts of federal budget cuts to essential services.

The town hall was hosted by the non-profit organizations UnidosUS, LUPE Votes and the Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement.

The speakers included U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro.

"I wanted to come out and listen to people's stories about how they are going to be affected and tell them what I am doing and what others are doing to try a more sensible approach,” Castro said.

Those attending heard ideas about ways to try and save programs that are considered lifelines. Topics discussed included tariffs, budget cuts to the Department of Education, and healthcare.

“There is so much at stake for the Rio Grande Valley and what happens in Washington with these cuts that are coming to Medicaid, billions of dollars in cuts,” Castro said. “There are so many families and children and seniors who are in nursing homes who rely on Medicaid. So the Rio Grande Valley would be one of the regions that would be hurt the most if this budget goes through."

Citizens such as Scott Davis attended the town hall.

“The budget cuts not only affect myself as a senior citizen but it also affects the children, anyone who is within this community,” Davis said. “We as citizens should want to protect our neighbors, our friends, our families."

Castro is asking constituents to get involved, and to contact their state representatives if these government cuts could impact them.

Watch the video above for the full story.