California Policy and Politics Thursday

Justice Department sues Orange County registrar for access to noncitizen voting records -- Federal authorities sued Orange County’s top elections official Wednesday, alleging the county registrar violated federal law by refusing to disclose detailed information about people who were removed from the voter rolls because they were not citizens. Salvador Hernandez and Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

California’s National Guard fire crews are operating at 40% capacity due to Trump’s deployment -- Eight of CalGuard’s 14 firefighting crews — known as Task Force Rattlesnake — have been deployed to Los Angeles as part of Trump’s federalization of the Guard, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

Nearly one-third of National Guard drug enforcement team were pulled to go to L.A. -- Of the 447 Guard members on the Counterdrug Task Force, 142 have been pulled off of the assignment as part of the Los Angeles deployment, according to data from the California National Guard. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 06/26/25

More than 1,600 immigrants detained in Southern California this month, DHS says -- From June 6 to June 22, immigration enforcement teams arrested 1,618 immigrants for deportation in Los Angeles and surrounding regions of Southern California, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

ICE arrests at L.A. courthouse met with alarm: ‘Absolutely blindsided’ -- Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested two women on Tuesday outside a West L.A. courthouse after a hearing in a local criminal case, marking the first instance in recent weeks of the Trump administration using a tactic that has drawn condemnation from the legal community. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

Farmworkers union says Central California ICE raids continue despite Trump’s pledge -- The United Farm Workers union has called on President Donald Trump to stop immigration raids and support comprehensive immigration reform. María G. Ortiz-Briones in the Fresno Bee -- 06/26/25

Plan to open California’s largest immigration jail sparks outrage -- US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has partnered with CoreCivic, a private prison contractor that operates several facilities in California, to transform a shuttered 2,500-bed prison in California City into the state’s largest immigrant detention center. Dani Anguiano The Guardian -- 06/26/25

LAPD says it didn’t help ICE during downtown L.A. raid; immigration rights groups disagree -- Immigrant rights activists are denouncing the Los Angeles Police Department after officers were videotaped separating an angry crowd from a group of masked federal agents as they loaded a woman into the back of an SUV. Summer Lin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

 

Pam Bondi denies knowing Ice agents wore masks during raids despite video evidence -- The attorney general, Pam Bondi, professed ignorance of reports of immigration officials hiding their faces with masks during roundups of undocumented people, despite widespread video evidence and reports that they are instilling pervasive fear and panic. Robert Tait The Guardian -- 06/26/25

The alarming rise of US officers hiding behind masks: ‘A police state’ -- Mike German, an ex-FBI agent, said immigration agents hiding their identities ‘highlights the illegitimacy of actions’ Sam Levin The Guardian -- 06/26/25

Trump administration may have to hand over documents related to its use of troops in California -- The Trump administration may need to hand over photos, internal reports and other documents related to its use of the California National Guard and military in Southern California amid its ongoing immigration enforcement efforts. Kaitlyn Schallhorn in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 06/26/25

 

Lopez: Pasadena mayor’s keepsake, a coffee can, is a reminder of when his family was undocumented -- Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo took a break on a warm day, wiped his brow and pointed out the Folgers coffee can in the corner of his office. He’s told the story many times, but felt it was worth repeating, given recent events. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

Newton: Much of LA’s community of immigrants is hiding, leaving a hole in the fabric of the city -- In immigrant-rich Westlake in Los Angeles, stores were empty Friday morning. The computer repair place was closed. Gates were down in front of a check-cashing operation. One of the area health clinics, where residents often line up for medical care, was open but without takers. Jim Newton Calmatters -- 06/26/25

Living in lockdown: Undocumented immigrants trade freedom for safety -- An undocumented man from Guatemala who has leukemia postponed chemotherapy because he was afraid to go to the hospital. A Mexican grandmother packed most of her belongings into boxes, in case she is deported. A Pentecostal church in East Los Angeles has lost nearly half of its in-person membership. Andrea Castillo and Queenie Wong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

Arellano: What an L.A. County politician meant when she hit up ‘cholos’ to fight ICE -- In the wacky political world of Southeast Los Angeles County — where scandals seem to bloom every year with the regularity of jacarandas — there’s never been a mess as pendejo as the one stirred up this week by Cudahy Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

 

In landmark decision, judge rules California FAIR Plan’s smoke-damage policy illegal -- A Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge said Tuesday that the California FAIR Plan Assn’s policy violates the insurance code because it provides less coverage than what is required by the state’s Standard Form Fire Insurance Policy. Laurence Darmiento in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee$ Pat Maio in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 06/26/25

 

Garofoli: What the shocking NYC mayoral race means for two of California’s biggest politicians -- But the victory by 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani over former New York Gov. and political scion Andrew Cuomo, 67, sends a loud message that is reverberating to the West Coast: Democratic voters want candidates with a fresh voice and a more populist economic message. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 06/26/25

Walters: California budget deal cooks the books again to hide big ‘structural’ deficit -- Legislative leaders would have us believe that the 2025-26 budget agreement they forged with Gov. Gavin Newsom this week is a noteworthy — even heroic — response to financial problems caused by factors beyond their control, particularly President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 06/26/25

Workplace

UCSF Health to lay off 200 workers, citing ‘serious financial challenges -- The layoffs, which represent about 1% of the organization’s workforce, span part-time and full-time roles, with roughly half of the affected full-time employees holding management positions, UCSF Health said in a statement to the Chronicle. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 06/26/25

Newsom and Legislature tangle with construction unions over minimum wage -- Lawmakers are weighing a provision that would allow developers to pay a lower wage for some construction projects, theoretically stimulating housing production in California. Unions and environmental groups are opposed. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 06/26/25

Proposal to mandate $25 minimum wage for San Diego tourism workers moves forward -- Organized labor squared off against major San Diego businesses during a council committee hearing to consider what would be a 45% increase in San Diego's minimum wage. Lori Weisberg in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 06/26/25

A second state worker union secures delay to Gavin Newsom’s return-to-office order -- The concession was part of a tentative agreement the California Attorneys, Administrative Law Judges and Hearing Officers in State Employment reached with the state. William Melhado in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 06/26/25

California doesn’t have enough court reporters. Their unions are fighting substitutes -- A shortage of court reporters is leaving many Califonians with no way to appeal their cases in the justice system. Will a new union-backed bill solve the problem or make it worse? Ryan Sabalow Calmatters -- 06/26/25

The trade war hit. These U.S. ports felt the crush of Trump’s tariffs -- See how the changing tariff policies have shifted shipping patterns to five West Coast ports, which are responsible for about half of U.S. imports from China. Luis Melgar, Rachel Lerman, Federica Cocco and Dylan Moriarty in the Washington Post$ -- 06/26/25

SALT

Congress is fighting over this tax deduction. Here’s how it affects Californians -- The House wants to raise the SALT deduction cap, which would help wealthy Californians pay less in federal taxes. The Senate wants to keep it where it is. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 06/26/25

Housing

Last-minute budget change brings California housing policy fight to a head -- Elements of California’s final budget deal are bringing to the forefront housing debates that have been simmering in the Legislature for years, forcing lawmakers to make big decisions before the new fiscal year begins July 1. Kate Wolffe and Nicole Nixon in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 06/26/25

Is your rent being set by a computer? What California tenants should know -- Three cities in the state are taking steps to ban or restrict these tools, which critics say help large landlords coordinate rent hikes and reduce competition in the housing market. Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 06/26/25

Homeless

What’s next for Los Angeles after judge orders monitor in homelessness lawsuit -- Los Angeles will come under court supervision as it works to meet the terms of a 2022 homelessness settlement, after a federal court found the city in violation and ordered the appointment of a monitor to oversee its next steps. Teresa Liu in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 06/26/25

Measles

Measles on the rise in California: More cases so far this year than all of 2024 -- California has already reported more measles cases this year than in all of 2024, a worrisome development that comes as the nation is suffering its largest outbreak of the super-infectious disease in decades. The extent of the national outbreak has rocketed measles from a back-of-mind issue — one rarely, if ever, encountered by a whole generation of Americans — to a pressing public health concern. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

Trans

Trump administration: California must strip trans athletes of awards -- California has 10 days to rescind any sports prizes awarded to transgender athletes and ban them from competition, after U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said that the state Department of Education had violated Title IX by allowing trans athletes to participate on teams that reflect their gender identity. Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ Christian Babcock in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 06/26/25

Gas

Ready for a summer road trip? Here’s why a visit to the gas pump could cost you more in July -- Gas prices at the pump in California will likely jump in July, the result of a state sales tax hike and stricter rules on refineries to encourage them to create lower-carbon fuels. The combined increases could boost gas prices by nearly 70 cents, although industry experts said they can’t estimate the exact price of a gallon of gas for next month. Karen Garcia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

AI

OpenAI, Microsoft Rift Hinges on How Smart AI Can Get -- Silicon Valley is at odds over whether AI can reach and exceed humanlike intelligence, a milestone with major implications for the startup and technology giant’s partnership. Berber Jin in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 06/26/25

Education

California colleges worry about lawsuit challenging funding for campuses with many Hispanic students -- Each year, most of California’s public colleges and universities are eligible for extra federal funding for a simple reason: They enroll high numbers of Latino students. Michael Burke EdSource -- 06/26/25

California colleges spend millions to catch plagiarism and AI. Is the faulty tech worth it? -- Colleges and universities renew Turnitin subscriptions year after year even though its flawed detectors are expensive and require students to let the company keep their papers forever. Tara García Mathewson Calmatters -- 06/26/25

Street

57 people died in May in San Francisco from accidental overdoses -- The 57 additional deaths brings the 2025 total to 311 deaths so far, according to the latest Medical Examiner’s report. Of those deaths, 46 involved fentanyl. In the previous month, 55 people died, and 41 of those deaths involved fentanyl May 2025 April Christian Leonard and Yoohyun Jung in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 06/26/25

L.A. County sees a sharp decline in drug overdose deaths in 2024 -- The 2024 overdose death toll of 2,438 is the lowest since 2019, and a drop from the 3,137 deaths recorded in 2023. While fentanyl remained the leading cause of accidental overdose deaths, its share dropped to 52% of all cases, down from 64% in 2023. Marcos Magaña in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

Also

California veterans fight to fast-track study of ‘lifesaving’ psychedelic therapy -- Advocates for veterans are championing Assembly Bill 1103, which would fast-track the approval of academic studies on psychedelics. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

Supreme Court allows states to cut off Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood -- A divided Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against Planned Parenthood, saying Medicaid patients do not have a right to sue to obtain non-abortion health care from the organization’s medical providers. Ann E. Marimow in the Washington Post$ -- 06/26/25

Malaysia will stop accepting U.S. plastic waste, creating a dilemma for California -- Malaysia emerged as a major destination for waste from the U.S. and California after China banned U.S. waste imports in 2018. Susanne Rust in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/26/25

Disposable vapes may be more toxic than cigarettes, study finds -- Some popular disposable e-cigarettes emit toxic metals at levels that surpass those found in traditional cigarettes and earlier generations of vapes, according to a new study by researchers at UC Davis. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 06/26/25

New study found the most microplastics in a place you wouldn’t expect — here’s why -- If you’re trying to avoid microplastics, choosing a glass bottle over a plastic one would seem sensible. But a new study from researchers in France uncovered counterintuitive results — it saw higher concentrations of microplastics in beverages that came from glass bottles compared to other materials, including plastic. Jessica Roy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 06/26/25

POTUS 47

If Everyone Had Voted, Harris Still Would Have Lost -- New data, based on authoritative voter records, suggests that Donald Trump would have done even better in 2024 with higher turnout. Nate Cohn in the New York Times$ -- 06/26/25

Trump Won by Turning Out Voters and Building a Diverse Coalition, Report Finds -- A new Pew Research Center study found that 85 percent of President Trump’s 2020 supporters came out to vote for him again, a better rate than Democrats pulled off. Ruth Igielnik and Shane Goldmacher in the New York Times$ -- 06/26/25

Trump’s Bill Slashes the Safety Net That Many Republican Voters Rely on -- As they push for big cuts in Medicaid and food stamps, Republicans are making a big bet that they can avoid political backlash from working-class supporters who increasingly rely on those programs. Jason DeParle in the New York Times$ -- 06/26/25

In New Assessment, C.I.A. Chief Says U.S. Strikes ‘Severely Damaged’ Iranian Program -- The administration suggested an initial report of less-severe damage was already outdated as the president continued to defend his assertion that key facilities had been “obliterated,” though no intelligence official has yet directly echoed his view. Julian E. Barnes, Mark Mazzetti and Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 06/26/25

Pelosi backs growing Dem effort to limit Trump on Iran -- Democrats are infuriated that the Trump administration postponed briefings on the Middle East that were planned for Tuesday, and that rage is helping to fuel what was initially a fringe effort. Andrew Solender Axios -- 06/26/25

In a Win for Trump, NATO Agrees to a Big Increase in Military Spending -- President Trump has long pushed the European allies to be more self-sufficient on defense, relying less on American protection. NATO committed to a major increase over the next decade. Steven Erlanger and Lara Jakes in the New York Times$ -- 06/26/25