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California Policy and Politics Thursday
‘I am afraid that I might die here’: ICE detainee fears ‘imminent death’ without lifesaving care, lawyers say -- A man held at California’s newest and largest immigration detention center could face “imminent death,” attorneys argued in an emergency motion filed late Tuesday, asking a federal judge to order ICE to immediately provide lifesaving medical care to him and another detainee. Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25
She was approved for a green card after three decades in the U.S. Then ICE arrested her -- Babblejit “Bubbly” Kaur was approved for a green card and ran a beloved Indian restaurant in Long Beach for decades. Now, she’s in ICE detention. Itzel Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25
Trump Administration Aims to Strip More Foreign-Born Americans of Citizenship -- An official with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said it would prioritize “those who’ve unlawfully obtained U.S. citizenship.” Hamed Aleaziz in the New York Times$ -- 12/18/25
After Palisades failures, is LAFD prepared for the next major wildfire? -- The question remains: Is Los Angeles prepared for the next major wildfire? Some city officials and fire experts don’t think so. Alene Tchekmedyian and Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25
Federal watchdog will investigate Energy Department over selective blue state grant cancellations -- The U.S. Energy Department’s Office of the Inspector General will investigate the cancellation of $8 billion in clean energy grants in Democratic-leaning states. California bore the brunt, with 79 canceled grants worth $2.1 billion, plus $1.2 billion in future hydrogen hub funding. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25
Senate blocks Schiff bid to have Pentagon release boat strike video -- The Senate blocked a bid Wednesday by Sen. Adam Schiff to require the Pentagon to make public a video of the September U.S. strike that killed two people who had survived an initial attack on an alleged drug boat near Venezuela. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/18/25
Judges quiz California and GOP attorneys in Prop. 50 redistricting case -- A trio of federal judges questioned attorneys for Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Republican Party on Wednesday in a legal case that will decide the fate of California’s new voter-approved congressional districts for the 2026 midterm elections. Jenny Jarvie and Christopher Buchanan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25
The U.S. is committed to cleaning up Tijuana River pollution. Will California follow through? -- San Diego leaders are calling on California to take stronger action to address the ongoing environmental crisis caused by sewage and industrial pollution flowing from the Tijuana River. Deborah Brennan Calmatters -- 12/18/25
Insurance
These hidden rules reveal how California insurers undercut wildfire claims, leaving families in damaged homes -- New Chronicle investigation: California insurers use these hidden rules to slash wildfire payouts. Lawmakers are largely unaware. Susie Neilson and Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/18/25
California’s first elected insurance commissioner says Ricardo Lara has ‘failed’ -- A Democratic congressman and twice-elected state insurance commissioner on Wednesday slammed the current officeholder, Ricardo Lara, who he accused of failing in his duty to California consumers. Nicole Nixon in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/18/25
How a speeding ticket can be worse than killing someone with your car in California -- A diversion program created by the Legislature in 2020 has allowed some people charged with vehicular manslaughter to keep the case off of their driving record. Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler Calmatters -- 12/18/25
How Gavin Newsom’s CARE Court lost its teeth in the California Legislature -- Gov. Newsom called for ‘accountability’ on mental health and homelessness when he proposed his CARE Court program. What became law, however, pleased almost no one. Yue Stella Yu and Erica Yee Calmatters -- 12/18/25
‘False hope’: Why families who celebrated Newsom’s new mental health court feel let down by it -- Ronda Deplazes thought Gov. Newsom’s CARE Court could save her son as he struggled with mental illness. Two years later, she and other families say little has changed for them. Jocelyn Wiener Calmatters -- 12/18/25
Homeless
More than $10 million for homeless prevention coming to L.A. County -- The Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency on Wednesday approved nearly $11.5 million in homeless prevention funds, the largest single allocation yet for the new agency. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25
CARE Court was created to help California’s toughest homeless cases. Why that’s been so hard -- CARE Court was supposed to be a new way to help homeless Californians in the grip of psychosis. But people are still falling through the cracks. Marisa Kendall Calmatters -- 12/18/25
S.F. report suggests cutting almost half of city commissions. But streamlining fight isn’t over yet -- A committee created to curb the city's overabundance of committees, a very San Franciscan solution to a very San Franciscan problem, will on Thursday begin to consider an initial report from city staff recommending the elimination of nearly half of the city’s 150 commissions. Alyce McFadden in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/18/25
Workplace
Hollywood was built on movie stardom. AI is changing the rules -- Synthetic performers are forcing Hollywood to rethink how fame works and who gets to claim it. Even as the technology races ahead, legal concerns are mounting. Josh Rottenberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25
S.F. judge orders Trump administration to rehire 675 workers it fired during shutdown -- The administration violated a resolution by the Republican-controlled Congress, and signed by President Donald Trump, requiring reinstatement of the dismissed workers, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said in issuing a preliminary injunction requiring their reinstatement through at least Jan. 30. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/18/25
Jobs are down, housing is up: Inside San Francisco’s latest economic report -- A new report from the city’s controller’s office shows job losses picking up again — driven largely by continued tech layoffs — as the long-hoped-for downtown revival lost steam this fall. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/18/25
Hollywood stars launch Creators Coalition on AI -- A group of 18 people who work in the entertainment industry, including actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Natasha Lyonne, launched a coalition that aims to advocate for the rights of creators amid AI’s boom. Wendy Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25
Education
UCSF buys former biotech headquarters in Mission Bay expansion -- UCSF is doubling down on San Francisco’s Mission Bay, snapping up two adjacent buildings in a strategic expansion that will relocate its School of Dentistry near its vast health-sciences hub in the booming waterfront neighborhood. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/18/25
Also
Walters: Newsom relaxed his pro-housing stance for certain Democratic locales -- When Gavin Newsom was running for governor he made many promises, one of which was to ramp up housing production, which had been in the doldrums for a decade. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 12/18/25
One of the Bay Area’s most scenic spots reopens after 15-year renovation -- Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands, known for having one of the most spectacular views of San Francisco Bay, has fully reopened after a 15-year makeover of its popular trails, military relics and lookout points. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/18/25
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‘Don’s Best Friend’: How Epstein and Trump Bonded Over the Pursuit of Women -- The president has tried to minimize their friendship, but documents and interviews reveal an intense and complicated relationship. Chasing women was a game of ego and dominance. Female bodies were currency. Nicholas Confessore and Julie Tate in the New York Times$ -- 12/18/25
Trump Delivers Attacks and Deflects Blame for Americans’ Economic Worries --The president gave a televised speech that featured repeated rants against Democrats and his predecessor, Joseph R. Biden Jr., along with boasts about gains that many Americans have said they are not experiencing. Luke Broadwater in the New York Times$ Natalie Allison in the Washington Post$ Meridith McGraw and Annie Linskey in the Wall Street Journal$ Josh Boak Associated Press -- 12/18/25
‘We want it back’: Trump asserts U.S. claims to Venezuelan oil and land -- President Trump’s order of a partial blockade on oil tankers going to and from Venezuela and his claim that Caracas stole “oil, land and other assets” from the United States mark a significant escalation of Washington’s unrelenting campaign against the government of President Nicolás Maduro. Patrick J. McDonnell, Ana Ceballos and Kate Linthicum in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/18/25
Trump administration asking US oil industry to return to Venezuela — but getting no takers -- The administration’s outreach to the industry, previously unreported, is the latest sign the White House is dreaming of a post-Maduro future for Venezuela. Ben Lefebvre, Sophia Cai and James Bikales Politico -- 12/18/25
Americans skeptical of Trump’s executive authority, military action in Venezuela, poll finds -- Sixty-three percent of respondents told Quinnipiac they are against military action against Caracas, with just 25 percent expressing support. Gregory Svirnovskiy Politico -- 12/18/25
Senate passes defense bill that defies Trump and forces sharing of boat strike videos -- The Senate on Wednesday delivered a clear rebuke of President Donald Trump’s authority, signing off on legislation that could force the Pentagon to turn over footage of strikes against suspected drug smugglers and rein in the administration’s ability to limit troops abroad. Connor O'Brien Politico -- 12/18/25
Trump’s dismantling of climate research center is a ‘destruction of knowledge,’ critics say -- The White House’s planned elimination of a major scientific research center is the latest step in the Trump administration’s quest to obliterate federal climate change programs. Robin Bravender Politico -- 12/18/25
Trump admin broke spending deal agreement to halt mass layoffs, judge says -- A federal judge said Wednesday that the Trump administration appears to have violated both her orders and Congress’ directives by proceeding with mass government layoffs. Hassan Ali Kanu Politico -- 12/18/25
The Trump Family Business Empire Is Growing. We Mapped Out 268 Pieces of It -- Ventures launched since Trump’s re-election generated at least $4 billion in proceeds and paper wealth for the family as of December, according to company statements and securities filings. David Uberti, Juanje Gómez and Kara Dapena in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/18/25
Inflation Eased to 2.7% in Report Distorted by Government Shutdown -- Inflation eased unexpectedly in November, but economists cautioned against reading too much into the report because of gaps in data collection during the long government shutdown. Chao Deng and Matt Grossman in the Wall Street Journal$ Colby Smith in the New York Times$ -- 12/18/25
Trump will use military housing money for $1,776 Pentagon bonuses -- The Trump administration will repurpose $2.6 billion in military housing assistance to pay $1,776 “warrior dividend” bonuses to service members, according to a senior administration official. Jacob Bogage in the Washington Post$ -- 12/18/25
California Policy and Politics Wednesday
Warner Bros. rejects Paramount’s hostile bid, accuses Ellison family of failing to put money into the deal -- Warner Bros. Discovery has sharply rejected Paramount’s hostile offer, alleging the $108-billion deal carries substantial risks because the Larry Ellison family has failed to put real money behind its bid for Warner’s legendary movie studio, HBO and CNN. Meg James in the Los Angeles Times$ Lauren Thomas and Joe Flint in the Wall Street Journal$ Lauren Hirsch and Brooks Barnes in the New York Times$ -- 12/17/25
‘Both sides botched it.’ Bass, in unguarded moment, rips responses to Palisades, Eaton fires -- Speaking to “The Fifth Column” podcast, Mayor Karen Bass gave a blunt assessment of the emergency response to the Palisades and Eaton fires, saying: “Both sides botched it.” The comment came in the final minutes of the taping, at a moment when Bass thought the podcast was over. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/17/25
For L.A.’s mayor, a Palisades recovery marked by missteps, reversals and delays -- Since the Palisades fire, Mayor Karen Bass has announced recovery strategies with fanfare, only for them to be delayed or abandoned altogether. Critics say the mayor’s missteps have undermined public confidence in the rebuilding process. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/17/25
Daniel Lurie’s first year as S.F. mayor is almost over. Here are his biggest triumphs and stumbles -- Mayor Daniel Lurie was at the pinnacle of his first year in office when he announced in late October that San Francisco would not let local residents who rely on food stamps go hungry during the federal government shutdown. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/17/25
Protesters arrested after chaining themselves to S.F. ICE building to protest Trump policies -- More than three dozen Bay Area faith leaders were arrested by federal agents Tuesday after chaining themselves to U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement headquarters in San Francisco in an act of peaceful protest against the Trump administration's immigration policies. Anna Bauman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/17/25
California sues Trump for blocking EV charging funds -- Attorney General Rob Bonta said the U.S. Department of Transportation did not have the authority to suspend $180 million to fund EV charging programs in California, which Congress and former President Biden had approved in 2021 as part of the landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 12/17/25
Republicans ask federal court to overturn California’s new Prop. 50 maps -- Republicans and the Trump administration are hoping a panel of federal judges in Los Angeles will halt the new Prop. 50 maps from taking effect. But given the Supreme Court’s recent ruling greenlighting Texas’s redrawn maps, their odds are long. Maya C. Miller and Mikhail Zinshteyn Calmatters -- 12/17/25
Newsom trolls Trump with website tracking president’s ‘criminal cronies’ -- Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a new state-run website Tuesday that tracks what his office calls the “criminal cronies” around President Trump — just the latest trolling tactic by the California governor that directly mirrors Trump’s own use of public resources for political score settling. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/17/25
Construction on Sacramento’s Capitol Annex is halfway done, new report says -- Four years after lawmakers vacated the old building, the new Capitol Annex is halfway complete. That’s one takeaway from a new report from the California Legislature’s Joint Committee on Rules – the first formal update since 2021. Kate Wolffe in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/17/25
Gov. Gavin Newsom announces council to promote ‘responsible’ AI -- Gov. Gavin Newsom is tapping a host of academics, researchers and policy experts to lead a new council offering advice on the state government’s artificial intelligence policies and to guide how state agencies use the technology. Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/17/25
Rob Reiner’s son Nick charged with murder in parents’ deaths -- Prosecutors filed two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances against Nick Reiner on Tuesday afternoon. Reiner, 32, also faces a special allegation that he used a deadly weapon, a knife, in the crime, L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said during a news conference. James Queally, Richard Winton, Hannah Fry and Gavin J. Quinton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/17/25
Rob Reiner’s final weekend: Conan O’Brien’s party, the Obamas, unthinkable violence, a frantic manhunt -- It was supposed to be a weekend of celebration for Rob and Michele Reiner. They attended Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party Saturday and planned to meet Barack and Michelle Obama on Sunday night. But that gathering with the 44th president and former first lady never happened. Richard Winton and Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/17/25
Barabak: In disparaging Reiner, Trump shows the shriveled heart of an us-versus-them presidency -- Trump’s response, fairly shimmying on Reiner’s grave as he wrongly attributed his death to an act of political vengeance, managed to plumb new depths of heartlessness and cruelty; more than a decade into his acrid emergence as a political force, the president still manages to stoop to surprise. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/17/25
Marketplace
California threatens to ban Tesla sales for 30 days -- Tesla has 90 days to fix claims in its advertising of self-driving and autopilot features that the state says are misleading, officials at the California Department of Motor Vehicles announced Tuesday. If the company does not remedy the situation, it stands to lose its license to sell vehicles in the state for 30 days. Rachel Swan in the Los Angeles Times$ Joseph De Avila and Becky Peterson in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/17/25
Workplace
At a Silicon Valley summit, robots fold laundry—and investors open their wallets -- As of early December, VC deals in U.S. humanoid robotics companies totaled nearly $2.8 billion in 2025, up from $42.6 million in 2020, according to PitchBook data. Investments in California humanoid robotics companies — roughly $1.6 billion — accounted for the majority of that funding. Queenie Wong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/17/25
Global biotech company to shut Silicon Valley office, cut 121 jobs -- A major biotechnology company is exiting Silicon Valley. French diagnostics giant bioMérieux plans to permanently close its San Jose office and lay off 121 employees, according to a state filing, ending the company’s Bay Area operations. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/17/25
Plant closure will lead to hundreds of layoffs in Riverside -- The meat processing company JBS is closing a packing facility in Riverside and will lay off 374 employees, according to a notice from the California Employment Development Department. The closure comes as a limited cattle supply has led to record-high beef prices this year. Caroline Petrow-Cohen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/17/25
Spooked by AI and Layoffs, White-Collar Workers See Their Security Slip Away -- Just a few years ago, these workers were getting promotions and raises left and right. Now they are hanging onto their jobs for dear life, spooked by high-profile layoff announcements, the rise of artificial intelligence and an unforgiving job market for the unemployed. Rachel Louise Ensign in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/17/25
Wildfire
After the L.A. fires, heart attacks and strange blood test results spiked -- Emergency room visits for heart attacks at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center jumped 46% in the 90 days after the fire, and unusual blood test results more than doubled. Corinne Purtill Calmatters Betsy McKay in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/17/25
Eaton fire survivors ask Edison for emergency housing relief -- A coalition of Eaton fire survivors and community groups called on Southern California Edison on Tuesday to provide immediate housing assistance to the thousands of people who lost their homes in the Jan. 7 wildfire. Melody Petersen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/17/25
Homeless
LA County pushes back against Trump’s homeless housing funding cuts, asks Congress for help -- A shift in the way the federal government funds housing for the homeless could put about 10,000 people already housed in Los Angeles County back onto the street, according to county officials. Steve Scauzillo in the LA Daily News -- 12/17/25
Housing
It costs $1M to build an S.F. affordable housing unit. How developers say they can do it for $350K -- In a region where building a single affordable apartment can cost as much as buying a San Francisco luxury condo, developer Danny Haber insists he can do it for a fraction of the $1 million price tag. Laura Waxmann, J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/17/25
Street
Oakland renews $2 million Flock license plate camera deal amid ICE data concerns -- Oakland will renew a contract to keep hundreds of automated license plate-reading cameras on city streets, despite concerns from privacy advocates that footage collected by the system has been shared with federal immigration enforcement agencies. Kate Talerico in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/17/25
Also
New Bay Area toll lanes open on busy highway. Here’s how much drivers have to pay -- Eighteen miles of toll lanes opened Tuesday on a stretch of Interstate 80 through Solano County that’s frequently traveled by day-trippers en route to Tahoe, families seeking to play miniature golf at Scandia or shoppers patronizing outlet stores. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/17/25
Arellano: With his un-Christian Rob Reiner insults, Trump proves he’s the real ‘Meathead -- Let the annals of this country show it was the murder of a Jewish couple on the first night of Hanukkah that showed how profoundly un-Christian Donald J. Trump is once and for all. The prosecution rests, and there can no rebuttal: We are a nation led by President Meathead. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/17/25
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Trump Dangles Cash Payments to Buoy Voters’ Views of the Economy -- With tariffs unpopular and prices still high, the White House has teased the promise of tariff rebates and large tax refunds next year. Tony Romm and Andrew Duehren in the New York Times$ -- 12/17/25
4 Republicans Buck Party to Force House Vote on Obamacare Subsidies -- Rebelling against Speaker Mike Johnson, four moderate House Republicans gave a Democratic discharge petition the support it needed to advance and force a vote on a three-year extension on expiring health care subsidies. Michael Gold in the New York Times$ -- 12/17/25
‘Extremely demoralizing’: Republicans respond to the bombastic Wiles interview -- White House aides and allies on Tuesday rushed to publicly defend Susie Wiles after a jaw-dropping interview in Vanity Fair had her pointedly criticizing the president and many in the Cabinet. Sophia Cai, Megan Messerly, Diana Nerozzi and Dasha Burns Politico Michael Wilner and Ana Ceballos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/17/25
Takeaways From Susie Wiles’s Candid Interviews Describing Trump World -- During 11 interviews with Vanity Fair over President Trump’s first year back in office, Ms. Wiles, his chief of staff, opened up about the president, the people around him and their internal fights. Peter Baker in the New York Times$ -- 12/17/25
White House defends Chief of Staff Susie Wiles after tell-all -- President Trump’s chief of staff is defending herself after granting an extraordinarily candid series of interviews with Vanity Fair in which she offers stinging judgments of the president and blunt assessments about his administration’s shortcomings. Michael Wilner and Ana Ceballos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/17/25
Marjorie Taylor Greene says ‘dam is breaking’ within GOP against Trump -- In a CNN interview, the Georgia congresswoman said Trump’s reaction to the death of Rob Reiner was “classless” and that she didn’t see the GOP winning in the midterms. Victoria Craw in the Washington Post$ -- 12/17/25
Trump orders blockade of Venezuela, targeting sanctioned oil tankers -- President Donald Trump has ordered a blockade of Venezuela, targeting sanctioned oil tankers in an escalation of his administration’s pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Aaron Pellish Politico Vera Bergengruen, Kejal Vyas and Costas Paris in the Wall Street Journal$ Edward Wong in the New York Times$ Samantha Schmidt, Karen DeYoung and Dan Lamothe in the Washington Post$ -- 12/17/25
Hegseth says he won’t release full boat strike video -- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday rejected bipartisan congressional demands that the Pentagon release footage of an airstrike that killed survivors of a first attack on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. Connor O'Brien, Joe Gould and Leo Shane III Politico -- 12/17/25
Trump administration says it is dismantling key climate research center -- The Trump administration said it was breaking up one of the world’s preeminent earth and atmospheric research institutions Tuesday over concerns about “climate alarmism” — a move some Democratic state officials and scientists called an assault on science and education. Ruby Mellen in the Washington Post$ -- 12/17/25