California Policy and Politics Sunday

Can ICE arrest you? What the law says about agents' actions and protester rights -- Not for peaceful protests that do not interfere with immigration enforcement. Protesters can be arrested for violence against government officers, destruction of property or acts of obstruction, such as blocking the path of an officer’s vehicle. While law enforcement officers are entitled to use force when necessary, they are not immune from prosecution for unjustified acts of force. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/11/26

Deadly ICE shooting in Minnesota, affordability stir up California gubernatorial forums -- Just days after the fatal shooting of a Minnesota woman by a federal immigration agent, the Trump administration’s immigration policy was a top focus of California gubernatorial candidates at two forums Saturday in Southern California. Seema Mehta and Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/11/26

Scripts, signs and community partnerships: How San Diego County districts are keeping ICE out of schools -- After months of escalating enforcement actions, some near local schools, new legislation aims to protect children at school and create plans for what to do if their families are targeted. Jemma Stephenson in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 01/11/26

 

‘Terrified’ by Trump, thousands around Bay Area demand: ‘ICE Out for Good’ -- Thousands of Bay Area residents gathered Saturday to protest shootings by federal immigration agents, including the killing of a mother in Minneapolis, in another escalation of the Trump administration’s tactics toward not just immigrants but U.S. citizens. Susie Neilson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/11/26

At Sacramento ICE protest, marchers rally in wake of fatal Minneapolis shooting -- Hundreds gathered outside the California state Capitol on Saturday, many holding signs and flags honoring the life of Renee Nicole Good and denouncing federal law enforcement and the Trump administration. Camila Pedrosa and Chaewon Chung in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 01/11/26

South Bay protesters gather against Venezuela actions, ICE killing in Minneapolis -- Hundreds of South Bay protesters took to the streets Saturday to show their disdain toward President Donald Trump’s military actions in Venezuela and the killing of a Minnesota woman by a federal agent earlier this week. Nollyanne Delacruz in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 01/11/26

Thousands turn out for protests against ICE around Southern California on Saturday -- Thousands of protesters against President Trump’s immigration enforcement tactics took to the streets across the nation and in Southern California on Saturday, Jan. 10 after a federal officer shot and killed a 37-year-old mother of three in Minneapolis and another agent shot and wounded two people in Portland, Oregon this week. Anissa Rivera, Israel J. Carreón Jr. and Christina Merino in the Orange County Register$ -- 01/11/26

Protests break out across San Diego County, U.S. after Minneapolis ICE shooting -- Thousands gathered to protest the Trump administration's immigration policies and promised more of the same on Sunday. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 01/11/26

Duran Duran honors ICE shooting victim at Northern California concert -- Midway through its performance at Thunder Valley Casino Resort near Sacramento on Friday, Jan. 9, the British band dedicated its 1993 hit “Ordinary World” to Good, 37, who was fatally shot earlier this week during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/11/26

 

The Signal Chat Where Silicon Valley Is Plotting Against California’s Billionaire Tax -- In an industry town that has grown increasingly divided over politics, the proposal to tax 5% of California billionaires’ wealth has united Silicon Valley titans. Emily Glazer and Juliet Chung in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 01/11/26

Thiel Gives $3 Million to Group Seeking to Block California Wealth Tax -- More large donations from wealthy Silicon Valley figures are expected as they try to marshal opposition to a proposed ballot measure that would impose a new tax on billionaires. Theodore Schleifer and Ryan Mac in the New York Times$ -- 01/11/26

It’s a Weird Time to Be a Democrat in Silicon Valley -- Just ask Ro Khanna, the congressman whose bright blue district includes much of the spiritual home of the tech industry, including Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara. He’s under pressure from a host of technorati after voicing support for a proposed billionaire’s tax in California. Tim Higgins in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 01/11/26

 

No campaign? No problem. Inside California political elites’ shadowy spending -- The arrest and indictment of Dana Williamson, a former top aide to Gov. Gavin Newsom, cracked open a window to Sacramento’s campaign finance ecosystem, showing the sometimes questionable ways that lawmakers, lobbyists, consultants and interest groups use accounts to trade money, time and access. Nicole Nixon and Kate Wolffe in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 01/11/26

‘Doomsday Plane’ appearance at LAX sparks online worry -- The federal government’s Boeing E-4B Nightwatch — a military aircraft known, somewhat alarmingly, as the “Doomsday Plane” — touched down at Los Angeles International Airport this week, in what may be the famed aircraft’s first-ever LAX landing. Corinne Purtill in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/11/26

Child Care

‘You do your work with fear’: San Diego child care providers on edge amid harassment, funding threat -- Some San Diego child care providers say they are being harassed and fear for their safety amid a campaign by conservative activists and the Trump administration over broad but unsubstantiated suggestions of fraud. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 01/11/26

Housing

Gavin Newsom’s final budget would end homeless grant program, shelters could close -- The $349 billion budget, which Newsom released Friday, would omit a large homelessness grant that cities and counties have relied on each year to address the severe crisis since Newsom took office in 2019. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 01/11/26

These San Francisco neighborhoods have hit record high home prices -- Shopping around for a San Francisco mansion? Better bring an extra million bucks. Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/11/26

Environment

It’s one of the wealthiest parts of the Bay Area — but can Marin fix its $17 billion problem? -- Marin County got an alarming glimpse of its future last week when it experienced some of the worst flooding in decades — and a reminder of the vast climate challenges that await. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/11/26

PG&E plans to remove century-old California dams. But there's a new obstacle: Trump -- The Trump administration is following up on its pledge to try to stop the removal of two dams on Northern California’s Eel River, a move that gives farmers and rural residents opposed to the controversial demolition a welcome ally. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/11/26

Why California is keeping this unusual solar plant running when both Trump and Biden wanted it closed -- California regulators blocked the shutdown of Ivanpah, one of the world’s largest solar thermal plants, against the wishes of the Biden and Trump administrations. State officials determined the facility’s power is still needed to meet surging electricity demand from data centers, AI expansion and California’s clean energy goals. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/11/26

Wildfire

Berkeley is mandating home fireproofing — and sparking a backlash in the hills -- Last year, as Los Angeles burned, Brent Blackaby looked out the window of his Berkeley hills home and asked: What was to stop the same from happening here? Kate Talerico in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/11/26

Workplace

America’s Job Market Has Entered the Slow Lane -- Hiring sputtered. The unemployment rate rose. 2025 put a decisive end to the hottest job market in a generation. Justin Lahart and Danny Dougherty in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 01/11/26

Also

Bob Weir remembered by musicians, fans and California leaders after his death -- Bob Weir, the singer, songwriter and guitarist who co-founded the Grateful Dead and helped shape the sound and culture of American rock music, was remembered by musicians, entertainers, political leaders and fans around the world following news of his death at 78 Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/11/26

Arellano: Citizens are finally getting it: No one’s safe from Trump’s deportation ambitions -- Ever since Donald J. Trump descended from a gold escalator at his eponymous Manhattan tower in 2015, he has sworn that a scorched-earth campaign against “illegal immigrants” would make life safer for Americans and that citizens had nothing to worry about. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/11/26

POTUS 47

Day after Minneapolis shooting, Noem ordered new restriction on congressional oversight -- The Trump administration revealed the new policy late Saturday after three lawmakers were blocked from entering an ICE facility in Minnesota. Kyle Cheney, Ben Johansen and Gregory Svirnovskiy Politico -- 01/11/26

ICE tactics and training under scrutiny after Minneapolis shooting -- Policing experts say officer who fired fatal shots may have placed himself at needless risk by standing in front of Renée Good’s vehicle. Mark Berman, Maria Sacchetti, Derek Hawkins and David Ovalle in the Washington Post$ -- 01/11/26

Trump’s plan to strong-arm insurers into lower prices is met with skepticism -- President Donald Trump plans to call health insurers to the table and demand lower prices as he seeks to allay voters’ concerns over affordability. But health policy experts, researchers and even some GOP members say it won’t be so simple. Cheyenne Haslett Politico -- 01/11/26

F.B.I.’s Inquiry Into ICE Shooting Faces Doubts After White House’s Remarks -- Ex-law enforcement officials said the administration’s declarations that the killing was justified elicited questions about the F.B.I.’s willingness to scrutinize the agent who fatally shot an unarmed activist. Glenn Thrush in the New York Times$ -- 01/11/26

Congress Is Reversing Trump’s Steep Budget Cuts to Science -- After the White House called for billions of dollars in funding reductions, senators and representatives are rescinding the proposed cuts and even boosting funds for basic research. William J. Broad in the New York Times$ -- 01/11/26