California Policy and Politics Friday

‘I just want safety for everybody’: Pico Union parent pulls children out of school over ICE raids -- Diana Mojarro, a Pico Union native and mother of a West Adams Preparatory High School junior, said she pulled her son out of school today to protest the ongoing immigration raids and stand in solidarity with immigrant communities across the country. Marina Peña The LA Local -- 1/30/26

SANDAG board questions Border Patrol access to local law enforcement data -- The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is facing increasing pressure to terminate a contract that grants some federal immigration enforcement agencies access to a local law enforcement database. Gustavo Solis, Carlos Castillo KPBS -- 1/30/26

Here’s a list of planned 'ICE Out' protests in the LA region -- Demonstrations will be held across the nation on Friday and Saturday, including in Los Angeles, calling for the withdrawal of federal immigration agents. Destiny Torres LAist -- 01/30/26

Berkeley businesses close, students protest as city joins ‘ICE Out’ national strike -- Cheese Board Collective, Nabolom Bakery and the climbing gym Berkeley Ironworks were among the businesses closed in solidarity with the “no work, no school, no shopping” protest. Nico Savidge and Felicia Mello Berkeleyside -- 01/30/26

They chased federal agents, blew whistles and filmed on phones. How Boyle Heights took action amid a cluster of raids -- They ran and drove after vehicles with men inside, believed to be federal agents. They pulled out their phones to record. They blew whistles, honked car horns and shouted, “Migra, Migra, Migra!” alerting their neighbors that agents were nearby. Alejandra Molina LA Local -- 01/30/26

Businesses close, protesters gather in S.F. as part of nationwide general strike against ICE -- Thousands of Bay Area residents joined in nationwide protests while dozens of Bay Area businesses closed Friday in solidarity with a nationwide general strike aimed at protesting the federal government’s immigration policies, including the ongoing Minneapolis incursion, which led to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Roland Li, St. John Barned-Smith in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/30/26

‘We’re not willing to stay silent’: Thousands walk out in SF to protest ICE -- Dozens of San Francisco businesses closed their doors Friday as the Bay Area joined a national general strike protesting federal immigration enforcement that killed two U.S. citizens this month in Minneapolis. George Kelly, Ezra Wallach, and Max Harrison-Caldwell San Francisco Standard -- 01/30/26

More than 1,000 Sacramento high school students walk out of class to protest ICE -- More than 1,000 students from across the Sacramento region walked out of their classrooms on Friday morning and trekked to the Capitol in protest of federal immigration enforcement. Mathew Miranda and Emma Hall in the Sacramento Bee$ also KVIE Abridged -- 01/30/26

Walkouts, closures begin across Bay Area in protest against ICE crackdown -- Student and employee walkouts took place across the Bay Area on Friday, part of a national wave of protests against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the deaths of two people this month at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis. Jakob Rodgers, Ryan Macasero and Rick Hurd in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/30/26

Hundreds of SLO County students walk out of school to protest ICE -- Students across San Luis Obispo County walked out of class and campus Friday morning in solidarity with a nationwide anti-ICE strike calling for no school, no work and no shopping. Sadie Dittenber and Leila Touati in the San Luis Obispo Tribune -- 1/30/26

 

California isn’t getting enough snow. Here’s what it means for water supplies -- This month’s lingering dry spell has combined with warm winter temperatures to take a toll on California’s mountain snow, raising new questions about the durability of this year’s water supplies. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/30/26

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon arrested in Beverly Hills. Was it an attack on the 1st Amendment? -- Lemon was taken into custody early Friday in Los Angeles while covering the upcoming Grammy Awards. His arrest is related to an anti-ICE protest in Minnesota last week. “If the church was open to the public and Don Lemon was serving as a journalist covering the protest — both of which I understand to be the case — there are serious 1st Amendment concerns with arresting and prosecuting Lemon,” said Jean-Paul Jassy, a Los Angeles attorney specializing in the 1st Amendment. Jenny Jarvie, Grace Toohey and Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/26

Trump rails against low-income housing in Pacific Palisades. But officials say no projects are planned -- President Trump’s foray this week into the fire rebuilding process in Pacific Palisades has been met with confusion and rolled eyes from local officials who say he’s now railing against projects that have never even been proposed. Noah Goldberg and Ana Ceballos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/26

 

California chief justice steps up monitoring of immigration arrests at courthouses -- California’s top judge wants to deter immigration agents from making arrests in courthouses, a practice that she says instills fear in witnesses and litigants. Cayla Mihalovich Calmatters -- 1/30/26

California Democrats help lead counter-offensive against Trump immigration crackdown -- California Democrats have assumed leading roles in their party’s counter-offensive to the Trump administration’s massive immigration crackdown — seizing on a growing sense, shared by some Republicans, that the campaign has gotten so out of hand that the political winds have shifted heavily in their favor. Kevin Rector, Ana Ceballos and Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/29/26

Anti-ICE ‘National Shutdown’ protests planned in L.A. County. Here’s where to find them -- Inflamed by the fatal shootings of two protesters and the increasingly aggressive tactics used by federal agents in Minneapolis, activists and protesters are taking part in “ICE Out of Everywhere” demonstrations starting Friday, including several in Los Angeles County. Karen Garcia, Jaweed Kaleem, Suhauna Hussain and Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/26

San Francisco movie theater closes to join general strike protesting ICE — tickets already refunded -- The Roxie Theater had movies booked and tickets sold for the first day of what was to be a busy weekend. But the Mission District venue has decided to join the nationwide strike to protest the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement department. G. Allen Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/29/26

‘What happened in Minnesota can happen here’: Bay Area readies for Friday strike -- Restaurant owners, climbing gyms, and boutiques are sacrificing their busiest sales day to join a strike sparked by fatal shootings in Minneapolis. George Kelly in the San Francisco Standard -- 1/29/26

L.A. Metro relocates buses with ‘Melania’ ads after ‘extensive and severe’ vandalism -- But soon, the posters began to accumulate graffiti, photos show: devil horns scribbled atop her head, a Hitler-style mustache and scrawled expletives referring to her husband’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/29/26

Bad Bunny-inspired anti-ICE posters spotted in S.F. ahead of Super Bowl -- With Bad Bunny’s controversial Super Bowl halftime show nearly a week away, anti-ICE posters inspired by the musician’s branding are reportedly popping up around San Francisco. Zara Irshad in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/29/26

John Leguizamo wants nothing from ICE-supporting fans amid fatal crackdowns: ‘Unfollow me’ -- The “Romeo + Juliet” and “Moulin Rouge!” acting veteran, who is Latino, on Wednesday issued a brief and blunt Instagram video message to followers who also support the immigration agency. “If you follow ICE, unfollow me,” he said in his post. Alexandra Del Rosario in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/29/26

Bruce Springsteen’s anti-ICE protest song decries Minneapolis killings and ‘King Trump’ -- “Streets of Minneapolis” references anti-ICE protests and the killings of Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Tracy Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/26

ICE finds targeting violent criminals increasingly fraught in backlash over indiscriminate sweeps -- Community protests and rapid mobilizations now accompany immigration enforcement operations across the nation, making targeted arrests of actual criminals increasingly difficult. Brittny Mejia and Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/26

Former ICE spokesman: Agency encouraged Trump propaganda more than facts -- Richard Beam said he always knew working at ICE would be a contentious and, at times, controversial position. But he believed in the mission, and in his job to inform the public about the agency – by telling the truth, he said. He remembered that all changed one day in 2025. Ryanne Mena in the Orange County Register$ -- 1/30/26

 

Newsom Files Civil Rights Complaint Against Dr. Oz Over Fraud Video -- Gov. Gavin Newsom of California filed a formal civil rights complaint on Thursday against Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, charging that he had illegally discriminated against Armenian Americans in Southern California with a recent video in which he appeared to tie the community to health care fraud. Shawn Hubler in the New York Times$ Clara Harter and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/26

Newsom describes calls with anguished rich as he continues opposing billionaire tax -- Gov. Gavin Newsom continued his vocal opposition to the proposed billionaire tax measure, saying at a Bloomberg forum event in San Francisco that it would ultimately degrade the state’s tax base as the ultrawealthy left the state. Andrew Graham in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/30/26

From kneepads to Grindr, Newsom’s latest Trump-inspired insults have gotten downright sexual -- The kneepad jokes are not intended to be sexual, a Gavin Newsom spokesperson says. But a lot of people, from online commentators to scholars who study political rhetoric, aren’t buying that. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/30/26

Who is Matt Mahan, the Newsom critic and political moderate entering the CA governor race? -- As Gov. Gavin Newsom’s online trolling of President Donald Trump ramped up last summer, it drew attention and praise from many within the Democratic Party. But one California Democrat was unimpressed. Andrew Graham in the Sacramento Bee$ Dustin Gardiner and Christine Mui Politico -- 1/30/26

Garofoli: Will Mahan’s anti-Newsom rhetoric hurt him in governor’s race? -- After spending much of the last year giving the Democratic Party unsolicited tough love on how it handles homelessness, housing and crime, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan announced Thursday he is running for governor. Now, he’s asking Democrats for some love. Awkward. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/30/26

Walters: Matt Mahan’s campaign for California governor will be a voter litmus test -- With the not-unexpected entry of San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, the large field of candidates to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom is probably complete — and could very well shrink again. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 1/30/26

California waits for a star to emerge in the 2026 race for governor -- California’s 2026 gubernatorial race lacks a clear front-runner for the first time in more than 25 years, with more voters undecided than backing any candidate. Despite California boasting the world’s fourth largest economy, the race has received little national attention and lacks a candidate who has captured voters’ imagination. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/26

Oust Kristi Noem, say Padilla and Schiff. But that’s going to be tough to do -- Sen. Alex Padilla wants Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem impeached. Sen. Adam Schiff wants her to resign. Neither is a good bet to happen at the moment, but the two California Democrats have joined a growing chorus of senators seeking to oust her. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/30/26

Tech & Kids

‘We’re basically pushers:’ Two California courtrooms hear how companies may have hooked kids on social media -- Lawsuits in California federal and state court are unearthing documents embarrassing to tech companies — and may be a tipping point into federal regulation. Colin Lecher Calmatters -- 1/30/26

Workplace

L.A. parent of Johnny Rockets, Fatburger and Round Table files for bankruptcy -- Beverly Hills-based Fat Brands Inc. said in a statement that it filed for bankruptcy on Monday to restructure the debt it accumulated while expanding its company portfolio, citing “difficult and largely unforeseen” market conditions. Iris Kwok in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/29/26

Tech firms move toward significant office leases in S.F.’s Showplace Square -- San Francisco’s office recovery is increasingly being written by artificial intelligence, with two AI companies moving toward significant leases in Showplace Square — a neighborhood that previously symbolized the city’s tech-era pullback. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/30/26

Cannabis

Cops have to treat marijuana in your car differently after new California Supreme Court ruling -- If you can’t easily consume it, having marijuana in your car does not give California police the right to search the vehicle. Nigel Duara Calmatters Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/29/26

Wildfire

Bay Area lab’s new model for forecasting wildfires could change how they’re fought — and save lives -- New study from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory reveals how multi-ignition fires are disproportionately more destructive. Chase Hunter in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/30/26

Water

Governors Dive Into an Impasse Over Colorado River Water Use -- Governors from six of the seven states that rely on the dwindling Colorado River are expected in Washington on Friday to try to break a two-year impasse over how to share its water. Scott Dance in the New York Times$ -- 1/30/26

The Sierra snowpack is dropping fast. Here’s why experts say it’s not as bad as it seems -- The Sierra Nevada snowpack, the source of nearly one-third of California’s water supply, is looking a little like a New Year’s resolution: Full of hope and promise at the beginning of January, but now struggling with a bothersome reality check. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/30/26

LA Sales Tax

Coalition seeks LA County sales tax vote to offset federal healthcare funding cuts -- A newly formed coalition wants to bring a half-cent sales tax before Angeleno voters in June to mitigate Medi-Cal losses. Ana B. Ibarra Calmatters -- 1/30/26

FIFA

LA joins NYC in mayoral revolt against FIFA’s ticket prices -- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Thursday criticized FIFA’s World Cup ticket prices as too expensive, contrasting them with prices for the 2028 Olympics, which she says will have affordable options. Natalie Fertig and Sophia Cai Politico -- 1/30/26

Education

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta give Sac State $50 million for downtown campus -- Sacramento State is partnering with tech giant Meta to convert excess government buildings into a downtown campus that will include academic facilities and affordable student housing in a district that has struggled to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Annika Merrilees and William Melhado in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/30/26

San Diego teachers plan first strike in 30 years over issues with staffing and services for special education -- More than 300 teachers rallied outside the San Diego Unified School Board meeting Tuesday, in anticipation of a district-wide strike at 172 campuses scheduled for Feb. 26. Teachers held signs stating “respect our students, respect our contract,” and filed through the board room at the start of the meeting. Deborah Brennan Calmatters -- 1/30/26

Homeless

S.F. changed how it counts its homeless population. What does that mean for this year’s numbers? -- As the sun rose Thursday morning, hundreds of outreach workers embarked on routes around San Francisco as part of the city’s biennial effort to count its homeless residents. Lucy Hodgman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/29/26

Street

LAPD chief says more homicides are being solved amid a record decline in killings -- Los Angeles police solved more than two thirds of all homicides citywide in 2025, a year that ended with the fewest number of slayings in six decades, according to statistics presented by local authorities on Thursday. Richard Winton and Libor Jany in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/26

L.A. County to pause some payouts amid investigations into $4-billion sex abuse settlement -- Los Angeles County will halt some payments from its $4-billion sex abuse settlement, leaving many plaintiffs on edge as prosecutors ramp up an investigation into allegations of fraud. Rebecca Ellis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/29/26

Robotaxi

Waymo robotaxi strikes child near California school during morning drop-off -- The collision happened Jan. 23 during morning drop-off hours within two blocks of a school in Santa Monica, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/29/26

Also

That penis hologram on a Muni bus is actually an ad for AI -- The image that swept across social media on Wednesday came from an ad on a Muni bus, displayed underneath the transit agency’s famous worm logo. Some wondered if the visage, a large, pink, tuberous appendage was male genitalia. It’s supposed to be a finger, according to staff at Muni. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/29/26

Golden Gate Bridge suicides decline 87% since barrier -- Four people died after jumping from the span last year, an 87% decline from the annual average of 30 fatal falls before the barrier, according to bridge officials. Adrian Rodriguez in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/30/26

POTUS 47

Spy Chief Tulsi Gabbard Is Hunting for 2020 Election Fraud -- The director of national intelligence is leading an administration-wide effort to hunt for proof of tampering in the election that Trump lost. Josh Dawsey, Dustin Volz and Sadie Gurman in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/30/26

Don Lemon arrested over Minnesota church protest after judge previously rejected charge -- Federal prosecutors previously tried to charge Lemon, but the chief federal judge in Minneapolis declined to allow the case because he saw no probable cause to arrest the longtime journalist. Josh Gerstein and Gregory Svirnovskiy Politico Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ C. Ryan Barber and Sadie Gurman in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/30/26

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles -- Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has been arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, according to an attorney statement posted on Lemon’s social media account Friday morning. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/26

Senate Democrats and White House strike deal to avert shutdown, continue ICE debate -- The deal provides more time to negotiate new restrictions for federal immigration agents carrying out President Trump’s deportation campaign. Gavin J. Quinton and Ana Ceballos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/29/26

‘It’s All About Us Now’: Video Shows Bovino’s Orders to Agents in L.A. Raids --The Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino was blunt as he addressed the group of federal agents dressed in tactical gear: “Arrest as many people that touch you as you want to. Those are the general orders, all the way to the top.” Jesus Jiménez in the New York Times$ -- 1/29/26

Trump faces fresh MAGA blowback for efforts to ‘de-escalate’ in Minnesota -- The president’s response to widespread public dismay over the shooting death of another Minnesotan has put him in a bind with his own base. Natalie Allison, Isaac Arnsdorf and Hannah Knowles in the Washington Post$ -- 1/29/26

Arellano: Trump says he wants to get rid of ‘the worst of the worst.’ Start with Stephen Miller -- President Trump and his supporters like to think of their MAGA movement as an unstoppable locomotive. After Border Patrol agents brutally beat, shot and killed Alex Pretti this weekend in Minneapolis, we’re seeing the Trump Train derail in a way it never has. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/29/26

War Threats and Ambiguous Evidence: Trump Again Confronts Iran -- There is little sign that Iran has made significant progress in reconstituting its nuclear program, leaving questions about the timing and motive behind potential plans for further attacks. Mark Mazzetti, Julian E. Barnes, David E. Sanger and Ronen Bergman in the New York Times$ -- 1/29/26

Trump sues IRS and Treasury for $10 billion over leaked tax records -- The case means Trump has again filed a claim for a large amount of money against the government he oversees, putting him on both sides of the potential negotiating table. Frances Vinall in the Washington Post$ -- 1/30/26

At ‘Melania’ Premiere, the President Sees ‘Glamour’ and Others See Graft -- Amazon paid Melania Trump’s production company $40 million for the movie and then paid another $35 million to promote it. Shawn McCreesh in the New York Times$ -- 1/29/26