Updating . . .

California Policy and Politics Wednesday

Hughes fire: Evacuations, road closures, shelters -- The Hughes fire is burning around Lake Castaic north of Castaic. The blaze broke out shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday amid red flag warnings for the region. Fanned by strong winds, the blaze quickly grew to 5,054 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Hannah Fry and Summer Lin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

Advocates urge evacuation after wildfire breaks out near 5,000-person jail complex -- A rapidly growing fire near the Castaic jail complex sparked alarm on Wednesday morning, as attorneys urged the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to evacuate the nearly 5,000 inmates in the county’s northernmost jails. Keri Blakinger in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

Trump demands cooperation from S.F. and other sanctuary cities with threat to investigate officials -- On his first full day back in the White House, President Donald Trump once again took aim at sanctuary policies in California and other states, threatening to investigate local police who don’t help his administration carry out mass deportations. Sophia Bollag, Maggie Angst in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/25

Jan. 6 rioters freed by Trump include Californians and those who assaulted officers -- Federal prosecutors described David Dempsey as “one of the most violent rioters” during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The Van Nuys man used flagpoles, metal crutches and broken pieces of furniture as he stormed the building, injuring police officers and fellow insurrectionists, according to court documents. Brittny Mejia and Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ Matthias Gafni in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Sean Emery in the Orange County Register Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/25

Immigration

ICE returns to calling immigrants "aliens" -- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leadership has directed employees to refer to foreign nationals as "aliens" in all "internal and external communications," according to an internal memo obtained by Axios. Stef W. Kight Axios -- 1/22/25

‘Freaked out’: Fear, uncertainty grip California’s immigrant community as Trump rolls out crackdown plan -- Worry spreads over what Trump’s orders will mean for California immigrants. One in eight state residents are undocumented or live with a family member who is. Ruben Vives, Jessica Garrison, Rachel Uranga and Rebecca Plevin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

Stranded and deflated, migrants waiting in Tijuana weigh backup plans -- They knew their appointments for asylum screenings at the border were no longer good, having been wiped away by President Donald Trump on his firstday in office. Yet they showed up to the San Diego-Tijuana PedWest border crossing anyway on Tuesday, hoping for a sign, a snippet of news that might inform their next steps. Alexandra Mendoza in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/22/25

Immigrant rights advocates prepare to fight Trump’s immigration orders -- California, along with 17 other states, the District of Columbia and the city of San Francisco, sued Tuesday to challenge the executive order that aims to put an end to birthright citizenship. Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/25

Justice Department says it will prosecute local officials over immigration enforcement -- The directives to Justice Department employees could face fierce blowback from legal advocacy groups and officials in cities and states led by Democrats. Maria Sacchetti and Jeremy Roebuck in the Washington Post$ -- 1/22/25

Resistance state: Tracking California’s lawsuits against the new Trump administration -- California’s Democratic leaders set aside tens of millions of dollars to challenge President Donald Trump’s executive orders and policies. CalMatters -- 1/22/25

Prison company retaliated against detained immigrants, labor board says -- Private prison company GEO Group has been accused by the National Labor Relations Board of retaliating against immigrant detainees who protested working conditions inside a California facility. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

Arellano: As Trump was sworn in, day laborer organizer Pablo Alvarado did what he always does -- If anyone has advice on how to stand up to Trump and his vowed crackdown on illegal immigration, it’s Pablo Alvarado -- even now, after the devastation of the Eaton fire. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

Garofoli: On Trump’s first day, both parties made moves that could offend their core supporters -- But it’s only Democrats likely to pay a price for helping pass the draconian Laken Riley Act cracking down on immigration. Meanwhile, Trump, who promised to restore “law and order,” faces little criticism from law enforcement for pardoning Jan. 6 demonstrators who committed violent acts, including attacking police officers. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/25

Walters: With the Trump-Newsom political feud back, the LA fires add a tricky new wrinkle -- As Donald Trump this week assumed the presidency for the second time, he rekindled his personal and political feud with California and its governor, Gavin Newsom, while also inflating Newsom’s obvious ambition to be resistor-in-chief — and perhaps the 2028 Democratic candidate for the White House. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 1/22/25

Workplace

An Anxious Federal Workforce Bids Goodbye to Job Stability and Remote Work -- In early executive actions, Trump moved to order government workers back to the office full-time and watered down job protections. Ken Thomas, Rebecca Ballhaus and Lindsay Ellis in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/22/25

Layoffs loom as Trump administration orders federal DEI workers on leave -- Employees of diversity, equity and inclusion programs are to be placed on administrative leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday. Agencies were told to make plans for layoffs. Frances Vinall in the Washington Post$ -- 1/22/25

Trump now says he supports H-1Bs. His agenda may still threaten them -- President Donald Trump tried to end high-skilled worker visas in his first term, but now says he supports them alongside Elon Musk. His birthright citizenship order might make them less appealing. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/25

Water

Trump takes step to overhaul Delta water deliveries to farms, cities -- Trump apparently wants to override new Biden-Newsom rules that have widespread support among Southern California cities and some Central Valley farmers. Alastair Bland CalMatters -- 1/22/25

Insurance

Did your car insurance just go up? A new California law might be why -- Don’t just chalk it up to inflation: A new law that went into effect in California on Jan. 1 has increased the minimum coverage required for everyone. Jessica Roy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/25

PG&E

PG&E landed record-setting loan guarantee as Biden exited White House -- The loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy could enable PG&E to tap unique sources of funding that would provide it with lower payment costs than would otherwise be the case through commercial finance markets. Oakland-based PG&E said customers could save up to $1 billion as a result. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/22/25

UCLA

UCLA hires LAPD Cmdr. Steve Lurie to lead safety overhaul following protest violence -- UCLA has hired a 27-year LAPD veteran and top commanding officer to lead its eight-month-old Office of Campus Safety created in the wake of a violent melee last spring at a pro-Palestinian encampment, which was among the university’s darkest chapters. Jaweed Kaleem and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

L. A. Fires

Trump’s order to cut off funding to sanctuary cities could threaten L.A. fire relief -- As Los Angeles rebuilds from a devastating wildfire that destroyed swaths of Pacific Palisades, the city’s access to federal money could be imperiled by one of President Trump’s first-day immigration actions targeting “sanctuary cities.” Tony Barboza in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

Trump’s hiring freeze could impact California firefighting efforts, federal services -- In California, where more than 147,000 federal civilian employees worked last year, President Donald Trump’s hiring pause will likely have a big impact on the federal government’s ability to provide services, labor groups said. William Melhado in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/25

This California city lost thousands of homes to fire. Santa Rosa’s rebuilding has lessons for L.A. -- Survivors of the 2017 Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa have a message for L.A. fire victims: You can’t imagine it now, but it is possible to recover. Jessica Garrison in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

Will new bond funds be enough to rebuild LA schools — and all of California’s other crumbling schools? -- Some schools destroyed years ago in the Sonoma and Butte fires are just now reopening. The long, expensive process of rebuilding in LA may eat up much of the money voters approved in November for school repairs statewide. Carolyn Jones CalMatters -- 1/22/25

In the rush to rebuild, one topic is taboo: What should be built differently — or not at all? -- As officials rush to remove barriers to rebuilding fire-ravaged communities, are they passing up a rare opportunity to craft a new vision for Los Angeles? Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

‘Los Angeles is our home.’ Companies with SoCal ties donate millions in wildfire relief -- Here are some of the major companies that have vowed to donate millions. Marisa Gerber in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

Red flag warning extended to Thursday night for L.A., Ventura counties -- Although the worst of the Santa Ana winds appear to have passed, Southern California is not out of the woods yet when it comes to fire risk. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

Judge orders Southern California Edison to preserve evidence and equipment in Eaton fire -- A judge on Tuesday approved a temporary restraining order for Southern California Edison to preserve data and equipment related to the area where the Eaton fire started. Salvador Hernandez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

This reservoir was built to save Pacific Palisades. It was empty when the flames came -- After flames leveled nearly 500 homes in Bel-Air and Brentwood in 1961, Los Angeles had a reckoning over firefighting. Matt Hamilton and David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

Sheriff’s Department launches Looter Suppression Team in Eaton fire neighborhoods -- The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has promised to increase patrols in Altadena to combat looting as residents begin to head back to their homes nearly two weeks after the Eaton fire swept through the region. Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

Newsom has 11-word response — with a four-letter word — to Trump’s climate moves -- Gov. Gavin Newsom shot a concise rebuttal to President Donald Trump’s early executive actions to reverse federal policies focused on combating climate change, which Trump has previously called “a hoax.” “If you don’t believe in science, believe your own damn eyes,” Newsom said. Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/25

Republicans want to prevent wildfires. But GOP leaders are making it hard to get disaster aid -- But quietly, Republicans and Democrats are also moving ahead to help in other ways. Some Republicans are working closely and amiably with Democrats on several bills aimed at helping firefighters and improving forest management. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/25

Altadena was his paradise for 57 years. Could a fire evacuation order have saved him? -- Rodney Nickerson had lived in Altadena since 1968, when he bought his three-bedroom house on Alta Pine Drive with $5 down. The 82-year-old military veteran and church deacon received no warnings to evacuate before the Eaton fire swept through his neighborhood, his daughter said. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25

America’s Wellness Capital Seeks a Wildfire Detox -- The greater Los Angeles area has long lured transplants with its picturesque landscape, year-round sunshine and promises of a slower, healthier way of life. Now, warnings of water and air contamination are sparking anxiety in America’s wellness capital. Sara Ashley O’Brien in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/22/25

He hiked through Jan. 1 burn scar two days before Palisades Fire erupted -- Two days before the deadly Palisades Fire broke out on Jan. 7, Jesse Gros parked his car near the Temescal Canyon trailhead and started on his beloved hike. Matthias Gafni in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/25

POTUS 47

A Trump Executive Order Sets Out What Could Be a Road Map for Retribution -- The order is titled “Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government,” but it asserts that the Biden administration might have acted illegally and directs agencies to seek evidence. Michael S. Schmidt and Mark Mazzetti in the New York Times$ -- 1/22/25

Trump’s retribution extends to Chef José Andrés amid Los Angeles relief efforts -- Trump boasted on Truth Social that he had ‘fired’ Biden appointee Andres from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, but the humanitarian chef said he had submitted his resignation last week Martha Ross in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/22/25

Clemency for Oath Keepers, Proud Boys fuels extremism threat, experts say -- Extremism researchers raised concerns over the message their freedom sends to armed militia-style groups or others with violent anti-government views. If those convicted of plotting such violence against the government walked free with support from the nation’s commander in chief, would others be energized to take up more action? Spencer S. Hsu, Ellie Silverman and Cat Zakrzewski in the Washington Post$ -- 1/22/25

Trump defends his pardons for Jan. 6 attack on Capitol -- Trump in a news conference Tuesday was dismissive of the effort to prosecute nearly 1,600 people for their roles in a riot by supporters seeking to keep him in power after he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden. “I thought it was very excessive,” Trump told reporters. “At least the cases we looked at, these were people that actually love our country, so we thought a pardon would be appropriate.” Ali Bianco Politico -- 1/22/25

Trump executive order seeks to erase the existence of transgender people -- Moving bigotry to the center of his administration’s agenda, President Donald Trump will seek to deny the existence of transgender people in a stunning executive order enshrining a federal definition of two biological sexes, an incoming official told reporters before Trump was sworn in Monday. Raheem Hosseini, Sara Libby in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/25

Trump says tariffs for China, Mexico and Canada taking shape for Feb. 1 -- Trump underscored his intention to use tariffs as a tool of international economic policy and an increasingly vital source of government revenue. David J. Lynch in the Washington Post$ -- 1/22/25

Trump’s Department of Education pick has a history of stepping down from Sacramento jobs -- President Donald Trump’s pick for deputy secretary of education, Penny Schwinn, was once a prominent figure in Sacramento’s education scene. Jennah Pendleton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/25

Trump officials pause health agencies’ communications, citing review -- The agencies are charged with making decisions that touch the lives of every American and are the source of crucial information to health-care providers. Lena H. Sun, Dan Diamond and Rachel Roubein in the Washington Post$ -- 1/22/25

Pentagon Plans for Bigger U.S. Troop Role at Border -- Pentagon officials are planning options for using federal troops to secure the U.S.-Mexico border against drug traffickers, human smugglers and migrants, a potentially major shift in military priorities ordered by President Trump, officials said Tuesday. Nancy A. Youssef, Vera Bergengruen and Gordon Lubold in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/22/25

The 21 people in Trump world you need to know -- They’re the people who will have his ear as he enters his second four-year term as president with a robust policy agenda that includes mass deportations, expansive tariffs — and maybe trying to buy Greenland. Dasha Burns and Megan Messerly Politico -- 1/22/25

Musk says his gestures at Trump inauguration event weren’t Nazi salutes -- Musk — who has endorsed antisemitic remarks and aligned himself with far-right factions, including the Alternative for Germany in that country — made the gestures during a giddy speech celebrating Trump’s return to power at an indoor rally Monday at Capital One Arena in Washington. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/25\

Also

Bloomingdale’s to close flagship store in San Francisco’s biggest mall -- The store, which occupies 330,000 square feet in the beleaguered San Francisco Centre, is slated to close at the end of March. Bloomingdale’s is by far the mall’s largest remaining tenant, and it is closing the brand’s second-biggest store after its New York flagship. Aidin Vaziri, Laura Waxmann, Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/25

Moss Landing battery fire: Gov. Newsom calls for investigation into massive blaze -- Five days after a huge fire at one of the world’s largest battery storage plants in Moss Landing, Gov. Gavin Newsom has called for an investigation into the blaze, which has jolted California’s renewable energy industry. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/22/25