California Policy and Politics Friday

Despite Trump’s claim, no policy change underway for migrant farmworkers -- President Donald Trump announced Thursday that “changes are coming” to protect farmers from losing workers to his aggressive deportation campaign, but no such policy changes are underway, according to three people with knowledge of the administration’s immigration policies. Natalie Allison, Marianne LeVine and Mariana Alfaro in the Washington Post$ -- 06/13/25

Appeals court temporarily blocks judge’s ruling to return control of National Guard to California -- The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday temporarily blocked a federal judge’s order that directed President Donald Trump to return control of National Guard troops to California after he deployed them there following protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids. Olga R. Rodriguez Associated Press Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Michael Wilner, Laura J. Nelson and Queenie Wong in the Los Angeles Times$ Kaitlyn Schallhorn in the Orange County Register$ Jess Bravin and Xavier Martinez in the Wall Street Journal$ Charlie Savage, Kellen Browning and Laurel Rosenhall in the New York Times$ Caroline O'Donovan, Karin Brulliard, Mark Berman and Kelsey Ables in the Washington Post$ -- 06/13/25

Los Angeles braces for weekend of ‘No Kings’ protests -- At least a dozen different groups are planning to protest in the Los Angeles area Saturday, following eight consecutive days of downtown demonstrations that have condemned federal operations aimed at chasing down and capturing undocumented immigrants at their jobs and on city streets. Summer Lin, Rachel Uranga and Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

California police are illegally sharing license plate data with ICE and Border Patrol -- LAPD and the counties of San Diego, Orange, and Riverside have repeatedly shared automated license plate reader data to federal agencies. Khari Johnson and Mohamed Al Elew Calmatters -- 06/13/25

‘An outright lie’: Fiery Bass delivers impassioned speech demanding ICE leave city -- The mayor — flanked by faith leaders, business leaders, immigrant rights advocates and others — defended the city’s ability to handle the sometimes chaotic protests that have swept across downtown L.A. for the last week, while accusing the Trump administration of deliberately misrepresenting the city as overwhelmed by violence. Noah Goldberg and David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

Recriminations erupt after Noem guards tackle Padilla -- The image of the cuffed lawmaker instantly flooded the cable news airwaves and social media sites, joining other iconic pictures of the week: Protesters brandishing the Mexican flag, self-driving cars engulfed in flames and masked federal agents executing surprise immigration raids. Together, they capture the escalating tensions in Los Angeles over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement and its use of executive power. Melanie Mason and Lisa Kashinsky Politico -- 06/13/25

Did Padilla ‘lunge’ at Noem? Here is what videos show -- Multiple videos appear to show Sen. Alex Padilla never came particularly close to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, though Noem claimed that the California senator “lunged” at her during a press conference. Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 06/13/25

Outraged Democrats handcuffed in ability to do much about Padilla treatment -- Democrats loudly condemned the forcible removal and handcuffing of California Sen. Alex Padilla when he tried to question U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday, but lack the power to do much beyond decrying the situation. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 06/13/25

Padilla’s scuffle stirs painful memories of a childhood spent proving his worth -- Senator Alex Padilla of California, the son of Mexican immigrants, grew up in the San Fernando Valley as a rule-following overachiever who was nonetheless often targeted as a “bad kid” because of his brown skin. Annie Karni in the New York Times$ -- 06/13/25

Arellano: Sen. Alex Padilla’s crime? Being Mexican in MAGA America -- When U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla was forcibly removed from a news conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, it was almost as if Donald Trump’s most well-worn talking point came to life: A bad hombre tried to go after a white American. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

Chabria: First they came for the immigrants. Then they took down our Latino senator -- Things were looking tense in Los Angeles on Thursday even before federal agents took down U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla. We had the Marines, slightly trained in domestic crowd control, heading out to do crowd control. We had ICE raids, sweeping up a man from a church. Or maybe it was ICE — the armed and masked agents refused to say where they were from. Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

Skelton: The gift Trump never meant to give: the spotlight to Democratic adversary Gavin Newsom -- President Trump craves attention and will stoop to any depth to grab it — even pour gasoline on a kindling fire in Los Angeles. But this time he unwittingly provided priceless attention for an adversary. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

Livermore father deported by ICE to Mexico, hours before judge ordered he stay -- Immigration officials recently deported a Livermore father the night before a U.S. District Court judge ordered him to remain in the country while facing removal orders that, the judge said, were dripping with “inequities.” Kyle Martin in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 06/13/25

How many people have been arrested in the nationwide anti-ICE protests? -- Many protests have passed without incident, but some have been marked by vandalism and by confrontations that turned violent and led to injuries to demonstrators and officers. Here’s how many people have been arrested, according to statements from law enforcement officials. Chris Hippensteel in the New York Times$ -- 06/13/25

Is your favorite taco truck slower than usual? ICE raids are sending street vendors into hiding -- Francisco has been working as a taquero for over a year, but he’s never felt as worried as he does now, in the shadow of a week of ongoing sweeps in Los Angeles by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Karla Marie Sanford in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

In Sacramento’s immigration court, ICE detention threats leave residents in limbo -- Dilraj Shoker followed the rules. He has a work permit, said he doesn’t have a criminal record, and filed an application to receive political asylum from his native India. Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 06/13/25

To understand what immigrants mean to California, eat at any restaurant -- Taquerias, dim sum parlors, sushi counters, noodle shops, kebab stands, strip malls filled with businesses serving 12 different Vietnamese specialties: Immigrant excellence powers every single restaurant on the L.A. Times’ first ever 101 best restaurants in California guide. Without exception. Bill Addison in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

How the flags of Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala symbolize defiance against Trump’s L.A. raids -- These are the people flying flags from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, South Korea and other places during the Los Angeles protests. Salvador Hernandez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

 

California sues over Trump’s plan to block state’s electric vehicle mandate -- As President Donald Trump signed a suite of congressional bills to block California’s electric vehicle mandate on Thursday, state leaders prepared to fight back in court. The state’s signature climate policy aimed to phase out gas-powered cars and have all new cars sold be electric by 2035. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 06/13/25

No Kings protests set to draw thousands across Bay Area on Trump’s birthday -- The demonstrations, which will coincide with Trump’s military parade in Washington, D.C., follow days of increasingly tense protests in cities across the country over immigration raids and Trump’s deployment of military troops to Los Angeles. Molly Burke in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 06/13/25

Breathe

Trump signs laws to kill California auto emission standards. California AG sues -- President Trump signed legislation Thursday seeking to rescind California’s ambitious auto emission standards, including a landmark rule that eventually would have barred sales of new gas-only cars in California by 2035. Tony Briscoe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

Workplace

Albertsons, Kroger workers authorize strike, protesting unfair labor practices -- About 45,000 grocery workers have authorized a strike at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions stores in Southern California to protest what they call unfair labor practices. Md Fazlur Rahman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

Push to block L.A.’s tourism wage hike has been misleading, union alleges -- The union representing Southern California hospitality workers has accused a group of airlines and hotel businesses of using underhanded tactics in support of a petition to overturn a city ordinance boosting the minimum wage in Los Angeles. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

Wildfire

California launches investigation into State Farm’s claims for LA wildfires -- California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced Thursday that the state Department of Insurance is launching a formal investigation into State Farm’s handling of wildfire claims in Los Angeles County. Daniel Hunt in the Sacramento Bee$ Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ Rukmini Callimachi in the New York Times$ Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 06/13/25

Pressure is mounting for soil testing post-fire cleanup. The Newsom administration is downplaying the concerns -- Elected officials in California are calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Newsom administration to pay for soil testing on properties destroyed in the Eaton and Palisades wildfires, underscoring the public health risk and financial burdens that could be faced by survivors seeking to rebuild in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. Tony Briscoe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

Homeless

San Jose mayor says legislators ‘talking out of both sides of their mouths’ for demanding progress while cutting homelessness funding -- The mayors of San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco have demanded that state legislators restore a homeless funding program in next year’s budget. Devan Patel in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 06/13/25

 

Newton: Don’t underestimate Antonio Villaraigosa in the race for California governor -- One bad bet in California politics in recent decades has been to assume that Antonio Villaraigosa, who’s now in the hunt for the governorship, was finished. Underestimating him is a fool’s game. Jim Newton Calmatters -- 06/13/25

Justice Department says Trump can undo national monuments; California areas could be on list -- President Trump has the authority to abolish national monuments set aside by past presidents to protect areas of historic and scientific interest, the Justice Department said in an opinion this week, potentially laying the groundwork to dismantle California’s two newest monuments — Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands. Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

California State Bar Opens Probe Into Gloria Allred’s Law Firm -- The State Bar of California has opened an investigation into the tactics used by Gloria Allred’s law firm in its dealings with clients. The investigation, prompted by a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, is looking at the issues raised by women who hired the Los Angeles firm to represent them in connection with allegations of sexual misconduct. Khadeeja Safdar in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 06/13/25

Walters: California’s battle against homelessness needs a ‘combined arms’ approach -- World War II was the most massive military conflict in recorded history and one that redefined effective military strategy, moving away from the static set-piece battles of previous wars and toward mechanization, speed and, most importantly, “combined arms.” Dan Walters Calmatters -- 06/13/25

The Army’s Newest Recruits: Tech Execs From Meta, OpenAI and More -- They probably won’t win any push-up contests and might not be sharpshooters. Yet for part of the year, a set of brainy Silicon Valley executives will trade their corporate-branded vests for U.S. Army Reserve uniforms because they know a heckuva lot about artificial intelligence. Heather Somerville in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 06/13/25

Education

Trauma, upheaval, fear: Students and families caught in the crosshairs of immigration enforcement -- Some schools across California report that parents — and sometimes students — have been detained by immigration officials. Teachers and other school staff are stepping up to help families get the resources they need. When a parent is detained or deported, students may become eligible for homeless services. Zaidee Stavely and Betty Márquez Rosales EdSource -- 06/13/25

Graduation day at Maywood Academy High, where students are 98% Latino; 100% All-American -- Maywood Academy graduates were determined to enjoy their big day. Students and families also expressed worry about immigration raids. Earlier this month, one student and her mother were taken into custody when they reported to authorities. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

POTUS 47

Far-Right Groups Buzz With Violent Talk on How to Respond to ‘No Kings’ Protest -- “Shoot a couple, the rest will go home,” said a meme circulating on Telegram channels of groups affiliated with the far-right Proud Boys. “You just have to impale a few of them…” another local chapter posted. One disseminated an online gun tutorial, illustrating optimal shooting techniques with the caption: “Riot season again!” Brenna T. Smith and Cameron McWhirter in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 06/13/25

Trump’s Big Bill Would Be More Regressive Than Any Major Law in Decades -- The Republican megabill now before the Senate cuts taxes for high earners and reduces benefits for the poor. If it’s enacted, that combination would make it more regressive than any major tax or entitlement law in decades. Emily Badger, Alicia Parlapiano and Margot Sanger-Katz in the New York Times$ -- 06/13/25

Trump plans broader use of National Guard in immigration enforcement -- The Trump administration wants to use the National Guard more broadly to enact the president’s immigration agenda, according to border czar Tom Homan, documents and people familiar with plans. Marianne LeVine, Liz Goodwin and Alex Horton in the Washington Post$ -- 06/13/25

Hegseth refuses to commit to following possible court order on Marine deployment -- Seven members of the committee questioning Hegseth on Thursday are Democrats from California. At a hearing Wednesday, Hegseth insisted the deployment of Marines in Los Angeles was lawful but couldn’t name the law under which it is allowed. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 06/13/25

Most US adults say Trump’s military parade is not a good use of money, a new AP-NORC poll finds -- As Washington prepares for a military parade this weekend to honor the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, a new survey finds that U.S. adults are more likely to approve than disapprove of President Donald Trump’s decision to hold the festivities, which officials have said will cost tens of millions of taxpayer dollars. Meg Kinnard and Linley Sanders Associated Press -- 06/13/25

GOP tax bill would cost poor Americans $1,600 a year and boost highest earners by $12,000, CBO says -- The Republican tax bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives would cost the poorest Americans roughly $1,600 a year while increasing the income of the wealthiest households by an average of $12,000 annually, according to a new analysis released Thursday by the Congressional Budget Office. Fatima Hussein Associated Press -- 06/13/25

Trump Steel Tariffs Expanded to Hit Home Appliances -- Washing machines, refrigerators and other common household appliances made with steel parts will soon be subject to expanded tariffs, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Ana Swanson and Alan Rappeport in the New York Times$ -- 06/13/25

Trump fails to overturn $5m damages award to E Jean Carroll for defamation -- US appeals court denies challenge after 2023 civil jury trial found Trump sexually abused Carroll then defamed her. Oliver Milman The Guardian -- 06/13/25