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"content": "\u003cp>A bill that would require local agencies to release data on 911 calls originating from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/immigrant-detention-centers\">privately operated detention facilities\u003c/a> is heading for a vote on the state assembly floor this week.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s part of a raft of new bills by state lawmakers aiming for more scrutiny of immigration detention in California, at a time when deaths in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody have spiked, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092950/a-judge-sent-a-doctor-to-evaluate-californias-largest-ice-detention-center-what-he-found\">investigations and courts have found\u003c/a> facilities failing to provide essential medical care.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, said she introduced \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB423\">SB 423\u003c/a> because the number of people in ICE detention in California has grown dramatically during President Donald Trump’s second term, to \u003ca href=\"https://sd33.senate.ca.gov/sites/sd33.senate.ca.gov/files/pdf/SB%20423%20(Gonzalez)%20Private%20Detention%20Facility%20Fact%20Sheet_0.pdf\">more than 6,000 people\u003c/a>, and many are held for long periods in sometimes inhumane conditions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1760\" height=\"1174\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/JPR-wwii.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/JPR-wwii.jpg 1760w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/JPR-wwii-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/JPR-wwii-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1760px) 100vw, 1760px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the Tule Lake pilgrimage, including survivors of the incarceration camp, protest the conditions in modern-day immigrant detention facilities on July 4, 2026. (Peyton Gast/JPR)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While she does not have an ICE facility in her district, she said she does have many immigrant constituents, including some whose family members have been incarcerated in immigration jails. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When families’ safety, health and wellbeing are at stake, transparency is not optional—it is urgent,” she said in a statement. “No private contract or detention center wall should be used to hide dangerous conditions or silence people who have been mistreated inside these facilities.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill would require local agencies to turn over recordings and written records of 911 calls from privately run detention facilities, if a member of the public requests them. It includes an exception if there’s an active investigation underway and requires the names of affected individuals to be redacted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At least \u003ca href=\"https://www.ice.gov/detain/detainee-death-reporting\">55 people\u003c/a> have died \u003ca href=\"https://phr.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/PHR-HRW-Report-US-Deaths-ICE-detention-2026.pdf\">in ICE custody\u003c/a> since President Trump returned to office — six of them in California. The state attorney general and other watchdog organizations have documented medical neglect and inhumane treatment in the eight facilities currently operating throughout the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Private prison companies operate all of those facilities. Though the federal government \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089974/private-prison-company-sells-two-of-californias-immigrant-detention-centers-to-the-federal-government\">recently purchased two\u003c/a> from CoreCivic — Otay Mesa Detention Center, in San Diego County, and California City Detention Facility, in Kern County — the corrections company continues to operate them. The bill’s language specifies that it \u003ca href=\"https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/government-code/gov-sect-7320/\">applies to any privately operated detention facility\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Immigrant Defense Advocates and the First Amendment Coalition back the bill. The coalition, a press freedom advocacy group, said the public and policymakers need this kind of transparency to better understand what’s happening inside private detention facilities, where thousands of people are being held, but authorities have restricted access by journalists and lawmakers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Paloma Esquivel, a former \u003cem>Los Angeles Times\u003c/em> reporter now at the First Amendment Coalition, said that, as a journalist, she pushed county sheriffs for 911 records after ICE and detention facility staff resisted her requests for information about emergencies, but she was often stonewalled.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“We have a very strong interest and even an obligation to understand how these facilities are functioning and what is happening inside these facilities that are being paid for with billions of dollars in taxpayer money,” Esquivel said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20251031_Rally-for-Sami-Hamdi_GH-12_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077400\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20251031_Rally-for-Sami-Hamdi_GH-12_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20251031_Rally-for-Sami-Hamdi_GH-12_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20251031_Rally-for-Sami-Hamdi_GH-12_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People gather outside 100 Montgomery St. during a rally calling for the release of journalist Sami Hamdi on Oct. 31, 2025, in San Francisco. The event is part of an ‘ICE Watch’ organized to protest his detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Diego Sheriff’s Department told KQED it does not have a position on the bill. The Kern County Sheriff’s Department said it will continue to comply with California laws, “as we always do.” Other sheriffs could not be reached for comment. Private prison companies CoreCivic and GEO Group did not respond to requests for comment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SB 423 is expected to get a vote in the full Assembly this week. If it passes, it will go back to the state senate for approval. The legislature must act on all remaining bills before it adjourns on Aug. 31. If the bill passes, it will go to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, where he has until Sep. 30 to sign legislation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It is one of several bills that would increase oversight of immigration detention in California. Here are some others:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>SB 942 would establish a “bill of rights” for people held for civil immigration proceedings, to match the rights of people in other types of civil detention in the state. It would guarantee a right to humane care and freedom from abuse, among other protections, and would empower the state attorney general to investigate and enforce them.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>SB 941 would prevent private, for-profit detention facilities from marking up commissary items by more than 35% above the vendor price, mirroring the standards for state-run correctional facilities.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>SB 1399 would extend the power of the California Department of Justice to inspect immigration facilities beyond 2027, when the current inspection program is due to sunset.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The nonprofit Immigrant Defense Advocates and Attorney General Rob Bonta cosponsor all three bills.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While she does not have an ICE facility in her district, she said she does have many immigrant constituents, including some whose family members have been incarcerated in immigration jails. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The bill would require local agencies to turn over recordings and written records of 911 calls from privately run detention facilities, if a member of the public requests them. It includes an exception if there’s an active investigation underway and requires the names of affected individuals to be redacted.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At least \u003ca href=\"https://www.ice.gov/detain/detainee-death-reporting\">55 people\u003c/a> have died \u003ca href=\"https://phr.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/PHR-HRW-Report-US-Deaths-ICE-detention-2026.pdf\">in ICE custody\u003c/a> since President Trump returned to office — six of them in California. The state attorney general and other watchdog organizations have documented medical neglect and inhumane treatment in the eight facilities currently operating throughout the state. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At least \u003ca href=\"https://www.ice.gov/detain/detainee-death-reporting\">55 people\u003c/a> have died \u003ca href=\"https://phr.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/PHR-HRW-Report-US-Deaths-ICE-detention-2026.pdf\">in ICE custody\u003c/a> since President Trump returned to office — six of them in California. The state attorney general and other watchdog organizations have documented medical neglect and inhumane treatment in the eight facilities currently operating throughout the state. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Private prison companies operate all of those facilities. Though the federal government \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089974/private-prison-company-sells-two-of-californias-immigrant-detention-centers-to-the-federal-government\">recently purchased two\u003c/a> from CoreCivic — Otay Mesa Detention Center, in San Diego County, and California City Detention Facility, in Kern County — the corrections company continues to operate them. The bill’s language specifies that it \u003ca href=\"https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/government-code/gov-sect-7320/\">applies to any privately operated detention facility\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Immigrant Defense Advocates and the First Amendment Coalition back the bill. The coalition, a press freedom advocacy group, said the public and policymakers need this kind of transparency to better understand what’s happening inside private detention facilities, where thousands of people are being held, but authorities have restricted access by journalists and lawmakers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Immigrant Defense Advocates and the First Amendment Coalition back the bill. The coalition, a press freedom advocacy group, said the public and policymakers need this kind of transparency to better understand what’s happening inside private detention facilities, where thousands of people are being held, but authorities have restricted access by journalists and lawmakers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Paloma Esquivel, a former \u003cem>Los Angeles Times\u003c/em> reporter now at the First Amendment Coalition, said that, as a journalist, she pushed county sheriffs for 911 records after ICE and detention facility staff resisted her requests for information about emergencies, but she was often stonewalled.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“We have a very strong interest and even an obligation to understand how these facilities are functioning and what is happening inside these facilities that are being paid for with billions of dollars in taxpayer money,” Esquivel said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Paloma Esquivel, a former \u003cem>Los Angeles Times\u003c/em> reporter now at the First Amendment Coalition, said that, as a journalist, she pushed county sheriffs for 911 records after ICE and detention facility staff resisted her requests for information about emergencies, but she was often stonewalled.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“We have a very strong interest and even an obligation to understand how these facilities are functioning and what is happening inside these facilities that are being paid for with billions of dollars in taxpayer money,” Esquivel said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The San Diego Sheriff’s Department told KQED it does not have a position on the bill. The Kern County Sheriff’s Department said it will continue to comply with California laws, “as we always do.” Other sheriffs could not be reached for comment. Private prison companies CoreCivic and GEO Group did not respond to requests for comment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The San Diego Sheriff’s Department told KQED it does not have a position on the bill. The Kern County Sheriff’s Department said it will continue to comply with California laws, “as we always do.” Other sheriffs could not be reached for comment. Private prison companies CoreCivic and GEO Group did not respond to requests for comment.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SB 423 is expected to get a vote in the full Assembly this week. If it passes, it will go back to the state senate for approval. The legislature must act on all remaining bills before it adjourns on Aug. 31. If the bill passes, it will go to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, where he has until Sep. 30 to sign legislation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>SB 423 is expected to get a vote in the full Assembly this week. If it passes, it will go back to the state senate for approval. The legislature must act on all remaining bills before it adjourns on Aug. 31. If the bill passes, it will go to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, where he has until Sep. 30 to sign legislation.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It is one of several bills that would increase oversight of immigration detention in California. Here are some others:\u003c/p>\n",
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"SB 942 would establish a “bill of rights” for people held for civil immigration proceedings, to match the rights of people in other types of civil detention in the state. It would guarantee a right to humane care and freedom from abuse, among other protections, and would empower the state attorney general to investigate and enforce them.",
"SB 941 would prevent private, for-profit detention facilities from marking up commissary items by more than 35% above the vendor price, mirroring the standards for state-run correctional facilities.",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>SB 942 would establish a “bill of rights” for people held for civil immigration proceedings, to match the rights of people in other types of civil detention in the state. It would guarantee a right to humane care and freedom from abuse, among other protections, and would empower the state attorney general to investigate and enforce them.\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>SB 942 would establish a “bill of rights” for people held for civil immigration proceedings, to match the rights of people in other types of civil detention in the state. It would guarantee a right to humane care and freedom from abuse, among other protections, and would empower the state attorney general to investigate and enforce them.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>SB 941 would prevent private, for-profit detention facilities from marking up commissary items by more than 35% above the vendor price, mirroring the standards for state-run correctional facilities.\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The nonprofit Immigrant Defense Advocates and Attorney General Rob Bonta cosponsor all three bills.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A bill that would require local agencies to release data on 911 calls originating from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/immigrant-detention-centers\">privately operated detention facilities\u003c/a> is heading for a vote on the state assembly floor this week.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s part of a raft of new bills by state lawmakers aiming for more scrutiny of immigration detention in California, at a time when deaths in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody have spiked, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092950/a-judge-sent-a-doctor-to-evaluate-californias-largest-ice-detention-center-what-he-found\">investigations and courts have found\u003c/a> facilities failing to provide essential medical care.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, said she introduced \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB423\">SB 423\u003c/a> because the number of people in ICE detention in California has grown dramatically during President Donald Trump’s second term, to \u003ca href=\"https://sd33.senate.ca.gov/sites/sd33.senate.ca.gov/files/pdf/SB%20423%20(Gonzalez)%20Private%20Detention%20Facility%20Fact%20Sheet_0.pdf\">more than 6,000 people\u003c/a>, and many are held for long periods in sometimes inhumane conditions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1760\" height=\"1174\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/JPR-wwii.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/JPR-wwii.jpg 1760w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/JPR-wwii-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/JPR-wwii-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1760px) 100vw, 1760px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the Tule Lake pilgrimage, including survivors of the incarceration camp, protest the conditions in modern-day immigrant detention facilities on July 4, 2026. (Peyton Gast/JPR)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While she does not have an ICE facility in her district, she said she does have many immigrant constituents, including some whose family members have been incarcerated in immigration jails. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When families’ safety, health and wellbeing are at stake, transparency is not optional—it is urgent,” she said in a statement. “No private contract or detention center wall should be used to hide dangerous conditions or silence people who have been mistreated inside these facilities.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill would require local agencies to turn over recordings and written records of 911 calls from privately run detention facilities, if a member of the public requests them. It includes an exception if there’s an active investigation underway and requires the names of affected individuals to be redacted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At least \u003ca href=\"https://www.ice.gov/detain/detainee-death-reporting\">55 people\u003c/a> have died \u003ca href=\"https://phr.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/PHR-HRW-Report-US-Deaths-ICE-detention-2026.pdf\">in ICE custody\u003c/a> since President Trump returned to office — six of them in California. The state attorney general and other watchdog organizations have documented medical neglect and inhumane treatment in the eight facilities currently operating throughout the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Private prison companies operate all of those facilities. Though the federal government \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089974/private-prison-company-sells-two-of-californias-immigrant-detention-centers-to-the-federal-government\">recently purchased two\u003c/a> from CoreCivic — Otay Mesa Detention Center, in San Diego County, and California City Detention Facility, in Kern County — the corrections company continues to operate them. The bill’s language specifies that it \u003ca href=\"https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/government-code/gov-sect-7320/\">applies to any privately operated detention facility\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Immigrant Defense Advocates and the First Amendment Coalition back the bill. The coalition, a press freedom advocacy group, said the public and policymakers need this kind of transparency to better understand what’s happening inside private detention facilities, where thousands of people are being held, but authorities have restricted access by journalists and lawmakers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Paloma Esquivel, a former \u003cem>Los Angeles Times\u003c/em> reporter now at the First Amendment Coalition, said that, as a journalist, she pushed county sheriffs for 911 records after ICE and detention facility staff resisted her requests for information about emergencies, but she was often stonewalled.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“We have a very strong interest and even an obligation to understand how these facilities are functioning and what is happening inside these facilities that are being paid for with billions of dollars in taxpayer money,” Esquivel said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20251031_Rally-for-Sami-Hamdi_GH-12_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12077400\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20251031_Rally-for-Sami-Hamdi_GH-12_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20251031_Rally-for-Sami-Hamdi_GH-12_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/20251031_Rally-for-Sami-Hamdi_GH-12_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People gather outside 100 Montgomery St. during a rally calling for the release of journalist Sami Hamdi on Oct. 31, 2025, in San Francisco. The event is part of an ‘ICE Watch’ organized to protest his detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Diego Sheriff’s Department told KQED it does not have a position on the bill. The Kern County Sheriff’s Department said it will continue to comply with California laws, “as we always do.” Other sheriffs could not be reached for comment. Private prison companies CoreCivic and GEO Group did not respond to requests for comment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SB 423 is expected to get a vote in the full Assembly this week. If it passes, it will go back to the state senate for approval. The legislature must act on all remaining bills before it adjourns on Aug. 31. If the bill passes, it will go to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, where he has until Sep. 30 to sign legislation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It is one of several bills that would increase oversight of immigration detention in California. Here are some others:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>SB 942 would establish a “bill of rights” for people held for civil immigration proceedings, to match the rights of people in other types of civil detention in the state. It would guarantee a right to humane care and freedom from abuse, among other protections, and would empower the state attorney general to investigate and enforce them.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>SB 941 would prevent private, for-profit detention facilities from marking up commissary items by more than 35% above the vendor price, mirroring the standards for state-run correctional facilities.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>SB 1399 would extend the power of the California Department of Justice to inspect immigration facilities beyond 2027, when the current inspection program is due to sunset.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The nonprofit Immigrant Defense Advocates and Attorney General Rob Bonta cosponsor all three bills.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "pro-palestinian-protesters-get-jail-time-for-golden-gate-bridge-shutdown",
"title": "Pro-Palestinian Protesters Get Jail Time for Golden Gate Bridge Shutdown",
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"headTitle": "Pro-Palestinian Protesters Get Jail Time for Golden Gate Bridge Shutdown | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> judge sentenced seven pro-Palestinian activists to 30 days in county jail and six months of probation on Friday for their roles in a 2024 protest that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085224/these-protesters-could-go-to-prison-for-blocking-the-golden-gate-bridge\">stopped traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge\u003c/a> for roughly four hours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office also dismissed multiple outstanding charges, including the most serious for felony conspiracy, that the jury failed to reach a consensus on in July.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Throughout history, civil disobedience has mostly involved accepting legal consequences,” Superior Court Judge Teresa Caffese said before handing down the sentences. “In that spirit, those who blocked the bridge and disrupted the lives of hundreds of commuters should be treated respectfully, but should also be prepared to accept the consequences of their actions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-23_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096383\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-23_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-23_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-23_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Defendant Rocky Chau (right) celebrates with Raye Kahn, a spokesperson for the activists, after the sentencing hearing at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Law enforcement had originally arrested more than two dozen people for the Tax Day demonstration, which was organized in opposition to U.S. support for Israel amid ongoing military strikes on Gaza. The seven who went to trial included six who used lockboxes to chain themselves to cars blocking southbound lanes on the bridge, complicating removal efforts. The seventh had served as a liaison between activists and law enforcement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The sentences are significantly lighter than the 14-to-15-year maximum terms that the seven Bay Area residents — Bhavika Anandpura, River Allen, Sara Cantor, Rocky Chau, Conrad de Jesus, Sarah Ferrell and Em Tillotson — faced at the start of the trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A jury last month convicted all seven defendants of several misdemeanors, including unlawful assembly, obstructing a thoroughfare and multiple counts of false imprisonment. But they failed to reach a consensus on felony conspiracy, which carried the most significant maximum sentence.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Following Friday’s sentencing, the DA’s office moved to dismiss the conspiracy and outstanding trespassing charge, saying the protesters had been held accountable, and that they were cognizant of the public resources a retrial would require. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The decision was met with loud cheers outside the courtroom from the protesters’ supporters. The activists and their lawyers have argued for over two years that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004860/golden-gate-bridge-protesters-plead-not-guilty-to-felony-and-misdemeanor-charges\">the felony charges were politically motivated\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011165/felony-charges-against-golden-gate-bridge-protesters-can-go-to-trial-judge-rules\">a disproportionate response\u003c/a> to a protest on the Golden Gate Bridge, a historically common site for acts of civil disobedience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Ultimately, the government has overcharged this case,” defense attorney Shaffy Moeel told KQED in an April interview before the start of trial.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Felony charges should be reserved for the most serious and egregious charges that we can commit against one another, and blocking a bridge in order to prevent mass atrocities happening with our money doesn’t seem like the kind of felonious charge that any legislature intended,” Moeel said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-19_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096381\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-19_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-19_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-19_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supporters of the seven defendants hug outside of the courtroom after the sentencing hearing at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have never seen a felony conspiracy charge for a protest,” Deputy Public Defender Anthony Gedeon said. “There is no rationale besides a political motivation.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Defense attorneys believe their clients’ sentences, which require 15 days in county jail, while the other 15 can be served through the city’s Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program, will ultimately amount to just five days in jail and six in the work program. The jail sentence will be stayed pending appeal, Caffese said Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each defendant was also given six months of probation and multiple fines and restitution amounting to over $1,300.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The courtroom was quiet as Caffese delivered the sentences, but defense attorneys pushed back on the jail time, requesting an explanation and home detention for their clients, citing various personal reasons. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caffese denied most of those requests, but she granted Cantor, who has a disability that requires her to use a cane, home detention for half of her sentence. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After the hearing, the protesters’ supporters rallied outside the court. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-21_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096382\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-21_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-21_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-21_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Defendant Em Tillotson celebrates after the sentencing hearing at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>De Jesus thanked his co-defendants.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In them, I have found love and support and a community that I care deeply for,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Two years of fighting the DA has taken a toll on us mentally and physically,” de Jesus continued. “However, it only takes a moment to reflect on what Palestinians in Gaza are going through to make us fight even harder for a free Palestine.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors argued in court that the action was a premeditated effort to break the law and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084403/golden-gate-bridge-protest-trial-opens-in-san-francisco\">trap commuters on the Golden Gate Bridge\u003c/a>, both inconveniencing and risking the safety of residents driving into the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People missed doctors’ appointments, nurses were missing from their jobs, children were forced to defecate in bags, people had little to no water,” Assistant District Attorney Angela Roze said \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084403/golden-gate-bridge-protest-trial-opens-in-san-francisco\">during the trial’s opening statements in May.\u003c/a> “Because these seven individuals decided that their cause, their message, was more important.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys argued during the trial that the defendants sincerely believed that by engaging in the April 15 protest, they could prevent the loss of Palestinian lives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bridge shutdown was just one of a number of actions across the country meant to disrupt economic activity and pressure the U.S. government to end its material support for Israel. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-26_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096384\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-26_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-26_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-26_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A supporter places their hand on defendant River Allen’s back outside a courtroom at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco on Aug. 21 2026, during a recess at the sentencing hearing for seven defendants who were found guilty of blocking traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge in 2024. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District filed but ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12063531/golden-gate-bridge-agency-drops-163k-restitution-claim-against-pro-palestinian-protesters\">dropped\u003c/a> a restitution claim against the protesters, arguing that the protest cost it $163,000 in lost bridge tolls. The defendants did pay $5,300 to a group of residents who said they suffered economic losses due to the shutdown, mostly through lost wages for the day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caffese addressed the defendants individually, saying that letters of support submitted on their behalf showed that they had backgrounds in community activism and service, and care about laudable causes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You are not being sentenced for your beliefs,” Caffese told the group.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You, the defendants, are not new to civil disobedience,” she said. “Each of you knew you were violating the law.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The decision was met with loud cheers outside the courtroom from the protesters’ supporters. The activists and their lawyers have argued for over two years that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004860/golden-gate-bridge-protesters-plead-not-guilty-to-felony-and-misdemeanor-charges\">the felony charges were politically motivated\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011165/felony-charges-against-golden-gate-bridge-protesters-can-go-to-trial-judge-rules\">a disproportionate response\u003c/a> to a protest on the Golden Gate Bridge, a historically common site for acts of civil disobedience.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Ultimately, the government has overcharged this case,” defense attorney Shaffy Moeel told KQED in an April interview before the start of trial.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Felony charges should be reserved for the most serious and egregious charges that we can commit against one another, and blocking a bridge in order to prevent mass atrocities happening with our money doesn’t seem like the kind of felonious charge that any legislature intended,” Moeel said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have never seen a felony conspiracy charge for a protest,” Deputy Public Defender Anthony Gedeon said. “There is no rationale besides a political motivation.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Defense attorneys believe their clients’ sentences, which require 15 days in county jail, while the other 15 can be served through the city’s Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program, will ultimately amount to just five days in jail and six in the work program. The jail sentence will be stayed pending appeal, Caffese said Friday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We have never seen a felony conspiracy charge for a protest,” Deputy Public Defender Anthony Gedeon said. “There is no rationale besides a political motivation.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Defense attorneys believe their clients’ sentences, which require 15 days in county jail, while the other 15 can be served through the city’s Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program, will ultimately amount to just five days in jail and six in the work program. The jail sentence will be stayed pending appeal, Caffese said Friday.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each defendant was also given six months of probation and multiple fines and restitution amounting to over $1,300.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The courtroom was quiet as Caffese delivered the sentences, but defense attorneys pushed back on the jail time, requesting an explanation and home detention for their clients, citing various personal reasons. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>De Jesus thanked his co-defendants.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In them, I have found love and support and a community that I care deeply for,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Two years of fighting the DA has taken a toll on us mentally and physically,” de Jesus continued. “However, it only takes a moment to reflect on what Palestinians in Gaza are going through to make us fight even harder for a free Palestine.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors argued in court that the action was a premeditated effort to break the law and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084403/golden-gate-bridge-protest-trial-opens-in-san-francisco\">trap commuters on the Golden Gate Bridge\u003c/a>, both inconveniencing and risking the safety of residents driving into the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People missed doctors’ appointments, nurses were missing from their jobs, children were forced to defecate in bags, people had little to no water,” Assistant District Attorney Angela Roze said \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084403/golden-gate-bridge-protest-trial-opens-in-san-francisco\">during the trial’s opening statements in May.\u003c/a> “Because these seven individuals decided that their cause, their message, was more important.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“People missed doctors’ appointments, nurses were missing from their jobs, children were forced to defecate in bags, people had little to no water,” Assistant District Attorney Angela Roze said \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084403/golden-gate-bridge-protest-trial-opens-in-san-francisco\">during the trial’s opening statements in May.\u003c/a> “Because these seven individuals decided that their cause, their message, was more important.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys argued during the trial that the defendants sincerely believed that by engaging in the April 15 protest, they could prevent the loss of Palestinian lives. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The bridge shutdown was just one of a number of actions across the country meant to disrupt economic activity and pressure the U.S. government to end its material support for Israel. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-26_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096384\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-26_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-26_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-26_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A supporter places their hand on defendant River Allen’s back outside a courtroom at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco on Aug. 21 2026, during a recess at the sentencing hearing for seven defendants who were found guilty of blocking traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge in 2024.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District filed but ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12063531/golden-gate-bridge-agency-drops-163k-restitution-claim-against-pro-palestinian-protesters\">dropped\u003c/a> a restitution claim against the protesters, arguing that the protest cost it $163,000 in lost bridge tolls. The defendants did pay $5,300 to a group of residents who said they suffered economic losses due to the shutdown, mostly through lost wages for the day. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Caffese addressed the defendants individually, saying that letters of support submitted on their behalf showed that they had backgrounds in community activism and service, and care about laudable causes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You, the defendants, are not new to civil disobedience,” she said. “Each of you knew you were violating the law.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The group of seven pro-Palestine activists faced a maximum of five-year sentences, a fraction of what was promised if jurors had not deadlocked last month on the top conspiracy charge. Prosecutors announced they will not retry the charges that divided jurors Friday.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> judge sentenced seven pro-Palestinian activists to 30 days in county jail and six months of probation on Friday for their roles in a 2024 protest that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085224/these-protesters-could-go-to-prison-for-blocking-the-golden-gate-bridge\">stopped traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge\u003c/a> for roughly four hours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office also dismissed multiple outstanding charges, including the most serious for felony conspiracy, that the jury failed to reach a consensus on in July.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Throughout history, civil disobedience has mostly involved accepting legal consequences,” Superior Court Judge Teresa Caffese said before handing down the sentences. “In that spirit, those who blocked the bridge and disrupted the lives of hundreds of commuters should be treated respectfully, but should also be prepared to accept the consequences of their actions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-23_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096383\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-23_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-23_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-23_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Defendant Rocky Chau (right) celebrates with Raye Kahn, a spokesperson for the activists, after the sentencing hearing at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Law enforcement had originally arrested more than two dozen people for the Tax Day demonstration, which was organized in opposition to U.S. support for Israel amid ongoing military strikes on Gaza. The seven who went to trial included six who used lockboxes to chain themselves to cars blocking southbound lanes on the bridge, complicating removal efforts. The seventh had served as a liaison between activists and law enforcement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The sentences are significantly lighter than the 14-to-15-year maximum terms that the seven Bay Area residents — Bhavika Anandpura, River Allen, Sara Cantor, Rocky Chau, Conrad de Jesus, Sarah Ferrell and Em Tillotson — faced at the start of the trial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A jury last month convicted all seven defendants of several misdemeanors, including unlawful assembly, obstructing a thoroughfare and multiple counts of false imprisonment. But they failed to reach a consensus on felony conspiracy, which carried the most significant maximum sentence.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Following Friday’s sentencing, the DA’s office moved to dismiss the conspiracy and outstanding trespassing charge, saying the protesters had been held accountable, and that they were cognizant of the public resources a retrial would require. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The decision was met with loud cheers outside the courtroom from the protesters’ supporters. The activists and their lawyers have argued for over two years that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004860/golden-gate-bridge-protesters-plead-not-guilty-to-felony-and-misdemeanor-charges\">the felony charges were politically motivated\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011165/felony-charges-against-golden-gate-bridge-protesters-can-go-to-trial-judge-rules\">a disproportionate response\u003c/a> to a protest on the Golden Gate Bridge, a historically common site for acts of civil disobedience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Ultimately, the government has overcharged this case,” defense attorney Shaffy Moeel told KQED in an April interview before the start of trial.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Felony charges should be reserved for the most serious and egregious charges that we can commit against one another, and blocking a bridge in order to prevent mass atrocities happening with our money doesn’t seem like the kind of felonious charge that any legislature intended,” Moeel said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-19_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096381\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-19_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-19_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-19_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supporters of the seven defendants hug outside of the courtroom after the sentencing hearing at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have never seen a felony conspiracy charge for a protest,” Deputy Public Defender Anthony Gedeon said. “There is no rationale besides a political motivation.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Defense attorneys believe their clients’ sentences, which require 15 days in county jail, while the other 15 can be served through the city’s Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program, will ultimately amount to just five days in jail and six in the work program. The jail sentence will be stayed pending appeal, Caffese said Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each defendant was also given six months of probation and multiple fines and restitution amounting to over $1,300.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The courtroom was quiet as Caffese delivered the sentences, but defense attorneys pushed back on the jail time, requesting an explanation and home detention for their clients, citing various personal reasons. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caffese denied most of those requests, but she granted Cantor, who has a disability that requires her to use a cane, home detention for half of her sentence. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After the hearing, the protesters’ supporters rallied outside the court. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-21_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096382\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-21_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-21_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-21_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Defendant Em Tillotson celebrates after the sentencing hearing at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>De Jesus thanked his co-defendants.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In them, I have found love and support and a community that I care deeply for,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Two years of fighting the DA has taken a toll on us mentally and physically,” de Jesus continued. “However, it only takes a moment to reflect on what Palestinians in Gaza are going through to make us fight even harder for a free Palestine.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Prosecutors argued in court that the action was a premeditated effort to break the law and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084403/golden-gate-bridge-protest-trial-opens-in-san-francisco\">trap commuters on the Golden Gate Bridge\u003c/a>, both inconveniencing and risking the safety of residents driving into the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“People missed doctors’ appointments, nurses were missing from their jobs, children were forced to defecate in bags, people had little to no water,” Assistant District Attorney Angela Roze said \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084403/golden-gate-bridge-protest-trial-opens-in-san-francisco\">during the trial’s opening statements in May.\u003c/a> “Because these seven individuals decided that their cause, their message, was more important.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Defense attorneys argued during the trial that the defendants sincerely believed that by engaging in the April 15 protest, they could prevent the loss of Palestinian lives. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The bridge shutdown was just one of a number of actions across the country meant to disrupt economic activity and pressure the U.S. government to end its material support for Israel. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-26_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096384\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-26_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-26_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260821-GGBS-NG-26_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A supporter places their hand on defendant River Allen’s back outside a courtroom at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco on Aug. 21 2026, during a recess at the sentencing hearing for seven defendants who were found guilty of blocking traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge in 2024. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District filed but ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12063531/golden-gate-bridge-agency-drops-163k-restitution-claim-against-pro-palestinian-protesters\">dropped\u003c/a> a restitution claim against the protesters, arguing that the protest cost it $163,000 in lost bridge tolls. The defendants did pay $5,300 to a group of residents who said they suffered economic losses due to the shutdown, mostly through lost wages for the day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caffese addressed the defendants individually, saying that letters of support submitted on their behalf showed that they had backgrounds in community activism and service, and care about laudable causes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You are not being sentenced for your beliefs,” Caffese told the group.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You, the defendants, are not new to civil disobedience,” she said. “Each of you knew you were violating the law.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Guiding Company Fined by California for Tahoe Avalanche Deaths",
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"content": "\u003cp>After an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074292/all-9-tahoe-avalanche-victims-identified-and-bodies-recovered\">avalanche killed nine people\u003c/a> on a backcountry ski tour in Tahoe last winter, California’s workplace safety agency has cited guiding company Blackbird Mountain Guides for more than $150,000. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among the violations cited by California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, the most significant is an $81,000 penalty for “failing to correct the imminent hazard posed by traveling in avalanche terrain when the avalanche danger was rated high.” Cal/OSHA found that this directly led to the deaths of three guides employed by Blackbird. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other citations include failing to adequately identify and assess avalanche hazards, failing to provide effective employee training and failing to assess the need for protective equipment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1244621245_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11980519\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1244621245_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1244621245_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1244621245_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1244621245_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1244621245_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Snow blanketed South Lake Tahoe in California on Nov. 8, 2022. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal/OSHA issued the citations on Aug. 12. Due to the agency’s role as a workplace safety monitor, its findings focused only on the three Blackbird guides who died. A Cal/OSHA spokesperson said a separate investigation by the agency’s Bureau of Investigations remains open.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Blackbird announced a formal \u003ca href=\"https://blackbirdguides.com/pages/live-incident-updates\">appeal\u003c/a> on Friday morning, saying it continues to cooperate with all investigations related to the avalanche. The company said it operated in full compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards, and that its guides were highly certified.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The citations do not reflect the reality of our profession or the safety program we have built,” the company said in a statement. “Mountain guiding takes place in dynamic wilderness environments where conditions change minute to minute — it’s not a controlled setting such as construction sites. We welcome the opportunity to work with Cal/OSHA to contextualize the unique realities of operating in backcountry environments.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The February incident hit \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074158/tahoe-avalanche-backcountry-101-castle-peak-frog-lake-donner-summit-weather\">home for many Bay Area skiers\u003c/a> who frequent Tahoe’s ski resorts and backcountry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Of the nine victims, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073851/tahoe-avalanche-heres-what-we-know-about-the-victims\">six of them were mothers\u003c/a>, several living in the Bay Area, part of a group of eight women who were skilled and frequent backcountry skiers. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074292/all-9-tahoe-avalanche-victims-identified-and-bodies-recovered\">three other victims\u003c/a> were guides whom Blackbird praised at the time for their professionalism and “passion for the mountains.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a February report by \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em>, two surviving members of the party detailed their harrowing attempts to rescue their buried group members.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074177/california-authorities-launch-investigation-of-criminal-negligence-in-deadly-tahoe-avalanche\">opened its own investigation\u003c/a> of the incident in late February. That office confirmed Friday the case has been turned over to the Nevada County District Attorney’s Office. The office did not respond to KQED’s inquiries on Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an independent \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0298/8159/8051/files/2.17_Independent_Preliminary_Report_Supplemental_Key_Findings_8.1.26.pdf?v=1786255485\">report\u003c/a> prepared for Blackbird Mountain Guides earlier this month, avalanche professional Don Sharaf concluded the group was attempting to get out of avalanche danger when the slide hit but was obstructed by an unusually open creek, normally bridged by snow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is nothing easy about any part of this,” Blackbird wrote in a statement accompanying the report. “Nine deeply loved people are gone, three of them our own guides. There is still much that remains unknown, but this is the most complete information available so far and we hope the release of this information can help the community begin to heal together.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cal/OSHA issued the citations on Aug. 12. Due to the agency’s role as a workplace safety monitor, its findings focused only on the three Blackbird guides who died. A Cal/OSHA spokesperson said a separate investigation by the agency’s Bureau of Investigations remains open.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Blackbird announced a formal \u003ca href=\"https://blackbirdguides.com/pages/live-incident-updates\">appeal\u003c/a> on Friday morning, saying it continues to cooperate with all investigations related to the avalanche. The company said it operated in full compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards, and that its guides were highly certified.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The citations do not reflect the reality of our profession or the safety program we have built,” the company said in a statement. “Mountain guiding takes place in dynamic wilderness environments where conditions change minute to minute — it’s not a controlled setting such as construction sites. We welcome the opportunity to work with Cal/OSHA to contextualize the unique realities of operating in backcountry environments.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The February incident hit \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074158/tahoe-avalanche-backcountry-101-castle-peak-frog-lake-donner-summit-weather\">home for many Bay Area skiers\u003c/a> who frequent Tahoe’s ski resorts and backcountry. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Of the nine victims, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073851/tahoe-avalanche-heres-what-we-know-about-the-victims\">six of them were mothers\u003c/a>, several living in the Bay Area, part of a group of eight women who were skilled and frequent backcountry skiers. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074292/all-9-tahoe-avalanche-victims-identified-and-bodies-recovered\">three other victims\u003c/a> were guides whom Blackbird praised at the time for their professionalism and “passion for the mountains.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074177/california-authorities-launch-investigation-of-criminal-negligence-in-deadly-tahoe-avalanche\">opened its own investigation\u003c/a> of the incident in late February. That office confirmed Friday the case has been turned over to the Nevada County District Attorney’s Office. The office did not respond to KQED’s inquiries on Friday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074177/california-authorities-launch-investigation-of-criminal-negligence-in-deadly-tahoe-avalanche\">opened its own investigation\u003c/a> of the incident in late February. That office confirmed Friday the case has been turned over to the Nevada County District Attorney’s Office. The office did not respond to KQED’s inquiries on Friday.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an independent \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0298/8159/8051/files/2.17_Independent_Preliminary_Report_Supplemental_Key_Findings_8.1.26.pdf?v=1786255485\">report\u003c/a> prepared for Blackbird Mountain Guides earlier this month, avalanche professional Don Sharaf concluded the group was attempting to get out of avalanche danger when the slide hit but was obstructed by an unusually open creek, normally bridged by snow.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There is nothing easy about any part of this,” Blackbird wrote in a statement accompanying the report. “Nine deeply loved people are gone, three of them our own guides. There is still much that remains unknown, but this is the most complete information available so far and we hope the release of this information can help the community begin to heal together.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There is nothing easy about any part of this,” Blackbird wrote in a statement accompanying the report. “Nine deeply loved people are gone, three of them our own guides. There is still much that remains unknown, but this is the most complete information available so far and we hope the release of this information can help the community begin to heal together.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Blackbird Mountain Guides stands by its regulatory compliance and is appealing the finding of seven workplace safety violations.",
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"title": "Guiding Company Fined by California for Tahoe Avalanche Deaths | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>After an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074292/all-9-tahoe-avalanche-victims-identified-and-bodies-recovered\">avalanche killed nine people\u003c/a> on a backcountry ski tour in Tahoe last winter, California’s workplace safety agency has cited guiding company Blackbird Mountain Guides for more than $150,000. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Among the violations cited by California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, the most significant is an $81,000 penalty for “failing to correct the imminent hazard posed by traveling in avalanche terrain when the avalanche danger was rated high.” Cal/OSHA found that this directly led to the deaths of three guides employed by Blackbird. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other citations include failing to adequately identify and assess avalanche hazards, failing to provide effective employee training and failing to assess the need for protective equipment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1244621245_qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11980519\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1244621245_qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1244621245_qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1244621245_qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1244621245_qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/02/GettyImages-1244621245_qut-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Snow blanketed South Lake Tahoe in California on Nov. 8, 2022. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cal/OSHA issued the citations on Aug. 12. Due to the agency’s role as a workplace safety monitor, its findings focused only on the three Blackbird guides who died. A Cal/OSHA spokesperson said a separate investigation by the agency’s Bureau of Investigations remains open.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Blackbird announced a formal \u003ca href=\"https://blackbirdguides.com/pages/live-incident-updates\">appeal\u003c/a> on Friday morning, saying it continues to cooperate with all investigations related to the avalanche. The company said it operated in full compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards, and that its guides were highly certified.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The citations do not reflect the reality of our profession or the safety program we have built,” the company said in a statement. “Mountain guiding takes place in dynamic wilderness environments where conditions change minute to minute — it’s not a controlled setting such as construction sites. We welcome the opportunity to work with Cal/OSHA to contextualize the unique realities of operating in backcountry environments.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The February incident hit \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074158/tahoe-avalanche-backcountry-101-castle-peak-frog-lake-donner-summit-weather\">home for many Bay Area skiers\u003c/a> who frequent Tahoe’s ski resorts and backcountry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Of the nine victims, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073851/tahoe-avalanche-heres-what-we-know-about-the-victims\">six of them were mothers\u003c/a>, several living in the Bay Area, part of a group of eight women who were skilled and frequent backcountry skiers. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074292/all-9-tahoe-avalanche-victims-identified-and-bodies-recovered\">three other victims\u003c/a> were guides whom Blackbird praised at the time for their professionalism and “passion for the mountains.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a February report by \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em>, two surviving members of the party detailed their harrowing attempts to rescue their buried group members.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074177/california-authorities-launch-investigation-of-criminal-negligence-in-deadly-tahoe-avalanche\">opened its own investigation\u003c/a> of the incident in late February. That office confirmed Friday the case has been turned over to the Nevada County District Attorney’s Office. The office did not respond to KQED’s inquiries on Friday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an independent \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0298/8159/8051/files/2.17_Independent_Preliminary_Report_Supplemental_Key_Findings_8.1.26.pdf?v=1786255485\">report\u003c/a> prepared for Blackbird Mountain Guides earlier this month, avalanche professional Don Sharaf concluded the group was attempting to get out of avalanche danger when the slide hit but was obstructed by an unusually open creek, normally bridged by snow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is nothing easy about any part of this,” Blackbird wrote in a statement accompanying the report. “Nine deeply loved people are gone, three of them our own guides. There is still much that remains unknown, but this is the most complete information available so far and we hope the release of this information can help the community begin to heal together.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "detained-at-green-card-interview-how-a-bay-area-family-is-healing-from-sudden-separation",
"title": "Detained at Green Card Interview: How a Bay Area Family Is Healing From Sudden Separation",
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"headTitle": "Detained at Green Card Interview: How a Bay Area Family Is Healing From Sudden Separation | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>For the first year of his life, a baby boy went with his mom on 7-hour-long drives from their home in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> to the Mojave Desert to see his dad, Peter, at an immigration detention center.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A glass partition separated the baby and the dad, who used to hold him til he fell asleep. They made the best of the situation by playing peek-a-boo and giving each other high-fives, with hands touching the glass. But during one particular visit, the baby grew agitated and began banging on it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter told the baby’s mom, Alexandra, they probably should cut the visit short “because it’s making the baby more upset to be here than to not be here.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We ended up leaving a little bit early,” Alexandra said. “And in the car ride home, the baby looked really, really angry. And not just frustrated because kids look frustrated, he looked angry.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter was the main caregiver to his son when he was taken into custody in November 2025, and the sudden separation took a toll not only on him and his wife, but also on their developing baby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-18-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-18-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-18-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-18-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter sits in Dolores Park in San Francisco on July 22, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since Trump’s deportation campaign began last year, more than 100,000 children who are American citizens have had a parent detained, according to an \u003ca href=\"https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-many-children-are-affected-by-parental-immigrant-detention/\">analysis by the Brookings Institution\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The trauma of family separation could lead to profound consequences on kids’ brains and bodies, even for those too young to understand.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It has implications biologically, it has implications developmentally, it has implications for learning,” said Rahil Briggs, a clinical professor of pediatrics, psychiatry and behavioral science at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and national director of HealthySteps, a program with the early childhood advocacy group Zero To Three. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Peter, not being able to touch or hold his son was one of the most difficult parts of a five-month nightmare in detention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter is his adopted American name. We’re not using his full name because he fears telling his story may harm his immigration case.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He came to California from Kenya on a student visa almost 25 years ago. In the early 2000s, his country was in political and economic turmoil, and there were few opportunities to pursue higher education.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Chances are you are not going to get anywhere there,” he said. “So let’s just take a chance and try to go somewhere else.”\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He went to a community college in Orange County. Then in 2018, he moved to the Bay Area to get a bachelor’s degree at San Francisco State University. As he pursued his education, he supported himself by working in cafes and bars and as a soccer and rugby referee. Then in 2024 he met his wife, Alexandra, an elementary school teacher.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They had their first date at the Ferry Building, on the San Francisco waterfront. Not long after that, Alexandra needed to undergo surgery. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He came and stayed with me for I think a week or two and took care of me,” she said. “He’s just a really good person, a really thoughtful person. So we hit it off pretty quickly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They got married a year later and had their son in the spring of 2025.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter became a full-time dad when Alexandra went back to work. She’s legally blind and cannot drive, and he said it made sense for him to stay home to take care of their baby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When you have a kid, in their first few years they have to go to a lot of checkups,” he said. “So it’s easier that way, and also she really, really loves teaching. I kind of felt guilty telling her, ‘Oh no, you stay.’ I was like, ‘No, I’ll stay with him.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After tying the knot, Alexandra petitioned to sponsor Peter’s green card because his student visa had expired.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In November 2025, the family went to a federal building in San Francisco for the green card interview. The appointment came several months after Pres. Donald Trump’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJNXsOqFSZs\">directed ICE to make 3,000 arrests per day\u003c/a> to meet his pledge of mass deportations. Peter was worried about getting swept up in the crackdown.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-12-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093138\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-12-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-12-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-12-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter and Alexandra spend time with their 1-year-old son at the playground in Dolores Park in San Francisco on July 22, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About a week before the appointment, he said his baby might have felt his anxiety too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I picked him up in the morning, and he held my hand, and he wouldn’t let go,” he said. “He looked at me, and he held me for a long time.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Green card interviews are usually the final step in the process for foreign spouses of American citizens to obtain permanent residency. Couples submit evidence that they have a legitimate marriage, and a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer verifies it at the in-person meeting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alexandra said the officer approved her petition to sponsor Peter and was going to issue him a green card. But in the middle of the interview, the baby needed a diaper change. Alexandra said the officer urged her to take her son to the bathroom.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she hesitated and said she’d rather wait to finish the interview and go with Peter to change the diaper.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said the officer told her: “We’re almost done here. We’ll be waiting for you when the baby comes out.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But as soon as Alexandra left for the bathroom, ICE agents swooped in with a warrant, alleging that he overstayed his student visa, handcuffed him and took him into custody.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Alexandra came back and learned that Peter was detained, she tried to stay calm as she held her baby.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I asked the ICE agent, ‘Well, how am I going to get home? How am I going to take care of my baby? You know, I don’t see well; how am I going to do that?” she said. “And they’re like, ’That’s not our problem.’”\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter was taken to a local holding cell for a night. The next day, he was driven seven hours away to a detention facility in California City, in the middle of the desert. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Once he got to the detention center, Peter said he was placed in a two-person cell within a unit of 80 people. The facility used to be a state prison, but federal immigration officials arranged to reopen it last August to hold up to 2,500 detainees and have it run by the private for-profit company CoreCivic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter said it felt like prison. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re putting you in a unit, they’re locking the doors, they’re counting people all the time,” he said. “You cannot be out. You cannot do certain things by certain times.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, Alexandra and Peter’s friends, family and community sprang into action. A relative helped find legal aid and a friend helped Alexandra with childcare while she continued teaching. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Abby Sullivan Engen, an immigration attorney at Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland, said Peter’s arrest and detention were unlawful because he was following the proper procedures to adjust his status to permanent resident. She accused ICE and the USCIS of “colluding” to lure the couple to the interview and arrest Peter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093137\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter and Alexandra hold the hand of their 1-year-old son at Dolores Park in San Francisco on July 22, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re engaging in different tactics to satisfy that totally arbitrary metric [of 3,000 arrests per day],” she said. “Arresting people at interviews was kind of an easy way for them to fulfill this number and just get people in ICE custody.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andrew Nietor, an immigration attorney in San Diego, said between November and January, dozens of similar arrests occurred in his region during green card interviews.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said while it’s not uncommon for foreign-born spouses of American citizens to have their visas lapse while their “adjustment of status” continues, they don’t usually get detained in the process. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Traditionally ICE detention was based on risk of flight, or danger to the community,” Nietor said. “So when you’re detaining people who are showing up for appointments and have already passed background checks, it doesn’t make sense.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Peter’s lawyer worked to get him out of detention, he and Alexandra made daily video calls to maintain a sense of normalcy for their infant. After a while, Alexandra said the baby learned to recognize the automated announcement from the detention center when the phone rings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of depressing and also heartwarming at the same time, but we would hear, ‘This is a call from Peter, a detainee at California,’ and anytime [he] heard that, he would just start smiling and laughing,” she said. “So he knew whenever that recording came on that his dad was going to be on the phone.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"978\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/11/5446958381_9e90f58cab_o-e1416954725536.jpg\" alt=\"An SFPD squad car.\" class=\"wp-image-10356156\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco police car parked outside the Hall of Justice. (Todd Lappin/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Volunteers drove Alexandra and the baby to the detention center, but he often got fussy seeing his dad behind a glass partition. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He was trying to touch my face through the glass, and that was frustrating,” Peter said. “We asked the detention [center] why they don’t allow a family to have personal visits. And they say we’re not ready and we don’t do it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Steven Owen, a spokesman for CoreCivic, said visitation policies are determined by ICE, “who have operational and security considerations that inform those decisions.” A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the California City detention center has a family visitation room, but no physical contact is allowed. They declined to explain the reason behind the policy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/toxic-stress/\">Research shows\u003c/a> that when young kids experience adversity and they don’t have anyone to help them cope, their body’s stress response system goes into overdrive. This type of stress is called toxic stress, and Briggs said it can rewire the brain and disrupt the healthy development of their bodies, increasing the risk for heart disease, diabetes, and depression later on. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The early childhood brain, because it’s so plastic and it’s in this developing stage deciding which neural pathways to lay down, it’s especially sensitive to stress — more sensitive than your brain or my brain, and therefore more able to react positively to safety, to nurturing, to connection, but also likely to be worse off when the stress gets really toxic,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Peter was in detention, the baby had difficulty falling asleep and became clingy, Alexandra said. If anyone sat in his dad’s favorite chair, he would throw a fit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093136\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alexandra and Peter hold their 1-year-old son at Dolores Park in San Francisco on July 22, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He would not have anybody sitting in his dad’s chair. So clearly, he knew that dad was gone,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she has a hard time forgetting the look on her baby’s face the day they cut their visit to Peter short.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was just heartbroken because you want to give your kids everything, but I couldn’t give him the ability to touch or be held by his own dad.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter lingered in detention for months waiting for a hearing. But the federal courts were flooded with lawsuits challenging detentions, and his case bounced from one court to another around the state, from Santa Ana to Sacramento. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Finally, in early April, five months after he was detained, a federal judge ruled his arrest was unlawful and ordered ICE to release him. A couple of days later, he got his green card. He was granted permanent resident status on a conditional basis — something given to couples married for less than two years. In a couple of years, he’ll be eligible to apply for naturalized citizenship. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It happened after not only him and his family suffered for that amount of time, but [at] the government expense, the amount of resources that go to arresting somebody, placing them in immigration proceedings, having a judge and other staff in the immigration court review their case, having whatever it costs to detain somebody per day,” Engen, the attorney, said. “And for what? For no other reason than to be cruel.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After Peter was released and taken to a processing center in Bakersfield, a friend picked him up. On the road back to the Bay Area, they stopped to savor something he had been missing while in detention: a good cup of coffee and a hamburger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was just excited to be out. And just to walk on your own,” he said. “Just not have somebody screaming at the top of their lungs at anything and everything\u003cem>. \u003c/em>One of the problems we had with the detention officers there were some who were just yelling at people for nothing.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When he got home, there was no dramatic reunion, no welcoming party. It was his baby’s bedtime, and he needed to jump back into his schedule.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That also helped me a lot because you don’t have time to sit and wallow in your pity,” he said. “You just get back into the swing of things.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While in detention, Peter missed his son’s first Christmas, and the couple missed their wedding anniversary. They also missed a marathon they had trained for, so in May, after Peter was released, they ran the Bay to Breakers race, pushing their baby in a stroller across San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He also got to celebrate his son’s first birthday and see him take his first steps.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter said he’s thankful to the community who showed up for him, Alexandra and their baby, and helped him get through his ordeal. The family’s GoFundMe fundraiser doubled its goal, with more than 650 contributors. And he also made friends while in detention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m mad that it happened to me, but at the same time I made friends, and I saw the goodness of people, and you see how people with nothing or with very limited resources can be kind to each other,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alexandra said she’s staying in touch with parents she met while visiting Peter, and still sends hand-me-down baby clothes to some of them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Some of the detainees that are in there with my husband never even met their children,” she said. “We had a lot of luck in the process, despite how hard it was.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During his detention, Peter and Alexandra also wrote letters to each other. He always enclosed a drawing of birds that his baby liked to admire whenever they strolled around Oakland’s Lake Merritt together. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alexandra said she hopes when their son grows up, he’ll read the letters and know that his parents did the best they could to help him get through a traumatic experience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And hopefully, who’s to say where this country will be in five, 10, 15, 20 years, but hopefully, he’ll just say: ‘Wow, I can’t believe they did that. I’m so glad they don’t do that anymore,” she said. “Or he’ll be fighting it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include Prof. Rahil Briggs’ affiliation with the organization Zero To Three and its HealthySteps program.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Peter is his adopted American name. We’re not using his full name because he fears telling his story may harm his immigration case.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In November 2025, the family went to a federal building in San Francisco for the green card interview. The appointment came several months after Pres. Donald Trump’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJNXsOqFSZs\">directed ICE to make 3,000 arrests per day\u003c/a> to meet his pledge of mass deportations. Peter was worried about getting swept up in the crackdown.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-12-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093138\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-12-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-12-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-12-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter and Alexandra spend time with their 1-year-old son at the playground in Dolores Park in San Francisco on July 22, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>About a week before the appointment, he said his baby might have felt his anxiety too. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I picked him up in the morning, and he held my hand, and he wouldn’t let go,” he said. “He looked at me, and he held me for a long time.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Green card interviews are usually the final step in the process for foreign spouses of American citizens to obtain permanent residency. Couples submit evidence that they have a legitimate marriage, and a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer verifies it at the in-person meeting. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alexandra said the officer approved her petition to sponsor Peter and was going to issue him a green card. But in the middle of the interview, the baby needed a diaper change. Alexandra said the officer urged her to take her son to the bathroom.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Alexandra said the officer approved her petition to sponsor Peter and was going to issue him a green card. But in the middle of the interview, the baby needed a diaper change. Alexandra said the officer urged her to take her son to the bathroom.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said she hesitated and said she’d rather wait to finish the interview and go with Peter to change the diaper.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said the officer told her: “We’re almost done here. We’ll be waiting for you when the baby comes out.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But as soon as Alexandra left for the bathroom, ICE agents swooped in with a warrant, alleging that he overstayed his student visa, handcuffed him and took him into custody.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Alexandra came back and learned that Peter was detained, she tried to stay calm as she held her baby.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I asked the ICE agent, ‘Well, how am I going to get home? How am I going to take care of my baby? You know, I don’t see well; how am I going to do that?” she said. “And they’re like, ’That’s not our problem.’”\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I asked the ICE agent, ‘Well, how am I going to get home? How am I going to take care of my baby? You know, I don’t see well; how am I going to do that?” she said. “And they’re like, ’That’s not our problem.’”\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Peter was taken to a local holding cell for a night. The next day, he was driven seven hours away to a detention facility in California City, in the middle of the desert. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Once he got to the detention center, Peter said he was placed in a two-person cell within a unit of 80 people. The facility used to be a state prison, but federal immigration officials arranged to reopen it last August to hold up to 2,500 detainees and have it run by the private for-profit company CoreCivic. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Once he got to the detention center, Peter said he was placed in a two-person cell within a unit of 80 people. The facility used to be a state prison, but federal immigration officials arranged to reopen it last August to hold up to 2,500 detainees and have it run by the private for-profit company CoreCivic. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They’re putting you in a unit, they’re locking the doors, they’re counting people all the time,” he said. “You cannot be out. You cannot do certain things by certain times.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They’re putting you in a unit, they’re locking the doors, they’re counting people all the time,” he said. “You cannot be out. You cannot do certain things by certain times.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, Alexandra and Peter’s friends, family and community sprang into action. A relative helped find legal aid and a friend helped Alexandra with childcare while she continued teaching. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, Alexandra and Peter’s friends, family and community sprang into action. A relative helped find legal aid and a friend helped Alexandra with childcare while she continued teaching. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Abby Sullivan Engen, an immigration attorney at Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland, said Peter’s arrest and detention were unlawful because he was following the proper procedures to adjust his status to permanent resident. She accused ICE and the USCIS of “colluding” to lure the couple to the interview and arrest Peter.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Abby Sullivan Engen, an immigration attorney at Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland, said Peter’s arrest and detention were unlawful because he was following the proper procedures to adjust his status to permanent resident. She accused ICE and the USCIS of “colluding” to lure the couple to the interview and arrest Peter.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093137\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter and Alexandra hold the hand of their 1-year-old son at Dolores Park in San Francisco on July 22, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093137\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter and Alexandra hold the hand of their 1-year-old son at Dolores Park in San Francisco on July 22, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They’re engaging in different tactics to satisfy that totally arbitrary metric [of 3,000 arrests per day],” she said. “Arresting people at interviews was kind of an easy way for them to fulfill this number and just get people in ICE custody.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They’re engaging in different tactics to satisfy that totally arbitrary metric [of 3,000 arrests per day],” she said. “Arresting people at interviews was kind of an easy way for them to fulfill this number and just get people in ICE custody.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Andrew Nietor, an immigration attorney in San Diego, said between November and January, dozens of similar arrests occurred in his region during green card interviews.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said while it’s not uncommon for foreign-born spouses of American citizens to have their visas lapse while their “adjustment of status” continues, they don’t usually get detained in the process. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He said while it’s not uncommon for foreign-born spouses of American citizens to have their visas lapse while their “adjustment of status” continues, they don’t usually get detained in the process. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Traditionally ICE detention was based on risk of flight, or danger to the community,” Nietor said. “So when you’re detaining people who are showing up for appointments and have already passed background checks, it doesn’t make sense.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As Peter’s lawyer worked to get him out of detention, he and Alexandra made daily video calls to maintain a sense of normalcy for their infant. After a while, Alexandra said the baby learned to recognize the automated announcement from the detention center when the phone rings.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As Peter’s lawyer worked to get him out of detention, he and Alexandra made daily video calls to maintain a sense of normalcy for their infant. After a while, Alexandra said the baby learned to recognize the automated announcement from the detention center when the phone rings.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of depressing and also heartwarming at the same time, but we would hear, ‘This is a call from Peter, a detainee at California,’ and anytime [he] heard that, he would just start smiling and laughing,” she said. “So he knew whenever that recording came on that his dad was going to be on the phone.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/11/5446958381_9e90f58cab_o-e1416954725536.jpg\" alt=\"An SFPD squad car.\" class=\"wp-image-10356156\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco police car parked outside the Hall of Justice. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Volunteers drove Alexandra and the baby to the detention center, but he often got fussy seeing his dad behind a glass partition. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He was trying to touch my face through the glass, and that was frustrating,” Peter said. “We asked the detention [center] why they don’t allow a family to have personal visits. And they say we’re not ready and we don’t do it.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“He was trying to touch my face through the glass, and that was frustrating,” Peter said. “We asked the detention [center] why they don’t allow a family to have personal visits. And they say we’re not ready and we don’t do it.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Steven Owen, a spokesman for CoreCivic, said visitation policies are determined by ICE, “who have operational and security considerations that inform those decisions.” A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the California City detention center has a family visitation room, but no physical contact is allowed. They declined to explain the reason behind the policy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Steven Owen, a spokesman for CoreCivic, said visitation policies are determined by ICE, “who have operational and security considerations that inform those decisions.” A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the California City detention center has a family visitation room, but no physical contact is allowed. They declined to explain the reason behind the policy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/toxic-stress/\">Research shows\u003c/a> that when young kids experience adversity and they don’t have anyone to help them cope, their body’s stress response system goes into overdrive. This type of stress is called toxic stress, and Briggs said it can rewire the brain and disrupt the healthy development of their bodies, increasing the risk for heart disease, diabetes, and depression later on. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/toxic-stress/\">Research shows\u003c/a> that when young kids experience adversity and they don’t have anyone to help them cope, their body’s stress response system goes into overdrive. This type of stress is called toxic stress, and Briggs said it can rewire the brain and disrupt the healthy development of their bodies, increasing the risk for heart disease, diabetes, and depression later on. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The early childhood brain, because it’s so plastic and it’s in this developing stage deciding which neural pathways to lay down, it’s especially sensitive to stress — more sensitive than your brain or my brain, and therefore more able to react positively to safety, to nurturing, to connection, but also likely to be worse off when the stress gets really toxic,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The early childhood brain, because it’s so plastic and it’s in this developing stage deciding which neural pathways to lay down, it’s especially sensitive to stress — more sensitive than your brain or my brain, and therefore more able to react positively to safety, to nurturing, to connection, but also likely to be worse off when the stress gets really toxic,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Peter was in detention, the baby had difficulty falling asleep and became clingy, Alexandra said. If anyone sat in his dad’s favorite chair, he would throw a fit. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While Peter was in detention, the baby had difficulty falling asleep and became clingy, Alexandra said. If anyone sat in his dad’s favorite chair, he would throw a fit. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093136\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alexandra and Peter hold their 1-year-old son at Dolores Park in San Francisco on July 22, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He would not have anybody sitting in his dad’s chair. So clearly, he knew that dad was gone,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Peter lingered in detention for months waiting for a hearing. But the federal courts were flooded with lawsuits challenging detentions, and his case bounced from one court to another around the state, from Santa Ana to Sacramento. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Finally, in early April, five months after he was detained, a federal judge ruled his arrest was unlawful and ordered ICE to release him. A couple of days later, he got his green card. He was granted permanent resident status on a conditional basis — something given to couples married for less than two years. In a couple of years, he’ll be eligible to apply for naturalized citizenship. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It happened after not only him and his family suffered for that amount of time, but [at] the government expense, the amount of resources that go to arresting somebody, placing them in immigration proceedings, having a judge and other staff in the immigration court review their case, having whatever it costs to detain somebody per day,” Engen, the attorney, said. “And for what? For no other reason than to be cruel.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After Peter was released and taken to a processing center in Bakersfield, a friend picked him up. On the road back to the Bay Area, they stopped to savor something he had been missing while in detention: a good cup of coffee and a hamburger.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I was just excited to be out. And just to walk on your own,” he said. “Just not have somebody screaming at the top of their lungs at anything and everything\u003cem>. \u003c/em>One of the problems we had with the detention officers there were some who were just yelling at people for nothing.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That also helped me a lot because you don’t have time to sit and wallow in your pity,” he said. “You just get back into the swing of things.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While in detention, Peter missed his son’s first Christmas, and the couple missed their wedding anniversary. They also missed a marathon they had trained for, so in May, after Peter was released, they ran the Bay to Breakers race, pushing their baby in a stroller across San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Peter said he’s thankful to the community who showed up for him, Alexandra and their baby, and helped him get through his ordeal. The family’s GoFundMe fundraiser doubled its goal, with more than 650 contributors. And he also made friends while in detention. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m mad that it happened to me, but at the same time I made friends, and I saw the goodness of people, and you see how people with nothing or with very limited resources can be kind to each other,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Some of the detainees that are in there with my husband never even met their children,” she said. “We had a lot of luck in the process, despite how hard it was.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During his detention, Peter and Alexandra also wrote letters to each other. He always enclosed a drawing of birds that his baby liked to admire whenever they strolled around Oakland’s Lake Merritt together. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include Prof. Rahil Briggs’ affiliation with the organization Zero To Three and its HealthySteps program.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For the first year of his life, a baby boy went with his mom on 7-hour-long drives from their home in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> to the Mojave Desert to see his dad, Peter, at an immigration detention center.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A glass partition separated the baby and the dad, who used to hold him til he fell asleep. They made the best of the situation by playing peek-a-boo and giving each other high-fives, with hands touching the glass. But during one particular visit, the baby grew agitated and began banging on it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter told the baby’s mom, Alexandra, they probably should cut the visit short “because it’s making the baby more upset to be here than to not be here.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We ended up leaving a little bit early,” Alexandra said. “And in the car ride home, the baby looked really, really angry. And not just frustrated because kids look frustrated, he looked angry.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter was the main caregiver to his son when he was taken into custody in November 2025, and the sudden separation took a toll not only on him and his wife, but also on their developing baby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-18-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093139\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-18-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-18-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-18-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter sits in Dolores Park in San Francisco on July 22, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since Trump’s deportation campaign began last year, more than 100,000 children who are American citizens have had a parent detained, according to an \u003ca href=\"https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-many-children-are-affected-by-parental-immigrant-detention/\">analysis by the Brookings Institution\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The trauma of family separation could lead to profound consequences on kids’ brains and bodies, even for those too young to understand.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It has implications biologically, it has implications developmentally, it has implications for learning,” said Rahil Briggs, a clinical professor of pediatrics, psychiatry and behavioral science at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and national director of HealthySteps, a program with the early childhood advocacy group Zero To Three. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Peter, not being able to touch or hold his son was one of the most difficult parts of a five-month nightmare in detention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter is his adopted American name. We’re not using his full name because he fears telling his story may harm his immigration case.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He came to California from Kenya on a student visa almost 25 years ago. In the early 2000s, his country was in political and economic turmoil, and there were few opportunities to pursue higher education.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Chances are you are not going to get anywhere there,” he said. “So let’s just take a chance and try to go somewhere else.”\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He went to a community college in Orange County. Then in 2018, he moved to the Bay Area to get a bachelor’s degree at San Francisco State University. As he pursued his education, he supported himself by working in cafes and bars and as a soccer and rugby referee. Then in 2024 he met his wife, Alexandra, an elementary school teacher.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They had their first date at the Ferry Building, on the San Francisco waterfront. Not long after that, Alexandra needed to undergo surgery. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He came and stayed with me for I think a week or two and took care of me,” she said. “He’s just a really good person, a really thoughtful person. So we hit it off pretty quickly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They got married a year later and had their son in the spring of 2025.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter became a full-time dad when Alexandra went back to work. She’s legally blind and cannot drive, and he said it made sense for him to stay home to take care of their baby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When you have a kid, in their first few years they have to go to a lot of checkups,” he said. “So it’s easier that way, and also she really, really loves teaching. I kind of felt guilty telling her, ‘Oh no, you stay.’ I was like, ‘No, I’ll stay with him.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After tying the knot, Alexandra petitioned to sponsor Peter’s green card because his student visa had expired.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In November 2025, the family went to a federal building in San Francisco for the green card interview. The appointment came several months after Pres. Donald Trump’s administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJNXsOqFSZs\">directed ICE to make 3,000 arrests per day\u003c/a> to meet his pledge of mass deportations. Peter was worried about getting swept up in the crackdown.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-12-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093138\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-12-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-12-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-12-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter and Alexandra spend time with their 1-year-old son at the playground in Dolores Park in San Francisco on July 22, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About a week before the appointment, he said his baby might have felt his anxiety too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I picked him up in the morning, and he held my hand, and he wouldn’t let go,” he said. “He looked at me, and he held me for a long time.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Green card interviews are usually the final step in the process for foreign spouses of American citizens to obtain permanent residency. Couples submit evidence that they have a legitimate marriage, and a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer verifies it at the in-person meeting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alexandra said the officer approved her petition to sponsor Peter and was going to issue him a green card. But in the middle of the interview, the baby needed a diaper change. Alexandra said the officer urged her to take her son to the bathroom.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she hesitated and said she’d rather wait to finish the interview and go with Peter to change the diaper.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said the officer told her: “We’re almost done here. We’ll be waiting for you when the baby comes out.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But as soon as Alexandra left for the bathroom, ICE agents swooped in with a warrant, alleging that he overstayed his student visa, handcuffed him and took him into custody.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Alexandra came back and learned that Peter was detained, she tried to stay calm as she held her baby.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I asked the ICE agent, ‘Well, how am I going to get home? How am I going to take care of my baby? You know, I don’t see well; how am I going to do that?” she said. “And they’re like, ’That’s not our problem.’”\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter was taken to a local holding cell for a night. The next day, he was driven seven hours away to a detention facility in California City, in the middle of the desert. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Once he got to the detention center, Peter said he was placed in a two-person cell within a unit of 80 people. The facility used to be a state prison, but federal immigration officials arranged to reopen it last August to hold up to 2,500 detainees and have it run by the private for-profit company CoreCivic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter said it felt like prison. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re putting you in a unit, they’re locking the doors, they’re counting people all the time,” he said. “You cannot be out. You cannot do certain things by certain times.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, Alexandra and Peter’s friends, family and community sprang into action. A relative helped find legal aid and a friend helped Alexandra with childcare while she continued teaching. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Abby Sullivan Engen, an immigration attorney at Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland, said Peter’s arrest and detention were unlawful because he was following the proper procedures to adjust his status to permanent resident. She accused ICE and the USCIS of “colluding” to lure the couple to the interview and arrest Peter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093137\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter and Alexandra hold the hand of their 1-year-old son at Dolores Park in San Francisco on July 22, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They’re engaging in different tactics to satisfy that totally arbitrary metric [of 3,000 arrests per day],” she said. “Arresting people at interviews was kind of an easy way for them to fulfill this number and just get people in ICE custody.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andrew Nietor, an immigration attorney in San Diego, said between November and January, dozens of similar arrests occurred in his region during green card interviews.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said while it’s not uncommon for foreign-born spouses of American citizens to have their visas lapse while their “adjustment of status” continues, they don’t usually get detained in the process. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Traditionally ICE detention was based on risk of flight, or danger to the community,” Nietor said. “So when you’re detaining people who are showing up for appointments and have already passed background checks, it doesn’t make sense.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Peter’s lawyer worked to get him out of detention, he and Alexandra made daily video calls to maintain a sense of normalcy for their infant. After a while, Alexandra said the baby learned to recognize the automated announcement from the detention center when the phone rings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of depressing and also heartwarming at the same time, but we would hear, ‘This is a call from Peter, a detainee at California,’ and anytime [he] heard that, he would just start smiling and laughing,” she said. “So he knew whenever that recording came on that his dad was going to be on the phone.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"978\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/11/5446958381_9e90f58cab_o-e1416954725536.jpg\" alt=\"An SFPD squad car.\" class=\"wp-image-10356156\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">San Francisco police car parked outside the Hall of Justice. (Todd Lappin/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Volunteers drove Alexandra and the baby to the detention center, but he often got fussy seeing his dad behind a glass partition. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He was trying to touch my face through the glass, and that was frustrating,” Peter said. “We asked the detention [center] why they don’t allow a family to have personal visits. And they say we’re not ready and we don’t do it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Steven Owen, a spokesman for CoreCivic, said visitation policies are determined by ICE, “who have operational and security considerations that inform those decisions.” A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the California City detention center has a family visitation room, but no physical contact is allowed. They declined to explain the reason behind the policy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/toxic-stress/\">Research shows\u003c/a> that when young kids experience adversity and they don’t have anyone to help them cope, their body’s stress response system goes into overdrive. This type of stress is called toxic stress, and Briggs said it can rewire the brain and disrupt the healthy development of their bodies, increasing the risk for heart disease, diabetes, and depression later on. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The early childhood brain, because it’s so plastic and it’s in this developing stage deciding which neural pathways to lay down, it’s especially sensitive to stress — more sensitive than your brain or my brain, and therefore more able to react positively to safety, to nurturing, to connection, but also likely to be worse off when the stress gets really toxic,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Peter was in detention, the baby had difficulty falling asleep and became clingy, Alexandra said. If anyone sat in his dad’s favorite chair, he would throw a fit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12093136\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260722-FAMILYSEPARATION-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alexandra and Peter hold their 1-year-old son at Dolores Park in San Francisco on July 22, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He would not have anybody sitting in his dad’s chair. So clearly, he knew that dad was gone,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she has a hard time forgetting the look on her baby’s face the day they cut their visit to Peter short.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was just heartbroken because you want to give your kids everything, but I couldn’t give him the ability to touch or be held by his own dad.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter lingered in detention for months waiting for a hearing. But the federal courts were flooded with lawsuits challenging detentions, and his case bounced from one court to another around the state, from Santa Ana to Sacramento. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Finally, in early April, five months after he was detained, a federal judge ruled his arrest was unlawful and ordered ICE to release him. A couple of days later, he got his green card. He was granted permanent resident status on a conditional basis — something given to couples married for less than two years. In a couple of years, he’ll be eligible to apply for naturalized citizenship. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It happened after not only him and his family suffered for that amount of time, but [at] the government expense, the amount of resources that go to arresting somebody, placing them in immigration proceedings, having a judge and other staff in the immigration court review their case, having whatever it costs to detain somebody per day,” Engen, the attorney, said. “And for what? For no other reason than to be cruel.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After Peter was released and taken to a processing center in Bakersfield, a friend picked him up. On the road back to the Bay Area, they stopped to savor something he had been missing while in detention: a good cup of coffee and a hamburger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was just excited to be out. And just to walk on your own,” he said. “Just not have somebody screaming at the top of their lungs at anything and everything\u003cem>. \u003c/em>One of the problems we had with the detention officers there were some who were just yelling at people for nothing.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When he got home, there was no dramatic reunion, no welcoming party. It was his baby’s bedtime, and he needed to jump back into his schedule.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That also helped me a lot because you don’t have time to sit and wallow in your pity,” he said. “You just get back into the swing of things.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While in detention, Peter missed his son’s first Christmas, and the couple missed their wedding anniversary. They also missed a marathon they had trained for, so in May, after Peter was released, they ran the Bay to Breakers race, pushing their baby in a stroller across San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He also got to celebrate his son’s first birthday and see him take his first steps.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Peter said he’s thankful to the community who showed up for him, Alexandra and their baby, and helped him get through his ordeal. The family’s GoFundMe fundraiser doubled its goal, with more than 650 contributors. And he also made friends while in detention. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m mad that it happened to me, but at the same time I made friends, and I saw the goodness of people, and you see how people with nothing or with very limited resources can be kind to each other,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alexandra said she’s staying in touch with parents she met while visiting Peter, and still sends hand-me-down baby clothes to some of them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Some of the detainees that are in there with my husband never even met their children,” she said. “We had a lot of luck in the process, despite how hard it was.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During his detention, Peter and Alexandra also wrote letters to each other. He always enclosed a drawing of birds that his baby liked to admire whenever they strolled around Oakland’s Lake Merritt together. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alexandra said she hopes when their son grows up, he’ll read the letters and know that his parents did the best they could to help him get through a traumatic experience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And hopefully, who’s to say where this country will be in five, 10, 15, 20 years, but hopefully, he’ll just say: ‘Wow, I can’t believe they did that. I’m so glad they don’t do that anymore,” she said. “Or he’ll be fighting it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include Prof. Rahil Briggs’ affiliation with the organization Zero To Three and its HealthySteps program.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "federal-agents-seize-eric-swalwells-devices-search-home-in-sexual-misconduct-probe",
"title": "Federal Agents Seize Eric Swalwell’s Devices, Search Home in Sexual Misconduct Probe",
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"headTitle": "Federal Agents Seize Eric Swalwell’s Devices, Search Home in Sexual Misconduct Probe | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Federal agents seized electronic devices from \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/hub/eric-swalwell\">former Rep. Eric Swalwell\u003c/a> and searched his Washington home as part of an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by the ex-Democratic congressman from California, according to a person familiar with the matter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swalwell’s devices were seized at the San Francisco airport on Saturday and agents executed a search warrant at his home a day later, said the person, who was not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A message seeking comment was left Thursday with an attorney for Swalwell, who has denied allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. The Daily Mail \u003ca href=\"https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16066819/Eric-Swalwell-FBI-San-Francisco-seize-electronics-sexual-misconduct.html\">first reported\u003c/a> the seizure of Swalwell’s devices on Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/congress-ethics-swalwell-california-governor-a1626c5f4dbcc16c85f4313a8d7e5464\">Swalwell announced his resignation from Congress in April\u003c/a> following allegations that Swalwell had sexually assaulted a woman twice, including when she worked for him. The San Francisco Chronicle, followed by CNN, first reported the allegations. CNN also reported that three other women alleged various kinds of sexual misconduct by Swalwell, including sending them unsolicited explicit messages or nude photos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1320\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2270844476.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12079860\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2270844476.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2270844476-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2270844476-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lonna Drewes, left, listens to her lawyers Arick Fudali and Lisa Bloom during a press conference where she described her claims about sexual misconduct by former US Rep. Eric Swalwell in Beverly Hills, California, on April 14, 2026. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The seven-term lawmaker had been seen as one of the leading candidates in California’s \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/swalwell-democrats-california-governor-campaign-allegations-congress-8b60b0c226f93c691633231053d5ddf9\">gubernatorial race\u003c/a> before dropping out after the allegations surfaced.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed in April that it was investigating Swalwell after a former staffer told CNN and the Chronicle that Swalwell raped her at a hotel while he was in New York City for a charity gala in 2024. In a statement, Bragg’s office encouraged “survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A lawyer representing \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/eric-swalwell-congress-rape-accusation-california-bd42cd883afdcb20990c3fa4b0d82f9d\">Lonna Drewes\u003c/a>, a California woman who in April said she had been raped in 2018 by Swalwell, said his team was cooperating with all law enforcement agencies investigating the former congressman.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are encouraged to learn about the escalation of the FBI’s investigation into the allegations against Eric Swalwell,” attorney Arick Fudali said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Drewes spoke of the assault at a news conference days after Swalwell dropped out of the California governor’s race. She said it occurred at a hotel in Southern California. Swalwell denied the assault.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swalwell, an Iowa native, was elected in 2012 and represented a House district east of San Francisco. He launched \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/0dff7d23d9e74b4181f61dee0a307d52\">a presidential run\u003c/a> in April 2019 but ended it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He was one of Republican President Donald Trump’s top Democratic antagonists in Congress. He was a prominent member of the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees during Trump’s first term and served as one of several Democratic prosecutors for Trump’s second impeachment after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swalwell was removed from the Intelligence Committee by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-California, in 2023 based on Swalwell’s contact with a suspected Chinese spy, Christine Fang.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fang was reported to have come into contact with Swalwell’s campaign as he was first running for Congress in 2012 and to have participated in fundraising for his 2014 campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Federal investigators alerted Swalwell to their concerns and briefed Congress about Fang in 2015, at which point Swalwell says he cut off contact with her. He was not accused of wrongdoing and a House Ethics Committee investigation that was opened in 2021 closed two years later without any action. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Associated Press reporter Michael R. Sisak in New York and Olga Rodriguez in San Francisco contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A message seeking comment was left Thursday with an attorney for Swalwell, who has denied allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. The Daily Mail \u003ca href=\"https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16066819/Eric-Swalwell-FBI-San-Francisco-seize-electronics-sexual-misconduct.html\">first reported\u003c/a> the seizure of Swalwell’s devices on Thursday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2270844476.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12079860\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2270844476.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2270844476-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2270844476-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lonna Drewes, left, listens to her lawyers Arick Fudali and Lisa Bloom during a press conference where she described her claims about sexual misconduct by former US Rep. Eric Swalwell in Beverly Hills, California, on April 14, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed in April that it was investigating Swalwell after a former staffer told CNN and the Chronicle that Swalwell raped her at a hotel while he was in New York City for a charity gala in 2024. In a statement, Bragg’s office encouraged “survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A lawyer representing \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/eric-swalwell-congress-rape-accusation-california-bd42cd883afdcb20990c3fa4b0d82f9d\">Lonna Drewes\u003c/a>, a California woman who in April said she had been raped in 2018 by Swalwell, said his team was cooperating with all law enforcement agencies investigating the former congressman.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Drewes spoke of the assault at a news conference days after Swalwell dropped out of the California governor’s race. She said it occurred at a hotel in Southern California. Swalwell denied the assault.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Swalwell, an Iowa native, was elected in 2012 and represented a House district east of San Francisco. He launched \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/0dff7d23d9e74b4181f61dee0a307d52\">a presidential run\u003c/a> in April 2019 but ended it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He was one of Republican President Donald Trump’s top Democratic antagonists in Congress. He was a prominent member of the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees during Trump’s first term and served as one of several Democratic prosecutors for Trump’s second impeachment after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He was one of Republican President Donald Trump’s top Democratic antagonists in Congress. He was a prominent member of the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees during Trump’s first term and served as one of several Democratic prosecutors for Trump’s second impeachment after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Swalwell was removed from the Intelligence Committee by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-California, in 2023 based on Swalwell’s contact with a suspected Chinese spy, Christine Fang.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fang was reported to have come into contact with Swalwell’s campaign as he was first running for Congress in 2012 and to have participated in fundraising for his 2014 campaign.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Federal investigators alerted Swalwell to their concerns and briefed Congress about Fang in 2015, at which point Swalwell says he cut off contact with her. He was not accused of wrongdoing and a House Ethics Committee investigation that was opened in 2021 closed two years later without any action. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Federal investigators alerted Swalwell to their concerns and briefed Congress about Fang in 2015, at which point Swalwell says he cut off contact with her. He was not accused of wrongdoing and a House Ethics Committee investigation that was opened in 2021 closed two years later without any action. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Associated Press reporter Michael R. Sisak in New York and Olga Rodriguez in San Francisco contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Swalwell’s devices were seized at the San Francisco airport on Saturday, and federal agents searched his Washington, D.C., home a day later. ",
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"title": "Federal Agents Seize Eric Swalwell’s Devices, Search Home in Sexual Misconduct Probe | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Federal agents seized electronic devices from \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/hub/eric-swalwell\">former Rep. Eric Swalwell\u003c/a> and searched his Washington home as part of an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by the ex-Democratic congressman from California, according to a person familiar with the matter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swalwell’s devices were seized at the San Francisco airport on Saturday and agents executed a search warrant at his home a day later, said the person, who was not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A message seeking comment was left Thursday with an attorney for Swalwell, who has denied allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. The Daily Mail \u003ca href=\"https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16066819/Eric-Swalwell-FBI-San-Francisco-seize-electronics-sexual-misconduct.html\">first reported\u003c/a> the seizure of Swalwell’s devices on Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/congress-ethics-swalwell-california-governor-a1626c5f4dbcc16c85f4313a8d7e5464\">Swalwell announced his resignation from Congress in April\u003c/a> following allegations that Swalwell had sexually assaulted a woman twice, including when she worked for him. The San Francisco Chronicle, followed by CNN, first reported the allegations. CNN also reported that three other women alleged various kinds of sexual misconduct by Swalwell, including sending them unsolicited explicit messages or nude photos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1980\" height=\"1320\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2270844476.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12079860\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2270844476.jpg 1980w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2270844476-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2270844476-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1980px) 100vw, 1980px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lonna Drewes, left, listens to her lawyers Arick Fudali and Lisa Bloom during a press conference where she described her claims about sexual misconduct by former US Rep. Eric Swalwell in Beverly Hills, California, on April 14, 2026. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The seven-term lawmaker had been seen as one of the leading candidates in California’s \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/swalwell-democrats-california-governor-campaign-allegations-congress-8b60b0c226f93c691633231053d5ddf9\">gubernatorial race\u003c/a> before dropping out after the allegations surfaced.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed in April that it was investigating Swalwell after a former staffer told CNN and the Chronicle that Swalwell raped her at a hotel while he was in New York City for a charity gala in 2024. In a statement, Bragg’s office encouraged “survivors and anyone with knowledge of these allegations to contact our Special Victims Division.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A lawyer representing \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/eric-swalwell-congress-rape-accusation-california-bd42cd883afdcb20990c3fa4b0d82f9d\">Lonna Drewes\u003c/a>, a California woman who in April said she had been raped in 2018 by Swalwell, said his team was cooperating with all law enforcement agencies investigating the former congressman.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are encouraged to learn about the escalation of the FBI’s investigation into the allegations against Eric Swalwell,” attorney Arick Fudali said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Drewes spoke of the assault at a news conference days after Swalwell dropped out of the California governor’s race. She said it occurred at a hotel in Southern California. Swalwell denied the assault.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swalwell, an Iowa native, was elected in 2012 and represented a House district east of San Francisco. He launched \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/0dff7d23d9e74b4181f61dee0a307d52\">a presidential run\u003c/a> in April 2019 but ended it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He was one of Republican President Donald Trump’s top Democratic antagonists in Congress. He was a prominent member of the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees during Trump’s first term and served as one of several Democratic prosecutors for Trump’s second impeachment after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swalwell was removed from the Intelligence Committee by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-California, in 2023 based on Swalwell’s contact with a suspected Chinese spy, Christine Fang.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fang was reported to have come into contact with Swalwell’s campaign as he was first running for Congress in 2012 and to have participated in fundraising for his 2014 campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Federal investigators alerted Swalwell to their concerns and briefed Congress about Fang in 2015, at which point Swalwell says he cut off contact with her. He was not accused of wrongdoing and a House Ethics Committee investigation that was opened in 2021 closed two years later without any action. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Associated Press reporter Michael R. Sisak in New York and Olga Rodriguez in San Francisco contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "former-meta-engineer-arturo-bejar-testifies-mark-zuckerberg-put-profits-over-child-safety",
"title": "Former Meta Engineer Arturo Béjar Testifies Mark Zuckerberg Put Profits Over Child Safety",
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"headTitle": "Former Meta Engineer Arturo Béjar Testifies Mark Zuckerberg Put Profits Over Child Safety | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Mark Zuckerberg created a company culture that made it “practically impossible” to address safety and well-being issues in its products, Meta whistleblower Arturo Béjar said in a federal courtroom in Oakland on Wednesday during the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095583/meta-hooked-kids-federal-trial-against-tech-giant-kicks-off-in-oakland\">landmark child safety trial\u003c/a> against the tech company. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The former Meta safety engineer said that features the company built to support mental health and counter social media addiction were “designed to fail.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s like [if] you have a car and they give you some brakes, but the brakes are in the trunk,” he said. “You have to go look for it and install it before you turn it on.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096038\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-2000x1125.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chris Lewis, commissioner of consumer and senior protection of the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, cross-examines psychology professor Jean Twenge on Aug. 19, 2026, in an Oakland courtroom. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Béjar was the first witness called by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, who allege that the largest social media company in the world knowingly designed its products in ways that could harm children. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, has denied the allegations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company has acknowledged that it has a role to play in addressing teen well-being, and that some teens struggle to manage their time on social media, but said that it acts on those issues. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meta also said in a statement via email that it emphasized ongoing feedback, research and learning to improve safety features.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In his second day on the stand, Béjar said the company’s goal was to get products into users’ hands quickly. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Béjar worked at Meta, leading Facebook’s Protect and Care team for six years in the 2010s, and as a consultant on Instagram’s well-being team from 2019 to 2021, he said office walls featured posters of Zuckerberg saying “Move Fast and Break Things.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Most of the time, safety and security was an afterthought,” Béjar said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Béjar said during his first stint with the company, he felt that it cared about safety. When he returned between 2019 and 2021, though, he said he was not proud of the well-being products Instagram was sending. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Béjar said features that Instagram introduced over the years, advertised as helping users manage the amount of time they spent on the apps, were intentionally ineffective. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch2_VB-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096013\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch2_VB-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch2_VB-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch2_VB-KQED-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch2_VB-KQED-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Meta Attorney Brian Stekloff cross-examined Meta whistleblower Arturo Béjar on Aug. 19, 2026, in an Oakland courtroom. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He pointed specifically to “Quiet Mode,” which pauses notifications and sets an account’s status as “away,” and a “Take a Break” button, a full-screen pop-up that gives users a nudge to close the app after a certain amount of continuous scrolling time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both are optional and user-initiated. They can also be ignored. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If ‘Take a Break’ was designed to be effective, it would have been designed and measured by how effective it was to getting people to stop using the product,” Béjar said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Under cross-examination, Meta attorney Brian Stekloff got Béjar to affirm his belief that there are benefits to social media, including for teens. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Béjar said that Meta hired highly educated and well-qualified people to work on safety, many of whom remained at the company after he left, and that during his first, full-time role, Zuckerberg and other executives would work to correct issues when they found them. Both times he departed the company were on good terms, Béjar said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the company hid evidence of the psychological harm it caused children behind euphemistic language and misleading metrics, Béjar said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096040\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Deputy Attorney General Megan O’Neill delivered her opening statement in the state’s case against Meta on Aug. 18, 2026, in Oakland. O’Neill accused Meta of hiding its own research that showed children were being harmed by its platforms. Opening arguments began Tuesday in the federal suit brought by four attorneys general against Meta. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was the company culture that made it near impossible to deliver things that would have been invaluable to learn about harm so that you could reduce it,” Béjar said, adding that he “tried to do it the first year” he returned as a consultant. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said that when Meta was accused of harming children, it responded with data showing that more kids benefited.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If we make, out of 100 kids, 31 kids less anxious and 30 kids more anxious … [that to Meta is] more good than harm,” he said. “It’s like math with harm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The work should be to protect the good … while bringing the harm as close to zero as possible,” Béjar said.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s like [if] you have a car and they give you some brakes, but the brakes are in the trunk,” he said. “You have to go look for it and install it before you turn it on.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Béjar was the first witness called by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, who allege that the largest social media company in the world knowingly designed its products in ways that could harm children. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meta also said in a statement via email that it emphasized ongoing feedback, research and learning to improve safety features.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If ‘Take a Break’ was designed to be effective, it would have been designed and measured by how effective it was to getting people to stop using the product,” Béjar said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Mark Zuckerberg created a company culture that made it “practically impossible” to address safety and well-being issues in its products, Meta whistleblower Arturo Béjar said in a federal courtroom in Oakland on Wednesday during the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12095583/meta-hooked-kids-federal-trial-against-tech-giant-kicks-off-in-oakland\">landmark child safety trial\u003c/a> against the tech company. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The former Meta safety engineer said that features the company built to support mental health and counter social media addiction were “designed to fail.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s like [if] you have a car and they give you some brakes, but the brakes are in the trunk,” he said. “You have to go look for it and install it before you turn it on.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096038\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-2000x1125.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch3_VB-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chris Lewis, commissioner of consumer and senior protection of the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, cross-examines psychology professor Jean Twenge on Aug. 19, 2026, in an Oakland courtroom. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Béjar was the first witness called by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey, who allege that the largest social media company in the world knowingly designed its products in ways that could harm children. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, has denied the allegations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company has acknowledged that it has a role to play in addressing teen well-being, and that some teens struggle to manage their time on social media, but said that it acts on those issues. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meta also said in a statement via email that it emphasized ongoing feedback, research and learning to improve safety features.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In his second day on the stand, Béjar said the company’s goal was to get products into users’ hands quickly. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Béjar worked at Meta, leading Facebook’s Protect and Care team for six years in the 2010s, and as a consultant on Instagram’s well-being team from 2019 to 2021, he said office walls featured posters of Zuckerberg saying “Move Fast and Break Things.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Most of the time, safety and security was an afterthought,” Béjar said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Béjar said during his first stint with the company, he felt that it cared about safety. When he returned between 2019 and 2021, though, he said he was not proud of the well-being products Instagram was sending. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Béjar said features that Instagram introduced over the years, advertised as helping users manage the amount of time they spent on the apps, were intentionally ineffective. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch2_VB-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096013\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch2_VB-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch2_VB-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch2_VB-KQED-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260819-MetaTrialSketch2_VB-KQED-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Meta Attorney Brian Stekloff cross-examined Meta whistleblower Arturo Béjar on Aug. 19, 2026, in an Oakland courtroom. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He pointed specifically to “Quiet Mode,” which pauses notifications and sets an account’s status as “away,” and a “Take a Break” button, a full-screen pop-up that gives users a nudge to close the app after a certain amount of continuous scrolling time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both are optional and user-initiated. They can also be ignored. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If ‘Take a Break’ was designed to be effective, it would have been designed and measured by how effective it was to getting people to stop using the product,” Béjar said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Under cross-examination, Meta attorney Brian Stekloff got Béjar to affirm his belief that there are benefits to social media, including for teens. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Béjar said that Meta hired highly educated and well-qualified people to work on safety, many of whom remained at the company after he left, and that during his first, full-time role, Zuckerberg and other executives would work to correct issues when they found them. Both times he departed the company were on good terms, Béjar said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the company hid evidence of the psychological harm it caused children behind euphemistic language and misleading metrics, Béjar said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12096040\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Deputy Attorney General Megan O’Neill delivered her opening statement in the state’s case against Meta on Aug. 18, 2026, in Oakland. O’Neill accused Meta of hiding its own research that showed children were being harmed by its platforms. Opening arguments began Tuesday in the federal suit brought by four attorneys general against Meta. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was the company culture that made it near impossible to deliver things that would have been invaluable to learn about harm so that you could reduce it,” Béjar said, adding that he “tried to do it the first year” he returned as a consultant. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said that when Meta was accused of harming children, it responded with data showing that more kids benefited.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If we make, out of 100 kids, 31 kids less anxious and 30 kids more anxious … [that to Meta is] more good than harm,” he said. “It’s like math with harm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The work should be to protect the good … while bringing the harm as close to zero as possible,” Béjar said.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "‘Meta Hooked Kids’: Federal Trial Against Tech Giant Kicks Off in Oakland",
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"headTitle": "‘Meta Hooked Kids’: Federal Trial Against Tech Giant Kicks Off in Oakland | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094595/meta-faces-up-to-1-4-trillion-reckoning-as-youth-addiction-trial-opens-in-oakland\">landmark trial against Meta\u003c/a> opened in Oakland on Tuesday, with California leading a coalition of states accusing the largest social media company in the world of knowingly designing its products in ways that could harm children.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What you’re going to hear in this trial is how Meta hooked kids on its platforms. How it designed those platforms so that kids kept coming back,” Megan O’Neill, a deputy attorney general for California, told the court during her opening statement on Tuesday morning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Meta had its own research showing how kids had bad, even traumatic, experiences on its apps,” O’Neill said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the states succeed, Meta could be held liable for up to $1.4 trillion in damages — roughly what the company is worth on Wall Street — and required to make changes to how it runs Instagram and Facebook platforms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095798\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Deputy Attorney General Megan O’Neill delivered her opening statement in the state’s case against Meta on Aug. 18, 2026, in Oakland. O’Neill accused Meta of hiding its own research that showed children were being harmed by its platforms. Opening arguments began Tuesday in the federal suit brought by four attorneys general against Meta. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In recent years, Meta and other social media companies have been slammed with thousands of lawsuits brought by families and school districts, claiming social media addiction has harmed children’s mental health.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over several decades, the companies have been able to defeat many lawsuits, arguing federal law protects platforms from being held liable for the content users publish on their sites. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But states, school districts and individuals have begun employing a different strategy that led to Meta losses in district courts in Los Angeles and New Mexico in recent years: arguing that social media platforms like Meta have deliberately engineered products to be addictive, even or especially for children, and misled the public about their behavior and the risks in order to make money and increase its customer base. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tens of millions of teens and children under 13 have Instagram and Facebook accounts, earning Meta ad revenue and allowing it to harvest emails, phone numbers, images of kids’ faces and other personal information.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Time and time again, profits won,” O’Neill said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The federal suit — brought by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey and joined by 29 others, whose cases will go to trial at a later time — argues that Meta built features that it knew would hook young people and did little to remove children under 13 from its platforms, while telling parents and regulators otherwise. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are not here to hold Meta responsible for the fact that there are bad people out there who post bad things that may harm kids,” O’Neill said. “We are holding Meta responsible for its own conduct. What Meta said and didn’t say, what Meta did and didn’t do. The choices that Meta made.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Internal company documents and whistleblowers, including Arturo Béjar, the former leader of Integrity and Care Facebook, have revealed that Instagram aimed to increase the minutes that teen users spent on their platform each year, and that the company hid its own research showing the negative impacts its apps had on teens. The company also knew, they allege, that millions of children under the age of 13, barred from Facebook and Instagram in the company’s terms and conditions, were users. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Béjar testified that the company “has taken a ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ approach” to children under 13 using its platforms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Coco was 12 when she opened Instagram for the first time in 2017, four years before the world learned what Meta already knew: Instagram was harming teenage girls,” mom Julianna Arnold said outside the Oakland courtroom. There, advocates gathered to pay tribute to nearly 400 deceased young people who were allegedly lured into sexual exploitation through Facebook, or served content that made them feel worse about themselves and their bodies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“By her teens, [Coco] could not look away. Her scrolling became depression, then anxiety she couldn’t escape,” Arnold said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said her daughter was groomed by a man on Instagram, who sold her what she thought was Percocet, but turned out to be a fatal dose of fentanyl, when she was 17. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Coco’s story was not an accident. We know it was the predictable outcome of a platform Meta knew harmed children,” Arnold said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch3_VB-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095855\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch3_VB-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch3_VB-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch3_VB-KQED-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch3_VB-KQED-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Arturo Béjar, a security consultant who formerly worked for Meta, testified on Aug. 18, 2026, in a federal courthouse in Oakland. Béjar testified before the Senate in 2023 that the company knew about harms its platforms caused to children and teens, but failed to act. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meta has repeatedly denied that its platforms are responsible for this harm. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company’s lead attorney, Paul Schmidt, told the court during his opening statement that Meta doesn’t deny that “some teens struggle to manage their time on social media, and some people “post negative things.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s something Meta takes seriously, and tries to act on,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said the whistleblower accounts and data shared by the states lacked context and were needles picked out of the haystack of employee and user statements over many years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to one internal report, one in five teens said Instagram made them feel worse about themselves, a statistic O’Neill quoted in her opening statement before the advisory jury in Oakland. Schmidt said that the same report noted 40% of those surveyed said they felt better, and 41% felt no different. In other internal documents, employees discussed making a product that “intentionally promotes wellbeing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Schmidt also said there are “real challenges in verifying age,” but that Meta has always required users to be at least 13, and has more recently developed detection tools to identify accounts belonging to children. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meta said in a statement that it was “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people,” but parents and advocates at the courthouse on Tuesday said they believe the company will be held accountable in the coming weeks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re going to make history here,” said Erin Popolo, whose daughter Emily died by suicide after being cyberbullied and harassed. “This is going to be a groundbreaking trial. They’re going to be found liable for what they are doing to people.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The trial is expected to go on for weeks and feature testimony from high-level Meta executives, including founder Mark Zuckerberg, who wasn’t present in the courtroom on Tuesday, as well as state health and education officials.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The jury will provide an advisory verdict, but Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers — who has a track record of presiding over blockbuster tech industry cases, including this spring’s trial between \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081290/how-to-unscramble-an-omelet-in-silicon-valley-the-musk-v-altman-trial-that-will-try\">Sam Altman and Elon Musk\u003c/a> — will decide the civil penalties and any changes Meta will be required to make, if it is found liable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Meta, one of the largest, most powerful companies in the world, carried out a campaign to deceive, to mislead its users, legislators, teachers and parents,” O’Neill said. “At the end of this trial, we’re going to ask you to hold Meta accountable.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095798\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Deputy Attorney General Megan O’Neill delivered her opening statement in the state’s case against Meta on Aug. 18, 2026, in Oakland. O’Neill accused Meta of hiding its own research that showed children were being harmed by its platforms. Opening arguments began Tuesday in the federal suit brought by four attorneys general against Meta.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are not here to hold Meta responsible for the fact that there are bad people out there who post bad things that may harm kids,” O’Neill said. “We are holding Meta responsible for its own conduct. What Meta said and didn’t say, what Meta did and didn’t do. The choices that Meta made.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Internal company documents and whistleblowers, including Arturo Béjar, the former leader of Integrity and Care Facebook, have revealed that Instagram aimed to increase the minutes that teen users spent on their platform each year, and that the company hid its own research showing the negative impacts its apps had on teens. The company also knew, they allege, that millions of children under the age of 13, barred from Facebook and Instagram in the company’s terms and conditions, were users. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Coco was 12 when she opened Instagram for the first time in 2017, four years before the world learned what Meta already knew: Instagram was harming teenage girls,” mom Julianna Arnold said outside the Oakland courtroom. There, advocates gathered to pay tribute to nearly 400 deceased young people who were allegedly lured into sexual exploitation through Facebook, or served content that made them feel worse about themselves and their bodies.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The company’s lead attorney, Paul Schmidt, told the court during his opening statement that Meta doesn’t deny that “some teens struggle to manage their time on social media, and some people “post negative things.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Schmidt also said there are “real challenges in verifying age,” but that Meta has always required users to be at least 13, and has more recently developed detection tools to identify accounts belonging to children. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meta said in a statement that it was “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people,” but parents and advocates at the courthouse on Tuesday said they believe the company will be held accountable in the coming weeks. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re going to make history here,” said Erin Popolo, whose daughter Emily died by suicide after being cyberbullied and harassed. “This is going to be a groundbreaking trial. They’re going to be found liable for what they are doing to people.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The jury will provide an advisory verdict, but Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers — who has a track record of presiding over blockbuster tech industry cases, including this spring’s trial between \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081290/how-to-unscramble-an-omelet-in-silicon-valley-the-musk-v-altman-trial-that-will-try\">Sam Altman and Elon Musk\u003c/a> — will decide the civil penalties and any changes Meta will be required to make, if it is found liable.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Meta, one of the largest, most powerful companies in the world, carried out a campaign to deceive, to mislead its users, legislators, teachers and parents,” O’Neill said. “At the end of this trial, we’re going to ask you to hold Meta accountable.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "California and other states allege that the company hid its social media addiction research to protect its bottom line, which Meta disputes.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12094595/meta-faces-up-to-1-4-trillion-reckoning-as-youth-addiction-trial-opens-in-oakland\">landmark trial against Meta\u003c/a> opened in Oakland on Tuesday, with California leading a coalition of states accusing the largest social media company in the world of knowingly designing its products in ways that could harm children.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What you’re going to hear in this trial is how Meta hooked kids on its platforms. How it designed those platforms so that kids kept coming back,” Megan O’Neill, a deputy attorney general for California, told the court during her opening statement on Tuesday morning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Meta had its own research showing how kids had bad, even traumatic, experiences on its apps,” O’Neill said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the states succeed, Meta could be held liable for up to $1.4 trillion in damages — roughly what the company is worth on Wall Street — and required to make changes to how it runs Instagram and Facebook platforms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095798\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch1_VB-KQED-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">California Deputy Attorney General Megan O’Neill delivered her opening statement in the state’s case against Meta on Aug. 18, 2026, in Oakland. O’Neill accused Meta of hiding its own research that showed children were being harmed by its platforms. Opening arguments began Tuesday in the federal suit brought by four attorneys general against Meta. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In recent years, Meta and other social media companies have been slammed with thousands of lawsuits brought by families and school districts, claiming social media addiction has harmed children’s mental health.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over several decades, the companies have been able to defeat many lawsuits, arguing federal law protects platforms from being held liable for the content users publish on their sites. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But states, school districts and individuals have begun employing a different strategy that led to Meta losses in district courts in Los Angeles and New Mexico in recent years: arguing that social media platforms like Meta have deliberately engineered products to be addictive, even or especially for children, and misled the public about their behavior and the risks in order to make money and increase its customer base. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tens of millions of teens and children under 13 have Instagram and Facebook accounts, earning Meta ad revenue and allowing it to harvest emails, phone numbers, images of kids’ faces and other personal information.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Time and time again, profits won,” O’Neill said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The federal suit — brought by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey and joined by 29 others, whose cases will go to trial at a later time — argues that Meta built features that it knew would hook young people and did little to remove children under 13 from its platforms, while telling parents and regulators otherwise. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are not here to hold Meta responsible for the fact that there are bad people out there who post bad things that may harm kids,” O’Neill said. “We are holding Meta responsible for its own conduct. What Meta said and didn’t say, what Meta did and didn’t do. The choices that Meta made.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Internal company documents and whistleblowers, including Arturo Béjar, the former leader of Integrity and Care Facebook, have revealed that Instagram aimed to increase the minutes that teen users spent on their platform each year, and that the company hid its own research showing the negative impacts its apps had on teens. The company also knew, they allege, that millions of children under the age of 13, barred from Facebook and Instagram in the company’s terms and conditions, were users. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Béjar testified that the company “has taken a ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ approach” to children under 13 using its platforms.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Coco was 12 when she opened Instagram for the first time in 2017, four years before the world learned what Meta already knew: Instagram was harming teenage girls,” mom Julianna Arnold said outside the Oakland courtroom. There, advocates gathered to pay tribute to nearly 400 deceased young people who were allegedly lured into sexual exploitation through Facebook, or served content that made them feel worse about themselves and their bodies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“By her teens, [Coco] could not look away. Her scrolling became depression, then anxiety she couldn’t escape,” Arnold said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said her daughter was groomed by a man on Instagram, who sold her what she thought was Percocet, but turned out to be a fatal dose of fentanyl, when she was 17. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Coco’s story was not an accident. We know it was the predictable outcome of a platform Meta knew harmed children,” Arnold said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch3_VB-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095855\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch3_VB-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch3_VB-KQED-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch3_VB-KQED-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/MetaTrialSketch3_VB-KQED-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Arturo Béjar, a security consultant who formerly worked for Meta, testified on Aug. 18, 2026, in a federal courthouse in Oakland. Béjar testified before the Senate in 2023 that the company knew about harms its platforms caused to children and teens, but failed to act. (Vicki Behringer for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meta has repeatedly denied that its platforms are responsible for this harm. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company’s lead attorney, Paul Schmidt, told the court during his opening statement that Meta doesn’t deny that “some teens struggle to manage their time on social media, and some people “post negative things.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s something Meta takes seriously, and tries to act on,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said the whistleblower accounts and data shared by the states lacked context and were needles picked out of the haystack of employee and user statements over many years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to one internal report, one in five teens said Instagram made them feel worse about themselves, a statistic O’Neill quoted in her opening statement before the advisory jury in Oakland. Schmidt said that the same report noted 40% of those surveyed said they felt better, and 41% felt no different. In other internal documents, employees discussed making a product that “intentionally promotes wellbeing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Schmidt also said there are “real challenges in verifying age,” but that Meta has always required users to be at least 13, and has more recently developed detection tools to identify accounts belonging to children. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meta said in a statement that it was “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people,” but parents and advocates at the courthouse on Tuesday said they believe the company will be held accountable in the coming weeks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re going to make history here,” said Erin Popolo, whose daughter Emily died by suicide after being cyberbullied and harassed. “This is going to be a groundbreaking trial. They’re going to be found liable for what they are doing to people.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The trial is expected to go on for weeks and feature testimony from high-level Meta executives, including founder Mark Zuckerberg, who wasn’t present in the courtroom on Tuesday, as well as state health and education officials.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The jury will provide an advisory verdict, but Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers — who has a track record of presiding over blockbuster tech industry cases, including this spring’s trial between \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081290/how-to-unscramble-an-omelet-in-silicon-valley-the-musk-v-altman-trial-that-will-try\">Sam Altman and Elon Musk\u003c/a> — will decide the civil penalties and any changes Meta will be required to make, if it is found liable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Meta, one of the largest, most powerful companies in the world, carried out a campaign to deceive, to mislead its users, legislators, teachers and parents,” O’Neill said. “At the end of this trial, we’re going to ask you to hold Meta accountable.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "PG&E Will Pay $22 Million for Mosquito Fire, Biggest Blaze of 2022",
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"headTitle": "PG&E Will Pay $22 Million for Mosquito Fire, Biggest Blaze of 2022 | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>PG&E will pay $22 million to settle claims over the 2022 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11925573/firefighters-report-steady-gains-against-mosquito-fire-now-states-largest-of-the-year\">Mosquito Fire\u003c/a> that burned over 75,000 acres and destroyed 78 structures in Placer County. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire broke out at the peak of a record-breaking heat wave and was the largest fire of the year, burning for 47 days. Placer County Executive Officer Daniel Chatigny told KQED that, four years later, their community is “still recovering.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Using grants from the U.S. Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Placer Resource Conservation District has been restoring the forest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Liana Matson Vitousek, a spokesperson for the district, noted in a statement that so far this work has involved removing hazardous fuel from 875 acres \u003cem>a\u003c/em>nd planting 45,000 seedlings within the Mosquito Fire footprint. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1438\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774.jpg\" alt=\"Trees engulfed in flames\" class=\"wp-image-11964465\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-800x599.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-1020x764.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-1536x1150.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Firefighters battle the Mosquito Fire near Foresthill, California on September 7, 2022. (Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Between the ongoing restoration work, remaining standing dead trees and an already active fire season, the Mosquito Fire remains a presence even four years after it burned,” Vitousek said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>PG&E said in a statement to KQED that “no official cause of the Mosquito Fire has been determined,” but that \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M613/K284/613284257.pdf\">settling\u003c/a> the matter allows it to focus on making safety improvements throughout California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/attachment-b---mosquito-fire-incident-investigation-report---redacted.pdf\">investigation\u003c/a> by the California Public Utilities Commission found that PG&E failed to correct loose wire repairs, failed to clear vegetation around the base of the Oxbow Junction pole and disposed of the pole that allegedly started the fire after being instructed to preserve it — among other violations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E initially contested many of the allegations but ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/draft-resoluton-sed-13--approving-aco-sed-and-pge-re-2022-mosquito-fire.pdf\">agreed\u003c/a> to some, including disposing of the pole and failing to correct a loose wire repair. The fine requires PG&E shareholders to put $21 million into the California general fund, which is used for \u003ca href=\"https://dof.ca.gov/media/docs/budget/california-budget-frequently-asked-questions/fundclassifications.pdf\">most\u003c/a> state expenditures. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An additional $1 million will go toward a third-party review of PG&E’s Centralized Inspection Review Team. Historically, fines by the commission have largely gone toward wildfire prevention and recovery efforts, with relatively little going into the general fund. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/draft-resoluton-sed-13--approving-aco-sed-and-pge-re-2022-mosquito-fire.pdf\">paid\u003c/a> $45 million for the 2021 Dixie Fire, $150 million for the 2020 Zogg Fire and $125 million for the 2019 Kincade Fire, plus $1.937 billion for fires in 2017 and 2018. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We owe it to Californians to learn from these fires, strengthen safety, and do everything we can to prevent the next tragedy,” California Public Utilities Commission Commissioner Christine Harada said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/news-and-updates/all-news/cpuc-penalizes-pacific-gas-and-electric-22-million-dollars-for-2022-placer-county-fire\">statement\u003c/a> announcing approval of the settlement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given that the fine is largely going toward the general fund, the resource conservation district’s Vitousek noted that it will not directly impact reforestation efforts. Vitousek said she hopes nevertheless that the agreement will lead to improved safety and maintenance.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Liana Matson Vitousek, a spokesperson for the district, noted in a statement that so far this work has involved removing hazardous fuel from 875 acres \u003cem>a\u003c/em>nd planting 45,000 seedlings within the Mosquito Fire footprint. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774.jpg\" alt=\"Trees engulfed in flames\" class=\"wp-image-11964465\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-800x599.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-1020x764.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-1536x1150.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Firefighters battle the Mosquito Fire near Foresthill, California on September 7, 2022. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>PG&E said in a statement to KQED that “no official cause of the Mosquito Fire has been determined,” but that \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M613/K284/613284257.pdf\">settling\u003c/a> the matter allows it to focus on making safety improvements throughout California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>PG&E initially contested many of the allegations but ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/draft-resoluton-sed-13--approving-aco-sed-and-pge-re-2022-mosquito-fire.pdf\">agreed\u003c/a> to some, including disposing of the pole and failing to correct a loose wire repair. The fine requires PG&E shareholders to put $21 million into the California general fund, which is used for \u003ca href=\"https://dof.ca.gov/media/docs/budget/california-budget-frequently-asked-questions/fundclassifications.pdf\">most\u003c/a> state expenditures. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An additional $1 million will go toward a third-party review of PG&E’s Centralized Inspection Review Team. Historically, fines by the commission have largely gone toward wildfire prevention and recovery efforts, with relatively little going into the general fund. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We owe it to Californians to learn from these fires, strengthen safety, and do everything we can to prevent the next tragedy,” California Public Utilities Commission Commissioner Christine Harada said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/news-and-updates/all-news/cpuc-penalizes-pacific-gas-and-electric-22-million-dollars-for-2022-placer-county-fire\">statement\u003c/a> announcing approval of the settlement.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Given that the fine is largely going toward the general fund, the resource conservation district’s Vitousek noted that it will not directly impact reforestation efforts. Vitousek said she hopes nevertheless that the agreement will lead to improved safety and maintenance.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The deal contains no admission of responsibility by the utility for starting the fire, but PG&E does admit to having mistakenly disposed of evidence it was instructed to preserve. ",
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"title": "PG&E Will Pay $22 Million for Mosquito Fire, Biggest Blaze of 2022 | KQED",
"description": "The deal contains no admission of responsibility by the utility for starting the fire, but PG&E does admit to having mistakenly disposed of evidence it was instructed to preserve. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>PG&E will pay $22 million to settle claims over the 2022 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11925573/firefighters-report-steady-gains-against-mosquito-fire-now-states-largest-of-the-year\">Mosquito Fire\u003c/a> that burned over 75,000 acres and destroyed 78 structures in Placer County. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The fire broke out at the peak of a record-breaking heat wave and was the largest fire of the year, burning for 47 days. Placer County Executive Officer Daniel Chatigny told KQED that, four years later, their community is “still recovering.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Using grants from the U.S. Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Placer Resource Conservation District has been restoring the forest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Liana Matson Vitousek, a spokesperson for the district, noted in a statement that so far this work has involved removing hazardous fuel from 875 acres \u003cem>a\u003c/em>nd planting 45,000 seedlings within the Mosquito Fire footprint. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1438\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774.jpg\" alt=\"Trees engulfed in flames\" class=\"wp-image-11964465\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-800x599.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-1020x764.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/IMG_3239-scaled-e1697232933774-1536x1150.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Firefighters battle the Mosquito Fire near Foresthill, California on September 7, 2022. (Andrew Nixon/CapRadio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Between the ongoing restoration work, remaining standing dead trees and an already active fire season, the Mosquito Fire remains a presence even four years after it burned,” Vitousek said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>PG&E said in a statement to KQED that “no official cause of the Mosquito Fire has been determined,” but that \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M613/K284/613284257.pdf\">settling\u003c/a> the matter allows it to focus on making safety improvements throughout California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/attachment-b---mosquito-fire-incident-investigation-report---redacted.pdf\">investigation\u003c/a> by the California Public Utilities Commission found that PG&E failed to correct loose wire repairs, failed to clear vegetation around the base of the Oxbow Junction pole and disposed of the pole that allegedly started the fire after being instructed to preserve it — among other violations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E initially contested many of the allegations but ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/draft-resoluton-sed-13--approving-aco-sed-and-pge-re-2022-mosquito-fire.pdf\">agreed\u003c/a> to some, including disposing of the pole and failing to correct a loose wire repair. The fine requires PG&E shareholders to put $21 million into the California general fund, which is used for \u003ca href=\"https://dof.ca.gov/media/docs/budget/california-budget-frequently-asked-questions/fundclassifications.pdf\">most\u003c/a> state expenditures. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An additional $1 million will go toward a third-party review of PG&E’s Centralized Inspection Review Team. Historically, fines by the commission have largely gone toward wildfire prevention and recovery efforts, with relatively little going into the general fund. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>PG&E \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/acos-and-aeos/mosquito-fire-aco-07102026/draft-resoluton-sed-13--approving-aco-sed-and-pge-re-2022-mosquito-fire.pdf\">paid\u003c/a> $45 million for the 2021 Dixie Fire, $150 million for the 2020 Zogg Fire and $125 million for the 2019 Kincade Fire, plus $1.937 billion for fires in 2017 and 2018. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We owe it to Californians to learn from these fires, strengthen safety, and do everything we can to prevent the next tragedy,” California Public Utilities Commission Commissioner Christine Harada said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/news-and-updates/all-news/cpuc-penalizes-pacific-gas-and-electric-22-million-dollars-for-2022-placer-county-fire\">statement\u003c/a> announcing approval of the settlement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given that the fine is largely going toward the general fund, the resource conservation district’s Vitousek noted that it will not directly impact reforestation efforts. Vitousek said she hopes nevertheless that the agreement will lead to improved safety and maintenance.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "oakland-sues-la-peralta-apartment-owners-over-elevator-outages-livability-issues",
"title": "Oakland Sues La Peralta Apartment Owners Over Elevator Outages, Livability Issues",
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"headTitle": "Oakland Sues La Peralta Apartment Owners Over Elevator Outages, Livability Issues | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Unable to assist because of her own mobility issues, Kathy Vaquilar called 911 last summer when her husband fell in their \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/housing\">Oakland apartment\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because there was no working elevator in their building, however, paramedics had to strap the 80-year-old Richard Johnson into something like a tarp to bring him down four flights of stairs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That elevator outage at La Peralta in downtown Oakland lasted 52 days, from June 28 to Aug. 18, 2025. In a complaint filed Aug. 11 against the building’s owners and operators, City Attorney Ryan Richardson notes that variations of Vaquilar and Johnson’s ordeal were experienced by many of the 93 residential units.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095132\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kathy Vaquilar holds a photo of her deceased husband, Rich Johnson, at the La Peralta building where the couple lived, in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You have the situation where there are people with mobility issues that are on the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors of this building, and they didn’t have easy ways to take care of their basic needs, to go outside, to do their laundry, to take their trash out,” Richardson said. “And if there was an emergency, they were at the mercy of folks getting to them, as opposed to them being able to evacuate easily.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Filed in Alameda County Superior Court, the suit by the city attorney notes that La Peralta’s elevator problems were so pervasive that the Oakland Fire Department had to free tenants trapped in elevators 14 times between 2024 and 2025. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the fire department called such frequency very uncommon. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The Summer 2025 elevator outage was not an isolated incident at La Peralta; it is part of Defendants’ dangerous pattern of refusing to conduct regular maintenance of their elevators, causing repeated emergency rescue events,” the complaint states.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Richardson’s suit names as defendants 184 13th Street Associates, which owns La Peralta; the Mosser Companies, which runs it; and CEO Neveo Mosser. The Mosser Companies is one of Northern California’s largest housing providers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The lawsuit alleges that Neveo Mosser runs both of the named companies and used the corporate ownership structure to “insulate himself from the liabilities connected to his failure to provide habitable living conditions.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mosser representatives did not return a request for comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Residents said Mosser did not fix La Peralta’s broken passenger and freight elevators until it faced media attention and a city inquiry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095130\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The La Peralta building in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Vaquilar, 68, noted in an interview that the elevator outage occurred while she was taking care of her gravely ill husband in what would be the last summer of his life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was under a lot of stress, too,” Vaquilar said. “Because I had to work full-time and take care of him, as well. And I would come home at lunchtime and check on him.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because of her own mobility issues, Vaquilar said every trip home meant an exhausting and sometimes painful climb up to her four flights of stairs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you’re carrying groceries or garbage or laundry, it’s just extra hard. I’d have to take breaks at each of the levels,” Vaquilar said, adding that she’d sometimes have to make multiple trips. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Johnson \u003ca href=\"https://abc7news.com/post/elevator-not-working-5-weeks-oakland-apartment-building-tenants-turn-team/17444876/\">told ABC7\u003c/a> at the time that he felt trapped in his apartment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He died this past April.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think he would have gone out a lot more… and he needed to go out and get some sunshine,” Vaquilar said. “It definitely impacted his health.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Counting other habitability issues, the lawsuit alleges that Mosser failed to fix fire damage, structural damage and pest infestations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095306\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kathy Vaquilar waits for the elevator at the La Peralta building, where she lives, in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026. The City of Oakland and tenants are suing La Peralta’s landlord, Mosser Living, over the unusable elevators. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oakland’s Elevator Maintenance Ordinance requires landlords to post a notice any time elevators are out of service and to estimate when they’ll be working again. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Repairs must be completed as soon as reasonably possible. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If elevators are out of service for more than 24 hours, landlords are required to pay to temporarily relocate any tenants who are severely impacted, including those with disabilities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Richardson said his office is seeking assurances that the elevators will be regularly maintained, that the other habitability issues will be addressed, and that Mosser will offer compensation for the tenants, including any who may have moved out because of the elevator problems.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We also want to make sure the tenants who were … fulfilling their side of the bargain and paying their rent this entire time, but didn’t receive a habitable, dignified place to live, that they get some restitution,” Richardson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Vaquilar is among a group of La Peralta residents who are also pursuing their own lawsuit against Mosser. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095164\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Panels that once displayed elevator-safety and maintenance credentials are now empty inside the elevator at the La Peralta building in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I know that people want compensation,” Vaquilar said. “The compensation would definitely help a lot because they keep raising the rent here … and that’s ridiculous because we’re not getting the kind of service that we should if we’re paying rent on a regular basis.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Mosser lawsuit comes a month after Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/07/17/oakland-lawsuit-mann-dodg-landlords-extended/\">extended its oversight\u003c/a> of landlords Baljit Singh Mann and Surinder Mann, members of a family known for owning dozens of properties across the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oakland first sued the Manns and their companies in 2021 for poor living conditions and illegal unit conversions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That oversight was meant to end this fall, but Richardson’s office accused the Manns of not keeping up with their agreement, and the two sides agreed to extend the arrangement for three years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095132\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kathy Vaquilar holds a photo of her deceased husband, Rich Johnson, at the La Peralta building where the couple lived, in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095132\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kathy Vaquilar holds a photo of her deceased husband, Rich Johnson, at the La Peralta building where the couple lived, in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You have the situation where there are people with mobility issues that are on the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors of this building, and they didn’t have easy ways to take care of their basic needs, to go outside, to do their laundry, to take their trash out,” Richardson said. “And if there was an emergency, they were at the mercy of folks getting to them, as opposed to them being able to evacuate easily.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Filed in Alameda County Superior Court, the suit by the city attorney notes that La Peralta’s elevator problems were so pervasive that the Oakland Fire Department had to free tenants trapped in elevators 14 times between 2024 and 2025. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Filed in Alameda County Superior Court, the suit by the city attorney notes that La Peralta’s elevator problems were so pervasive that the Oakland Fire Department had to free tenants trapped in elevators 14 times between 2024 and 2025. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the fire department called such frequency very uncommon. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The Summer 2025 elevator outage was not an isolated incident at La Peralta; it is part of Defendants’ dangerous pattern of refusing to conduct regular maintenance of their elevators, causing repeated emergency rescue events,” the complaint states.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The Summer 2025 elevator outage was not an isolated incident at La Peralta; it is part of Defendants’ dangerous pattern of refusing to conduct regular maintenance of their elevators, causing repeated emergency rescue events,” the complaint states.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Richardson’s suit names as defendants 184 13th Street Associates, which owns La Peralta; the Mosser Companies, which runs it; and CEO Neveo Mosser. The Mosser Companies is one of Northern California’s largest housing providers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Richardson’s suit names as defendants 184 13th Street Associates, which owns La Peralta; the Mosser Companies, which runs it; and CEO Neveo Mosser. The Mosser Companies is one of Northern California’s largest housing providers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The lawsuit alleges that Neveo Mosser runs both of the named companies and used the corporate ownership structure to “insulate himself from the liabilities connected to his failure to provide habitable living conditions.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mosser representatives did not return a request for comment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Residents said Mosser did not fix La Peralta’s broken passenger and freight elevators until it faced media attention and a city inquiry. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Residents said Mosser did not fix La Peralta’s broken passenger and freight elevators until it faced media attention and a city inquiry. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095130\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The La Peralta building in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095130\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The La Peralta building in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Vaquilar, 68, noted in an interview that the elevator outage occurred while she was taking care of her gravely ill husband in what would be the last summer of his life. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I was under a lot of stress, too,” Vaquilar said. “Because I had to work full-time and take care of him, as well. And I would come home at lunchtime and check on him.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I was under a lot of stress, too,” Vaquilar said. “Because I had to work full-time and take care of him, as well. And I would come home at lunchtime and check on him.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Because of her own mobility issues, Vaquilar said every trip home meant an exhausting and sometimes painful climb up to her four flights of stairs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If you’re carrying groceries or garbage or laundry, it’s just extra hard. I’d have to take breaks at each of the levels,” Vaquilar said, adding that she’d sometimes have to make multiple trips. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If you’re carrying groceries or garbage or laundry, it’s just extra hard. I’d have to take breaks at each of the levels,” Vaquilar said, adding that she’d sometimes have to make multiple trips. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Johnson \u003ca href=\"https://abc7news.com/post/elevator-not-working-5-weeks-oakland-apartment-building-tenants-turn-team/17444876/\">told ABC7\u003c/a> at the time that he felt trapped in his apartment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Johnson \u003ca href=\"https://abc7news.com/post/elevator-not-working-5-weeks-oakland-apartment-building-tenants-turn-team/17444876/\">told ABC7\u003c/a> at the time that he felt trapped in his apartment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He died this past April.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think he would have gone out a lot more… and he needed to go out and get some sunshine,” Vaquilar said. “It definitely impacted his health.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I think he would have gone out a lot more… and he needed to go out and get some sunshine,” Vaquilar said. “It definitely impacted his health.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Counting other habitability issues, the lawsuit alleges that Mosser failed to fix fire damage, structural damage and pest infestations. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Counting other habitability issues, the lawsuit alleges that Mosser failed to fix fire damage, structural damage and pest infestations. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095306\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kathy Vaquilar waits for the elevator at the La Peralta building, where she lives, in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026. The City of Oakland and tenants are suing La Peralta’s landlord, Mosser Living, over the unusable elevators.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095306\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kathy Vaquilar waits for the elevator at the La Peralta building, where she lives, in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026. The City of Oakland and tenants are suing La Peralta’s landlord, Mosser Living, over the unusable elevators.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Oakland’s Elevator Maintenance Ordinance requires landlords to post a notice any time elevators are out of service and to estimate when they’ll be working again. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Oakland’s Elevator Maintenance Ordinance requires landlords to post a notice any time elevators are out of service and to estimate when they’ll be working again. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Repairs must be completed as soon as reasonably possible. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If elevators are out of service for more than 24 hours, landlords are required to pay to temporarily relocate any tenants who are severely impacted, including those with disabilities.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If elevators are out of service for more than 24 hours, landlords are required to pay to temporarily relocate any tenants who are severely impacted, including those with disabilities.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Richardson said his office is seeking assurances that the elevators will be regularly maintained, that the other habitability issues will be addressed, and that Mosser will offer compensation for the tenants, including any who may have moved out because of the elevator problems.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Richardson said his office is seeking assurances that the elevators will be regularly maintained, that the other habitability issues will be addressed, and that Mosser will offer compensation for the tenants, including any who may have moved out because of the elevator problems.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We also want to make sure the tenants who were … fulfilling their side of the bargain and paying their rent this entire time, but didn’t receive a habitable, dignified place to live, that they get some restitution,” Richardson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We also want to make sure the tenants who were … fulfilling their side of the bargain and paying their rent this entire time, but didn’t receive a habitable, dignified place to live, that they get some restitution,” Richardson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Vaquilar is among a group of La Peralta residents who are also pursuing their own lawsuit against Mosser. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Vaquilar is among a group of La Peralta residents who are also pursuing their own lawsuit against Mosser. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095164\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Panels that once displayed elevator-safety and maintenance credentials are now empty inside the elevator at the La Peralta building in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095164\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Panels that once displayed elevator-safety and maintenance credentials are now empty inside the elevator at the La Peralta building in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I know that people want compensation,” Vaquilar said. “The compensation would definitely help a lot because they keep raising the rent here … and that’s ridiculous because we’re not getting the kind of service that we should if we’re paying rent on a regular basis.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I know that people want compensation,” Vaquilar said. “The compensation would definitely help a lot because they keep raising the rent here … and that’s ridiculous because we’re not getting the kind of service that we should if we’re paying rent on a regular basis.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Mosser lawsuit comes a month after Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/07/17/oakland-lawsuit-mann-dodg-landlords-extended/\">extended its oversight\u003c/a> of landlords Baljit Singh Mann and Surinder Mann, members of a family known for owning dozens of properties across the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That oversight was meant to end this fall, but Richardson’s office accused the Manns of not keeping up with their agreement, and the two sides agreed to extend the arrangement for three years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The Oakland city attorney alleges repeated elevator failures, fire and structural damage and pests at the six-story building.",
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"title": "Oakland Sues La Peralta Apartment Owners Over Elevator Outages, Livability Issues | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Unable to assist because of her own mobility issues, Kathy Vaquilar called 911 last summer when her husband fell in their \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/housing\">Oakland apartment\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because there was no working elevator in their building, however, paramedics had to strap the 80-year-old Richard Johnson into something like a tarp to bring him down four flights of stairs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That elevator outage at La Peralta in downtown Oakland lasted 52 days, from June 28 to Aug. 18, 2025. In a complaint filed Aug. 11 against the building’s owners and operators, City Attorney Ryan Richardson notes that variations of Vaquilar and Johnson’s ordeal were experienced by many of the 93 residential units.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095132\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kathy Vaquilar holds a photo of her deceased husband, Rich Johnson, at the La Peralta building where the couple lived, in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You have the situation where there are people with mobility issues that are on the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors of this building, and they didn’t have easy ways to take care of their basic needs, to go outside, to do their laundry, to take their trash out,” Richardson said. “And if there was an emergency, they were at the mercy of folks getting to them, as opposed to them being able to evacuate easily.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Filed in Alameda County Superior Court, the suit by the city attorney notes that La Peralta’s elevator problems were so pervasive that the Oakland Fire Department had to free tenants trapped in elevators 14 times between 2024 and 2025. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for the fire department called such frequency very uncommon. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The Summer 2025 elevator outage was not an isolated incident at La Peralta; it is part of Defendants’ dangerous pattern of refusing to conduct regular maintenance of their elevators, causing repeated emergency rescue events,” the complaint states.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Richardson’s suit names as defendants 184 13th Street Associates, which owns La Peralta; the Mosser Companies, which runs it; and CEO Neveo Mosser. The Mosser Companies is one of Northern California’s largest housing providers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The lawsuit alleges that Neveo Mosser runs both of the named companies and used the corporate ownership structure to “insulate himself from the liabilities connected to his failure to provide habitable living conditions.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mosser representatives did not return a request for comment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Residents said Mosser did not fix La Peralta’s broken passenger and freight elevators until it faced media attention and a city inquiry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095130\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-02-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The La Peralta building in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Vaquilar, 68, noted in an interview that the elevator outage occurred while she was taking care of her gravely ill husband in what would be the last summer of his life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was under a lot of stress, too,” Vaquilar said. “Because I had to work full-time and take care of him, as well. And I would come home at lunchtime and check on him.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because of her own mobility issues, Vaquilar said every trip home meant an exhausting and sometimes painful climb up to her four flights of stairs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you’re carrying groceries or garbage or laundry, it’s just extra hard. I’d have to take breaks at each of the levels,” Vaquilar said, adding that she’d sometimes have to make multiple trips. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Johnson \u003ca href=\"https://abc7news.com/post/elevator-not-working-5-weeks-oakland-apartment-building-tenants-turn-team/17444876/\">told ABC7\u003c/a> at the time that he felt trapped in his apartment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He died this past April.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think he would have gone out a lot more… and he needed to go out and get some sunshine,” Vaquilar said. “It definitely impacted his health.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Counting other habitability issues, the lawsuit alleges that Mosser failed to fix fire damage, structural damage and pest infestations. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095306\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-10-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kathy Vaquilar waits for the elevator at the La Peralta building, where she lives, in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026. The City of Oakland and tenants are suing La Peralta’s landlord, Mosser Living, over the unusable elevators. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oakland’s Elevator Maintenance Ordinance requires landlords to post a notice any time elevators are out of service and to estimate when they’ll be working again. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Repairs must be completed as soon as reasonably possible. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If elevators are out of service for more than 24 hours, landlords are required to pay to temporarily relocate any tenants who are severely impacted, including those with disabilities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Richardson said his office is seeking assurances that the elevators will be regularly maintained, that the other habitability issues will be addressed, and that Mosser will offer compensation for the tenants, including any who may have moved out because of the elevator problems.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We also want to make sure the tenants who were … fulfilling their side of the bargain and paying their rent this entire time, but didn’t receive a habitable, dignified place to live, that they get some restitution,” Richardson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Vaquilar is among a group of La Peralta residents who are also pursuing their own lawsuit against Mosser. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095164\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/260813-OAK-LANDLORD-SUIT-MD-09-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Panels that once displayed elevator-safety and maintenance credentials are now empty inside the elevator at the La Peralta building in Oakland on Aug. 13, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I know that people want compensation,” Vaquilar said. “The compensation would definitely help a lot because they keep raising the rent here … and that’s ridiculous because we’re not getting the kind of service that we should if we’re paying rent on a regular basis.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Mosser lawsuit comes a month after Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandside.org/2026/07/17/oakland-lawsuit-mann-dodg-landlords-extended/\">extended its oversight\u003c/a> of landlords Baljit Singh Mann and Surinder Mann, members of a family known for owning dozens of properties across the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oakland first sued the Manns and their companies in 2021 for poor living conditions and illegal unit conversions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That oversight was meant to end this fall, but Richardson’s office accused the Manns of not keeping up with their agreement, and the two sides agreed to extend the arrangement for three years.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "san-jose-settles-lawsuit-with-duong-family-waste-company",
"title": "San José Settles Lawsuit With Duong Family Waste Company",
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"headTitle": "San José Settles Lawsuit With Duong Family Waste Company | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>San José will spend about $3.3 million to settle a yearslong lawsuit with California Waste Solutions, the city’s main recycling contractor, whose owners, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022612/ex-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-3-others-charged-with-bribery-sprawling-corruption-probe\">David and Andy Duong\u003c/a>, are charged with bribery and conspiracy in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081746/sheng-thao-corruption-case-judge-confirms-identity-of-key-fbi-informant\">corruption scheme\u003c/a> centered in Oakland. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The payout will end the lengthy litigation and is primarily going toward startup costs for CWS and another small recycling contractor to begin a curbside battery collection service for single-family homes in the city, according to city memos and contract documents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San José will also be on the hook for the ongoing costs of battery collection services through the two contractors for a minimum of five years and potentially as long as a decade as a part of the settlement agreement, the documents said, but an estimate of what the total spend would amount to wasn’t immediately available. The city and the company are both paying for their own legal costs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037773\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flags at City Hall in San José, California, on Aug. 1, 2023. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San José City Council unanimously approved the settlement agreement in late June. Councilmember Peter Ortiz was absent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“CWS is extremely pleased to have achieved a fair settlement with the City of San José that will benefit the city’s residents,” Douglas Straus, an attorney for the company, told KQED in a text message. “CWS looks forward to providing recycling services in San José for many years to come in a positive, collaborative relationship with the city, its staff and its residents.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Susana Alcala Wood, the city attorney for San José, did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the settlement Friday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Waste Solutions filed the lawsuit in January 2023, alleging several wrongs by the city, including breach of contract, unfair dealing, unequal treatment and race discrimination.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company claimed the city was not doing enough to help prevent residents from putting extra trash in their recycling bins, forcing the recycler to “collect and process massive amounts of garbage at an extra cost to [CWS] of tens of millions of dollars,” court filings said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The misplaced garbage made it “impossible” to meet required recycling minimums, leading to millions of dollars worth of diversion penalties on the company, the complaint said. It also claimed the city discriminated against the company because it is an immigrant-owned business, treating it differently than other non-minority waste contractors.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San José refuted the claims from the start, contending it did extensive work to support the company and educate residents on proper trash and recycling disposal practices, and claimed CWS was not meeting the standards needed for its role. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It also increased the company’s annual compensation and offered financial incentives worth millions, it said in past court filings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Due to CWS’s historically deficient performance under the contract throughout the years, the city could have re-initiated the competitive [bidding] process and sought out another service provider for residential recycling. But instead, the city decided to give CWS another chance,” the city filings said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12012944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Then-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao fields questions from press at the election watch and recall party at Fluid510 in Oakland on election night, Nov. 5, 2024. (Camille Cohen for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San José signed a 15-year contract extension with the company in July 2021 that runs through June 2036. The lawsuit’s allegations only applied to CWS’s previous contract with the city, which began in 2010, city reports said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A judge granted the city’s request to throw out the discrimination and unequal treatment allegations in the case due to an expired statute of limitations in late 2025. Following that order, the litigation, including pretrial motions and hearings, as well as settlement discussions, continued. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About a year and a half after the San José lawsuit was filed, the powerful, politically connected Duong family was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991426/oakland-fbi-raids-also-targeted-this-powerful-family-heres-what-we-know\">swept up\u003c/a> in the beginnings of what would become a sprawling FBI corruption probe centering on then-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Oakland waterfront offices CWS occupied were raided by the FBI, along with the homes of CEO David Duong and his son, Andy, in June 2024. Federal authorities alleged a “pay-to-play” corruption scheme involving Thao, her romantic partner Andre Jones and the Duongs, who were all charged with multiple counts of bribery and conspiracy in January 2025. They have all pleaded not guilty. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andy Duong also faces an additional charge of making a false statement to a government agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Asked if the attention on the federal criminal case in Oakland involving David and Andy Duong affected the company’s lawsuit and settlement negotiations in San José, Straus, the attorney for CWS, said no. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“No, they are completely unrelated,” he said. Straus and the firm he works for, Buchalter, are not representing the Duongs in the criminal case. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11629979\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-1180x885.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-960x720.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-240x180.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-375x281.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-520x390.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A California Waste Solutions manager at a plant in San José. (Brian Watt/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city said CWS provides recycling services to about 75% of the city’s single-family homes, while the remaining portion is handled by Waste Connections of California, Inc., known as GreenTeam of San José in the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Under the settlement terms, San José will pay $1 million to CWS and $250,000 to GreenTeam for their respective startup costs for the battery collection program. The city will also spend $750,000 for program outreach to residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city will pay the two contractors 82 cents per household per month for the battery collection services, the city reports said. In the first year, San José estimated the costs of collection services to be about $1.29 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Ongoing costs will be evaluated after the first full year of program implementation,” city reports said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Unlike neighboring cities, San José does not currently offer battery collection through its residential garbage and recycling program, and the addition of this service provides a convenient way for residents to safely dispose of used batteries,” city reports said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José will spend about $3.3 million to settle a yearslong lawsuit with California Waste Solutions, the city’s main recycling contractor, whose owners, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022612/ex-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-3-others-charged-with-bribery-sprawling-corruption-probe\">David and Andy Duong\u003c/a>, are charged with bribery and conspiracy in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081746/sheng-thao-corruption-case-judge-confirms-identity-of-key-fbi-informant\">corruption scheme\u003c/a> centered in Oakland. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The payout will end the lengthy litigation and is primarily going toward startup costs for CWS and another small recycling contractor to begin a curbside battery collection service for single-family homes in the city, according to city memos and contract documents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José will also be on the hook for the ongoing costs of battery collection services through the two contractors for a minimum of five years and potentially as long as a decade as a part of the settlement agreement, the documents said, but an estimate of what the total spend would amount to wasn’t immediately available. The city and the company are both paying for their own legal costs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San José will also be on the hook for the ongoing costs of battery collection services through the two contractors for a minimum of five years and potentially as long as a decade as a part of the settlement agreement, the documents said, but an estimate of what the total spend would amount to wasn’t immediately available. The city and the company are both paying for their own legal costs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037773\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flags at City Hall in San José, California, on Aug. 1, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037773\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flags at City Hall in San José, California, on Aug. 1, 2023.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The San José City Council unanimously approved the settlement agreement in late June. Councilmember Peter Ortiz was absent. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“CWS is extremely pleased to have achieved a fair settlement with the City of San José that will benefit the city’s residents,” Douglas Straus, an attorney for the company, told KQED in a text message. “CWS looks forward to providing recycling services in San José for many years to come in a positive, collaborative relationship with the city, its staff and its residents.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“CWS is extremely pleased to have achieved a fair settlement with the City of San José that will benefit the city’s residents,” Douglas Straus, an attorney for the company, told KQED in a text message. “CWS looks forward to providing recycling services in San José for many years to come in a positive, collaborative relationship with the city, its staff and its residents.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Susana Alcala Wood, the city attorney for San José, did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the settlement Friday. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Susana Alcala Wood, the city attorney for San José, did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the settlement Friday. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California Waste Solutions filed the lawsuit in January 2023, alleging several wrongs by the city, including breach of contract, unfair dealing, unequal treatment and race discrimination.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California Waste Solutions filed the lawsuit in January 2023, alleging several wrongs by the city, including breach of contract, unfair dealing, unequal treatment and race discrimination.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The company claimed the city was not doing enough to help prevent residents from putting extra trash in their recycling bins, forcing the recycler to “collect and process massive amounts of garbage at an extra cost to [CWS] of tens of millions of dollars,” court filings said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The company claimed the city was not doing enough to help prevent residents from putting extra trash in their recycling bins, forcing the recycler to “collect and process massive amounts of garbage at an extra cost to [CWS] of tens of millions of dollars,” court filings said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The misplaced garbage made it “impossible” to meet required recycling minimums, leading to millions of dollars worth of diversion penalties on the company, the complaint said. It also claimed the city discriminated against the company because it is an immigrant-owned business, treating it differently than other non-minority waste contractors.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The misplaced garbage made it “impossible” to meet required recycling minimums, leading to millions of dollars worth of diversion penalties on the company, the complaint said. It also claimed the city discriminated against the company because it is an immigrant-owned business, treating it differently than other non-minority waste contractors.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José refuted the claims from the start, contending it did extensive work to support the company and educate residents on proper trash and recycling disposal practices, and claimed CWS was not meeting the standards needed for its role. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San José refuted the claims from the start, contending it did extensive work to support the company and educate residents on proper trash and recycling disposal practices, and claimed CWS was not meeting the standards needed for its role. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It also increased the company’s annual compensation and offered financial incentives worth millions, it said in past court filings. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It also increased the company’s annual compensation and offered financial incentives worth millions, it said in past court filings. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Due to CWS’s historically deficient performance under the contract throughout the years, the city could have re-initiated the competitive [bidding] process and sought out another service provider for residential recycling. But instead, the city decided to give CWS another chance,” the city filings said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Due to CWS’s historically deficient performance under the contract throughout the years, the city could have re-initiated the competitive [bidding] process and sought out another service provider for residential recycling. But instead, the city decided to give CWS another chance,” the city filings said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12012944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Then-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao fields questions from press at the election watch and recall party at Fluid510 in Oakland on election night, Nov. 5, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Camille Cohen for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12012944\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Then-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao fields questions from press at the election watch and recall party at Fluid510 in Oakland on election night, Nov. 5, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Camille Cohen for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José signed a 15-year contract extension with the company in July 2021 that runs through June 2036. The lawsuit’s allegations only applied to CWS’s previous contract with the city, which began in 2010, city reports said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San José signed a 15-year contract extension with the company in July 2021 that runs through June 2036. The lawsuit’s allegations only applied to CWS’s previous contract with the city, which began in 2010, city reports said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A judge granted the city’s request to throw out the discrimination and unequal treatment allegations in the case due to an expired statute of limitations in late 2025. Following that order, the litigation, including pretrial motions and hearings, as well as settlement discussions, continued. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A judge granted the city’s request to throw out the discrimination and unequal treatment allegations in the case due to an expired statute of limitations in late 2025. Following that order, the litigation, including pretrial motions and hearings, as well as settlement discussions, continued. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>About a year and a half after the San José lawsuit was filed, the powerful, politically connected Duong family was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991426/oakland-fbi-raids-also-targeted-this-powerful-family-heres-what-we-know\">swept up\u003c/a> in the beginnings of what would become a sprawling FBI corruption probe centering on then-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>About a year and a half after the San José lawsuit was filed, the powerful, politically connected Duong family was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991426/oakland-fbi-raids-also-targeted-this-powerful-family-heres-what-we-know\">swept up\u003c/a> in the beginnings of what would become a sprawling FBI corruption probe centering on then-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Oakland waterfront offices CWS occupied were raided by the FBI, along with the homes of CEO David Duong and his son, Andy, in June 2024. Federal authorities alleged a “pay-to-play” corruption scheme involving Thao, her romantic partner Andre Jones and the Duongs, who were all charged with multiple counts of bribery and conspiracy in January 2025. They have all pleaded not guilty. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Oakland waterfront offices CWS occupied were raided by the FBI, along with the homes of CEO David Duong and his son, Andy, in June 2024. Federal authorities alleged a “pay-to-play” corruption scheme involving Thao, her romantic partner Andre Jones and the Duongs, who were all charged with multiple counts of bribery and conspiracy in January 2025. They have all pleaded not guilty. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Andy Duong also faces an additional charge of making a false statement to a government agency. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Asked if the attention on the federal criminal case in Oakland involving David and Andy Duong affected the company’s lawsuit and settlement negotiations in San José, Straus, the attorney for CWS, said no. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Asked if the attention on the federal criminal case in Oakland involving David and Andy Duong affected the company’s lawsuit and settlement negotiations in San José, Straus, the attorney for CWS, said no. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“No, they are completely unrelated,” he said. Straus and the firm he works for, Buchalter, are not representing the Duongs in the criminal case. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“No, they are completely unrelated,” he said. Straus and the firm he works for, Buchalter, are not representing the Duongs in the criminal case. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11629979\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-1180x885.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-960x720.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-240x180.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-375x281.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-520x390.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A California Waste Solutions manager at a plant in San José.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian Watt/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11629979\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A California Waste Solutions manager at a plant in San José.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Brian Watt/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city said CWS provides recycling services to about 75% of the city’s single-family homes, while the remaining portion is handled by Waste Connections of California, Inc., known as GreenTeam of San José in the city. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city said CWS provides recycling services to about 75% of the city’s single-family homes, while the remaining portion is handled by Waste Connections of California, Inc., known as GreenTeam of San José in the city. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Under the settlement terms, San José will pay $1 million to CWS and $250,000 to GreenTeam for their respective startup costs for the battery collection program. The city will also spend $750,000 for program outreach to residents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Under the settlement terms, San José will pay $1 million to CWS and $250,000 to GreenTeam for their respective startup costs for the battery collection program. The city will also spend $750,000 for program outreach to residents. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city will pay the two contractors 82 cents per household per month for the battery collection services, the city reports said. In the first year, San José estimated the costs of collection services to be about $1.29 million. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city will pay the two contractors 82 cents per household per month for the battery collection services, the city reports said. In the first year, San José estimated the costs of collection services to be about $1.29 million. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Ongoing costs will be evaluated after the first full year of program implementation,” city reports said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Unlike neighboring cities, San José does not currently offer battery collection through its residential garbage and recycling program, and the addition of this service provides a convenient way for residents to safely dispose of used batteries,” city reports said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Unlike neighboring cities, San José does not currently offer battery collection through its residential garbage and recycling program, and the addition of this service provides a convenient way for residents to safely dispose of used batteries,” city reports said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "San José and its main recycling contractor, California Waste Solutions, are settling a yearslong lawsuit.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>San José will spend about $3.3 million to settle a yearslong lawsuit with California Waste Solutions, the city’s main recycling contractor, whose owners, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022612/ex-oakland-mayor-sheng-thao-3-others-charged-with-bribery-sprawling-corruption-probe\">David and Andy Duong\u003c/a>, are charged with bribery and conspiracy in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081746/sheng-thao-corruption-case-judge-confirms-identity-of-key-fbi-informant\">corruption scheme\u003c/a> centered in Oakland. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The payout will end the lengthy litigation and is primarily going toward startup costs for CWS and another small recycling contractor to begin a curbside battery collection service for single-family homes in the city, according to city memos and contract documents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San José will also be on the hook for the ongoing costs of battery collection services through the two contractors for a minimum of five years and potentially as long as a decade as a part of the settlement agreement, the documents said, but an estimate of what the total spend would amount to wasn’t immediately available. The city and the company are both paying for their own legal costs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12037773\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20230801-SJCityHall-04-JY_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Flags at City Hall in San José, California, on Aug. 1, 2023. (Juliana Yamada/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The San José City Council unanimously approved the settlement agreement in late June. Councilmember Peter Ortiz was absent. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“CWS is extremely pleased to have achieved a fair settlement with the City of San José that will benefit the city’s residents,” Douglas Straus, an attorney for the company, told KQED in a text message. “CWS looks forward to providing recycling services in San José for many years to come in a positive, collaborative relationship with the city, its staff and its residents.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Susana Alcala Wood, the city attorney for San José, did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the settlement Friday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Waste Solutions filed the lawsuit in January 2023, alleging several wrongs by the city, including breach of contract, unfair dealing, unequal treatment and race discrimination.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The company claimed the city was not doing enough to help prevent residents from putting extra trash in their recycling bins, forcing the recycler to “collect and process massive amounts of garbage at an extra cost to [CWS] of tens of millions of dollars,” court filings said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The misplaced garbage made it “impossible” to meet required recycling minimums, leading to millions of dollars worth of diversion penalties on the company, the complaint said. It also claimed the city discriminated against the company because it is an immigrant-owned business, treating it differently than other non-minority waste contractors.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San José refuted the claims from the start, contending it did extensive work to support the company and educate residents on proper trash and recycling disposal practices, and claimed CWS was not meeting the standards needed for its role. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It also increased the company’s annual compensation and offered financial incentives worth millions, it said in past court filings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Due to CWS’s historically deficient performance under the contract throughout the years, the city could have re-initiated the competitive [bidding] process and sought out another service provider for residential recycling. But instead, the city decided to give CWS another chance,” the city filings said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12012944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/241105-ELECTION-NIGHT-THAO-PARTY-CC-01-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Then-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao fields questions from press at the election watch and recall party at Fluid510 in Oakland on election night, Nov. 5, 2024. (Camille Cohen for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San José signed a 15-year contract extension with the company in July 2021 that runs through June 2036. The lawsuit’s allegations only applied to CWS’s previous contract with the city, which began in 2010, city reports said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A judge granted the city’s request to throw out the discrimination and unequal treatment allegations in the case due to an expired statute of limitations in late 2025. Following that order, the litigation, including pretrial motions and hearings, as well as settlement discussions, continued. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About a year and a half after the San José lawsuit was filed, the powerful, politically connected Duong family was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11991426/oakland-fbi-raids-also-targeted-this-powerful-family-heres-what-we-know\">swept up\u003c/a> in the beginnings of what would become a sprawling FBI corruption probe centering on then-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Oakland waterfront offices CWS occupied were raided by the FBI, along with the homes of CEO David Duong and his son, Andy, in June 2024. Federal authorities alleged a “pay-to-play” corruption scheme involving Thao, her romantic partner Andre Jones and the Duongs, who were all charged with multiple counts of bribery and conspiracy in January 2025. They have all pleaded not guilty. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andy Duong also faces an additional charge of making a false statement to a government agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Asked if the attention on the federal criminal case in Oakland involving David and Andy Duong affected the company’s lawsuit and settlement negotiations in San José, Straus, the attorney for CWS, said no. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“No, they are completely unrelated,” he said. Straus and the firm he works for, Buchalter, are not representing the Duongs in the criminal case. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11629979\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-1180x885.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-960x720.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-240x180.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-375x281.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/11/RS27955_IMG_8170-qut-1-520x390.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A California Waste Solutions manager at a plant in San José. (Brian Watt/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city said CWS provides recycling services to about 75% of the city’s single-family homes, while the remaining portion is handled by Waste Connections of California, Inc., known as GreenTeam of San José in the city. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Under the settlement terms, San José will pay $1 million to CWS and $250,000 to GreenTeam for their respective startup costs for the battery collection program. The city will also spend $750,000 for program outreach to residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city will pay the two contractors 82 cents per household per month for the battery collection services, the city reports said. In the first year, San José estimated the costs of collection services to be about $1.29 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Ongoing costs will be evaluated after the first full year of program implementation,” city reports said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Unlike neighboring cities, San José does not currently offer battery collection through its residential garbage and recycling program, and the addition of this service provides a convenient way for residents to safely dispose of used batteries,” city reports said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "us-doj-finds-unbroken-pattern-of-sexual-abuse-by-california-prison-staff",
"title": "US DOJ Finds ‘Unbroken Pattern’ of Sexual Abuse by California Prison Staff",
"publishDate": 1786730359,
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"headTitle": "US DOJ Finds ‘Unbroken Pattern’ of Sexual Abuse by California Prison Staff | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079668/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison\">California prison officials\u003c/a> have failed to protect incarcerated women from sexual abuse and harassment by staff for years, the U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-california-womens-prisons-violate-constitution-failing-protect\">said\u003c/a> in a new report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Justice Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-civil-rights-investigation-correctional-staff-sexual-abuse-two\">began\u003c/a> investigating the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino nearly two years ago after hundreds of incarcerated women \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12003230/feds-investigate-california-prisons-where-women-say-culture-of-impunity-surrounded-abuse\">filed legal claims\u003c/a> alleging sexual exploitation by staff and an officer was \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2022/12/28/cdcr-refers-internal-investigation-into-former-correctional-officer-to-district-attorney-for-charges-of-sexual-misconduct-of-incarcerated-women/\">arrested\u003c/a> for sexually abusing at least 22 women. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The department reviewed 350 allegations of sexual misconduct, interviewed prisoners and looked at body-worn camera footage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090739\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\">report\u003c/a> released Thursday, investigators said they found an “unbroken pattern” of staff sexual assault dating back over 20 years at California’s two women’s prisons. The department concluded that prison officials knew women faced a substantial risk of sexual abuse but failed to adequately protect them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Investigators pointed to gaps in surveillance camera coverage, a lack of confidential reporting options, inadequate investigations and failures to hold staff accountable — systemic problems the DOJ said amount to “deliberate indifference” and violate incarcerated women’s constitutional rights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“None of this should be surprising to CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation], none of it should be surprising to the Legislature,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy organization Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Survivors have spent years speaking out at “hearings, in town halls, in reports,” she said, trying to get officials to address sexual abuse by prison staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State prison officials say they have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault by staff, and that they have taken steps to improve reporting options and expand the use of cameras. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young said those reforms have not fixed the underlying problems. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Women were not being protected,” Young said in an interview with KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the prison in Chowchilla, federal investigators found blind spots around its Plant Operations area and in prison kitchens. Women at both prisons told investigators that kitchen storage rooms without cameras are known as “sugar rooms,” because sugar is stored there and because sexual activity can occur there without detection. Investigators also found abandoned buildings where abuse had occurred.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090738\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers lead an incarcerated woman through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Things like that were extremely concerning,” Young said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report also found correctional officers failed to properly use body-worn cameras, at times turning them off in violation of prison policy. The report pointed out that only correctional officers are required to wear body cameras, despite confirmed cases of sexual misconduct by other staff, including a cook, mental health counselor and work-program staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report details several cases where the state confirmed allegations of sexual assault.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Former correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022075/former-guard-california-womens-prison-found-guilty-59-counts-sexual-abuse\">accused of sexually abusing\u003c/a> dozens of women at CCWF over a decade. California’s corrections department substantiated allegations that he engaged in sexual acts with 21 incarcerated women. Federal investigators said they became aware of more than 65 alleged victims of Rodriguez.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some women reported that Rodriguez assaulted them in a parole hearing room that did not have cameras. In 2023, the Madera County district attorney charged Rodriguez with 97 criminal counts involving 13 women. He was convicted last year on 64 counts and sentenced to 224 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the California Institution for Women, the report points to cases dating back more than a decade, including correctional officers who were convicted or disciplined for sexually abusing incarcerated women.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The hundreds of allegations reviewed by federal investigators likely capture only a portion of the abuse, according to Mota. While she said reporting increased in recent years as more survivors began speaking out, many cases still go unreported for fear of retaliation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090742\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers escort an incarcerated woman through a yard at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report underscored those fears, finding that the system meant to allow incarcerated women to report sexual assault was not truly confidential. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Written grievances, known as 602s, are scanned into an online system accessible to staff at the prisons. In one case, CDCR found that an officer improperly accessed the files of 11 incarcerated women. Nine had accused him of sexual misconduct.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Women described officers issuing disciplinary violations, searching their cells, taking their property and restricting privileges after complaints were made. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some women said they waited until they were released, transferred to another prison or retained an attorney before reporting alleged abuse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The federal report also concluded that an August 2024 mass \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004368/like-a-war-zone-prison-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack-incarcerated-women-say\">use-of-force incident\u003c/a> at CCWF was retaliation for women reporting staff sexual abuse. Young said DOJ investigators spent significant time interviewing women and reviewing files related to the incident, which resulted in injuries ranging from seizures to blindness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR reached a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">$1.9 million settlement \u003c/a>in April with 13 women injured during the incident. Its investigators imposed termination, retraining and other corrective actions after concluding that 41 employees violated department policy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Federal investigators found cases in which potential DNA evidence wasn’t tested, accused staff or witnesses weren’t interviewed, and investigations stretched on for months or even years. In one case, the investigation took so long that CDCR missed its one-year deadline to discipline the officer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090737\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And the state’s Office of the Inspector General of prisons found that 86% of CDCR disciplinary and criminal investigations reviewed during the first half of 2025 were either “inadequate” or “needs improvement,” according to the report. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Young said investigators found that, even when women made credible allegations of sexual abuse, investigations could stall for over a year and sometimes ended without substantiation of the allegations, even when parts of their accounts were corroborated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a written statement, CDCR said it takes “every allegation seriously” and “remains dedicated to ensuring accountability, strengthening protections, and maintaining institutions that ensure the personal safety of all individuals.” The department also cited audits under the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, which found both prisons met all 45 standards evaluated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Justice Department is requiring California to better protect prisoners from staff sexual abuse by expanding camera coverage, requiring broader use of body-worn cameras, establishing confidential reporting options independent of the agency, and strengthening investigations and protections against retaliation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The state must confront the persistent failure of its own employees to prevent and address sexual abuse at these facilities and the systemic breakdowns that have permitted these conditions to persist,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said in a statement. “This report should serve as a turning point.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090741\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An officer speaks with an incarcerated woman in a wheelchair at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR said in a statement the agency looks forward to working with the DOJ “regarding their recommendations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The DOJ also called for penalties, including possible termination, for staff who improperly share information about grievances, and meaningful consequences for staff found to have retaliated against people who report sexual abuse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The department said the U.S. attorney general could sue the state in 49 days if California fails to act.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Antoinette Yancey, who is incarcerated at Central California Women’s Facility, said she hopes the federal findings lead to real accountability.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Some of us are in here for far less than what has been done to us, doing life sentences and decades’ worth of time, while we’re also being preyed upon,” Yancey said. “And it’s just not fair.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This reporting was possible in part by funding from the Poynter Institute.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Justice Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-civil-rights-investigation-correctional-staff-sexual-abuse-two\">began\u003c/a> investigating the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino nearly two years ago after hundreds of incarcerated women \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12003230/feds-investigate-california-prisons-where-women-say-culture-of-impunity-surrounded-abuse\">filed legal claims\u003c/a> alleging sexual exploitation by staff and an officer was \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2022/12/28/cdcr-refers-internal-investigation-into-former-correctional-officer-to-district-attorney-for-charges-of-sexual-misconduct-of-incarcerated-women/\">arrested\u003c/a> for sexually abusing at least 22 women. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Justice Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-civil-rights-investigation-correctional-staff-sexual-abuse-two\">began\u003c/a> investigating the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino nearly two years ago after hundreds of incarcerated women \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12003230/feds-investigate-california-prisons-where-women-say-culture-of-impunity-surrounded-abuse\">filed legal claims\u003c/a> alleging sexual exploitation by staff and an officer was \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2022/12/28/cdcr-refers-internal-investigation-into-former-correctional-officer-to-district-attorney-for-charges-of-sexual-misconduct-of-incarcerated-women/\">arrested\u003c/a> for sexually abusing at least 22 women. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090739\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090739\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\">report\u003c/a> released Thursday, investigators said they found an “unbroken pattern” of staff sexual assault dating back over 20 years at California’s two women’s prisons. The department concluded that prison officials knew women faced a substantial risk of sexual abuse but failed to adequately protect them. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Investigators pointed to gaps in surveillance camera coverage, a lack of confidential reporting options, inadequate investigations and failures to hold staff accountable — systemic problems the DOJ said amount to “deliberate indifference” and violate incarcerated women’s constitutional rights.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“None of this should be surprising to CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation], none of it should be surprising to the Legislature,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy organization Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Survivors have spent years speaking out at “hearings, in town halls, in reports,” she said, trying to get officials to address sexual abuse by prison staff.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“None of this should be surprising to CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation], none of it should be surprising to the Legislature,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy organization Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Survivors have spent years speaking out at “hearings, in town halls, in reports,” she said, trying to get officials to address sexual abuse by prison staff.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State prison officials say they have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault by staff, and that they have taken steps to improve reporting options and expand the use of cameras. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young said those reforms have not fixed the underlying problems. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>State prison officials say they have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault by staff, and that they have taken steps to improve reporting options and expand the use of cameras. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young said those reforms have not fixed the underlying problems. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Women were not being protected,” Young said in an interview with KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Women were not being protected,” Young said in an interview with KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the prison in Chowchilla, federal investigators found blind spots around its Plant Operations area and in prison kitchens. Women at both prisons told investigators that kitchen storage rooms without cameras are known as “sugar rooms,” because sugar is stored there and because sexual activity can occur there without detection. Investigators also found abandoned buildings where abuse had occurred.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At the prison in Chowchilla, federal investigators found blind spots around its Plant Operations area and in prison kitchens. Women at both prisons told investigators that kitchen storage rooms without cameras are known as “sugar rooms,” because sugar is stored there and because sexual activity can occur there without detection. Investigators also found abandoned buildings where abuse had occurred.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090738\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers lead an incarcerated woman through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090738\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers lead an incarcerated woman through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Things like that were extremely concerning,” Young said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report also found correctional officers failed to properly use body-worn cameras, at times turning them off in violation of prison policy. The report pointed out that only correctional officers are required to wear body cameras, despite confirmed cases of sexual misconduct by other staff, including a cook, mental health counselor and work-program staff.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The report also found correctional officers failed to properly use body-worn cameras, at times turning them off in violation of prison policy. The report pointed out that only correctional officers are required to wear body cameras, despite confirmed cases of sexual misconduct by other staff, including a cook, mental health counselor and work-program staff.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report details several cases where the state confirmed allegations of sexual assault.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Former correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022075/former-guard-california-womens-prison-found-guilty-59-counts-sexual-abuse\">accused of sexually abusing\u003c/a> dozens of women at CCWF over a decade. California’s corrections department substantiated allegations that he engaged in sexual acts with 21 incarcerated women. Federal investigators said they became aware of more than 65 alleged victims of Rodriguez.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Former correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022075/former-guard-california-womens-prison-found-guilty-59-counts-sexual-abuse\">accused of sexually abusing\u003c/a> dozens of women at CCWF over a decade. California’s corrections department substantiated allegations that he engaged in sexual acts with 21 incarcerated women. Federal investigators said they became aware of more than 65 alleged victims of Rodriguez.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some women reported that Rodriguez assaulted them in a parole hearing room that did not have cameras. In 2023, the Madera County district attorney charged Rodriguez with 97 criminal counts involving 13 women. He was convicted last year on 64 counts and sentenced to 224 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some women reported that Rodriguez assaulted them in a parole hearing room that did not have cameras. In 2023, the Madera County district attorney charged Rodriguez with 97 criminal counts involving 13 women. He was convicted last year on 64 counts and sentenced to 224 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the California Institution for Women, the report points to cases dating back more than a decade, including correctional officers who were convicted or disciplined for sexually abusing incarcerated women.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The hundreds of allegations reviewed by federal investigators likely capture only a portion of the abuse, according to Mota. While she said reporting increased in recent years as more survivors began speaking out, many cases still go unreported for fear of retaliation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report underscored those fears, finding that the system meant to allow incarcerated women to report sexual assault was not truly confidential. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Written grievances, known as 602s, are scanned into an online system accessible to staff at the prisons. In one case, CDCR found that an officer improperly accessed the files of 11 incarcerated women. Nine had accused him of sexual misconduct.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Women described officers issuing disciplinary violations, searching their cells, taking their property and restricting privileges after complaints were made. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some women said they waited until they were released, transferred to another prison or retained an attorney before reporting alleged abuse. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The federal report also concluded that an August 2024 mass \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004368/like-a-war-zone-prison-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack-incarcerated-women-say\">use-of-force incident\u003c/a> at CCWF was retaliation for women reporting staff sexual abuse. Young said DOJ investigators spent significant time interviewing women and reviewing files related to the incident, which resulted in injuries ranging from seizures to blindness. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>CDCR reached a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">$1.9 million settlement \u003c/a>in April with 13 women injured during the incident. Its investigators imposed termination, retraining and other corrective actions after concluding that 41 employees violated department policy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Federal investigators found cases in which potential DNA evidence wasn’t tested, accused staff or witnesses weren’t interviewed, and investigations stretched on for months or even years. In one case, the investigation took so long that CDCR missed its one-year deadline to discipline the officer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Federal investigators found cases in which potential DNA evidence wasn’t tested, accused staff or witnesses weren’t interviewed, and investigations stretched on for months or even years. In one case, the investigation took so long that CDCR missed its one-year deadline to discipline the officer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090737\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And the state’s Office of the Inspector General of prisons found that 86% of CDCR disciplinary and criminal investigations reviewed during the first half of 2025 were either “inadequate” or “needs improvement,” according to the report. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Young said investigators found that, even when women made credible allegations of sexual abuse, investigations could stall for over a year and sometimes ended without substantiation of the allegations, even when parts of their accounts were corroborated.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a written statement, CDCR said it takes “every allegation seriously” and “remains dedicated to ensuring accountability, strengthening protections, and maintaining institutions that ensure the personal safety of all individuals.” The department also cited audits under the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, which found both prisons met all 45 standards evaluated.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Justice Department is requiring California to better protect prisoners from staff sexual abuse by expanding camera coverage, requiring broader use of body-worn cameras, establishing confidential reporting options independent of the agency, and strengthening investigations and protections against retaliation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The state must confront the persistent failure of its own employees to prevent and address sexual abuse at these facilities and the systemic breakdowns that have permitted these conditions to persist,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said in a statement. “This report should serve as a turning point.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CDCR said in a statement the agency looks forward to working with the DOJ “regarding their recommendations.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The DOJ also called for penalties, including possible termination, for staff who improperly share information about grievances, and meaningful consequences for staff found to have retaliated against people who report sexual abuse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The department said the U.S. attorney general could sue the state in 49 days if California fails to act.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Antoinette Yancey, who is incarcerated at Central California Women’s Facility, said she hopes the federal findings lead to real accountability.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Some of us are in here for far less than what has been done to us, doing life sentences and decades’ worth of time, while we’re also being preyed upon,” Yancey said. “And it’s just not fair.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This reporting was possible in part by funding from the Poynter Institute.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A two-year federal investigation found decades of staff sexual abuse against incarcerated women at the state’s correctional facilities.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079668/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-video-shows-mass-force-at-california-womens-prison\">California prison officials\u003c/a> have failed to protect incarcerated women from sexual abuse and harassment by staff for years, the U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-california-womens-prisons-violate-constitution-failing-protect\">said\u003c/a> in a new report.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Justice Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-civil-rights-investigation-correctional-staff-sexual-abuse-two\">began\u003c/a> investigating the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino nearly two years ago after hundreds of incarcerated women \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12003230/feds-investigate-california-prisons-where-women-say-culture-of-impunity-surrounded-abuse\">filed legal claims\u003c/a> alleging sexual exploitation by staff and an officer was \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/news/2022/12/28/cdcr-refers-internal-investigation-into-former-correctional-officer-to-district-attorney-for-charges-of-sexual-misconduct-of-incarcerated-women/\">arrested\u003c/a> for sexually abusing at least 22 women. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The department reviewed 350 allegations of sexual misconduct, interviewed prisoners and looked at body-worn camera footage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090739\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-31-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1457771/dl\">report\u003c/a> released Thursday, investigators said they found an “unbroken pattern” of staff sexual assault dating back over 20 years at California’s two women’s prisons. The department concluded that prison officials knew women faced a substantial risk of sexual abuse but failed to adequately protect them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Investigators pointed to gaps in surveillance camera coverage, a lack of confidential reporting options, inadequate investigations and failures to hold staff accountable — systemic problems the DOJ said amount to “deliberate indifference” and violate incarcerated women’s constitutional rights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“None of this should be surprising to CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation], none of it should be surprising to the Legislature,” said Amika Mota, executive director of the prison advocacy organization Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition. Survivors have spent years speaking out at “hearings, in town halls, in reports,” she said, trying to get officials to address sexual abuse by prison staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State prison officials say they have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault by staff, and that they have taken steps to improve reporting options and expand the use of cameras. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Young said those reforms have not fixed the underlying problems. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Women were not being protected,” Young said in an interview with KQED. “It was the cycle that’s continuing to happen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the prison in Chowchilla, federal investigators found blind spots around its Plant Operations area and in prison kitchens. Women at both prisons told investigators that kitchen storage rooms without cameras are known as “sugar rooms,” because sugar is stored there and because sexual activity can occur there without detection. Investigators also found abandoned buildings where abuse had occurred.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090738\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-23-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers lead an incarcerated woman through a Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Things like that were extremely concerning,” Young said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report also found correctional officers failed to properly use body-worn cameras, at times turning them off in violation of prison policy. The report pointed out that only correctional officers are required to wear body cameras, despite confirmed cases of sexual misconduct by other staff, including a cook, mental health counselor and work-program staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report details several cases where the state confirmed allegations of sexual assault.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Former correctional officer Gregory Rodriguez was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12022075/former-guard-california-womens-prison-found-guilty-59-counts-sexual-abuse\">accused of sexually abusing\u003c/a> dozens of women at CCWF over a decade. California’s corrections department substantiated allegations that he engaged in sexual acts with 21 incarcerated women. Federal investigators said they became aware of more than 65 alleged victims of Rodriguez.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some women reported that Rodriguez assaulted them in a parole hearing room that did not have cameras. In 2023, the Madera County district attorney charged Rodriguez with 97 criminal counts involving 13 women. He was convicted last year on 64 counts and sentenced to 224 years in prison.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the California Institution for Women, the report points to cases dating back more than a decade, including correctional officers who were convicted or disciplined for sexually abusing incarcerated women.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The hundreds of allegations reviewed by federal investigators likely capture only a portion of the abuse, according to Mota. While she said reporting increased in recent years as more survivors began speaking out, many cases still go unreported for fear of retaliation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090742\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-73-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Officers escort an incarcerated woman through a yard at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The report underscored those fears, finding that the system meant to allow incarcerated women to report sexual assault was not truly confidential. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Written grievances, known as 602s, are scanned into an online system accessible to staff at the prisons. In one case, CDCR found that an officer improperly accessed the files of 11 incarcerated women. Nine had accused him of sexual misconduct.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Women described officers issuing disciplinary violations, searching their cells, taking their property and restricting privileges after complaints were made. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some women said they waited until they were released, transferred to another prison or retained an attorney before reporting alleged abuse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The federal report also concluded that an August 2024 mass \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12004368/like-a-war-zone-prison-officers-used-unprecedented-force-in-august-attack-incarcerated-women-say\">use-of-force incident\u003c/a> at CCWF was retaliation for women reporting staff sexual abuse. Young said DOJ investigators spent significant time interviewing women and reviewing files related to the incident, which resulted in injuries ranging from seizures to blindness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR reached a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077737/california-agrees-to-1-9m-settlement-in-prison-use-of-force-case\">$1.9 million settlement \u003c/a>in April with 13 women injured during the incident. Its investigators imposed termination, retraining and other corrective actions after concluding that 41 employees violated department policy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Federal investigators found cases in which potential DNA evidence wasn’t tested, accused staff or witnesses weren’t interviewed, and investigations stretched on for months or even years. In one case, the investigation took so long that CDCR missed its one-year deadline to discipline the officer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090737\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Receiving and Release (R&R) yard at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026. The prison is the largest women’s correctional facility in California, and the R&R yard is used to process incarcerated people entering and leaving the facility. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And the state’s Office of the Inspector General of prisons found that 86% of CDCR disciplinary and criminal investigations reviewed during the first half of 2025 were either “inadequate” or “needs improvement,” according to the report. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Young said investigators found that, even when women made credible allegations of sexual abuse, investigations could stall for over a year and sometimes ended without substantiation of the allegations, even when parts of their accounts were corroborated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a written statement, CDCR said it takes “every allegation seriously” and “remains dedicated to ensuring accountability, strengthening protections, and maintaining institutions that ensure the personal safety of all individuals.” The department also cited audits under the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, which found both prisons met all 45 standards evaluated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Justice Department is requiring California to better protect prisoners from staff sexual abuse by expanding camera coverage, requiring broader use of body-worn cameras, establishing confidential reporting options independent of the agency, and strengthening investigations and protections against retaliation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The state must confront the persistent failure of its own employees to prevent and address sexual abuse at these facilities and the systemic breakdowns that have permitted these conditions to persist,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said in a statement. “This report should serve as a turning point.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090741\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260630-CCWFTOUR-60-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An officer speaks with an incarcerated woman in a wheelchair at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) prison in Chowchilla, Calif., on June 30, 2026, the largest women’s correctional facility in the state. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>CDCR said in a statement the agency looks forward to working with the DOJ “regarding their recommendations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The DOJ also called for penalties, including possible termination, for staff who improperly share information about grievances, and meaningful consequences for staff found to have retaliated against people who report sexual abuse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The department said the U.S. attorney general could sue the state in 49 days if California fails to act.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Antoinette Yancey, who is incarcerated at Central California Women’s Facility, said she hopes the federal findings lead to real accountability.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Some of us are in here for far less than what has been done to us, doing life sentences and decades’ worth of time, while we’re also being preyed upon,” Yancey said. “And it’s just not fair.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This reporting was possible in part by funding from the Poynter Institute.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "oakland-police-release-body-camera-footage-showing-fatal-fruitvale-shooting",
"title": "Oakland Police Release Body Camera Footage Showing Fatal Fruitvale Shooting",
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"headTitle": "Oakland Police Release Body Camera Footage Showing Fatal Fruitvale Shooting | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Oakland Police released body camera footage from a fatal July 13 shooting of a man in the Fruitvale neighborhood on Wednesday, a month after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091598/after-third-opd-shooting-this-year-advocates-demand-body-cam-footage\">advocates demanded the department \u003c/a>make the video public.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The release comes a month after OPD’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/News-Releases/Police/Officer-Involved-Shooting-in-the-4000-block-of-International-Boulevard\">initial account\u003c/a> of the shooting, which said only that officers “located an armed individual” who “lunged at officers with a weapon.” The department did not describe the weapon publicly at the time, which activists criticized, calling for transparency around the use of force.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Police identified the man as José Ángel Castillo, 43. The department said that it is waiting on the Alameda County Coroner’s office to formally verify his identity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The footage shows what the department calls “homemade weapons”: two long poles with blades affixed to the ends, one in each of Castillo’s hands. The footage shows officers with their guns drawn following Castillo down an East Oakland street for roughly a minute, firing Tasers at him as he stood in a parking lot, then shooting him seconds later as he swung one of two bladed poles he was carrying.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The videos do not capture every angle of the encounter, and CHP has not released footage from its officers, but OPD’s release offers more insight into the moments leading up to Castillo’s death. The videos can be publicly viewed \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandca.nextrequest.com/documents?folder_filter=26-0708_OIS\">here\u003c/a>, with a warning that they contain graphic content. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Video footage\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The footage shows California Highway Patrol officers first encountering Castillo at a homeless encampment near 40th Avenue and International Boulevard after 2 p.m. He is holding a hammer and complies when officers tell him to drop it. Castillo then raises the two bladed poles toward the officers, one of whom points a gun at him. He then walks away from the encampment toward the street.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Oakland officers arrive at East 12th Street and 41st Avenue, Castillo is still carrying both poles. Officers get out of their cars and order him to drop the weapons. He keeps walking. One officer can be heard telling him, “Just stop and talk to us.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Castillo yells back, but most of what he says is difficult to make out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250702-OAKLAND-POLICE-DEPARTMENT-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12046794\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250702-OAKLAND-POLICE-DEPARTMENT-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250702-OAKLAND-POLICE-DEPARTMENT-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250702-OAKLAND-POLICE-DEPARTMENT-MD-01-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An Oakland Police Department Vehicle in Oakland on July 1, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Castillo walks up 41st Avenue toward International Boulevard, footage from a second officer’s camera and a nearby security camera shows two adults and a child walking past Castillo on the sidewalk. An officer waves them along. Roughly 20 seconds later, as Castillo continues walking toward International Boulevard on 41st Avenue, one of the officers says, “We are going to use force. Just stop.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Castillo walks into a parking lot on 41st Avenue, connected to businesses on International Boulevard. Around five officers follow him at a walking pace. Tasers are deployed — an officer can be heard saying, “Hit him again,” before a second Taser is heard. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Castillo swings one pole. Immediately, multiple gunshots follow, and he falls forward. One more shot is heard. In the footage, no officer appears to be within arm’s reach of him when he swings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A wider angle from the parking lot shows nine officers in view. Text on one video states that two officers fired their weapons. After a resuscitation attempt, Castillo died on scene.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The officers who fired were placed on paid administrative leave. The department is conducting criminal and internal affairs investigations. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is also conducting an independent investigation, and the city’s civilian Community Police Review Agency has been notified. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>OPD told KQED the investigation remains ongoing and that no additional information is being provided at this time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The shooting is the third by Oakland officers this year and the second that was fatal, following an April 27 shooting in the 1800 block of 89th Avenue that left one dead, and a May 8 shooting near Ninth Avenue that wounded a man police said dragged one officer and pinned another against a parked car. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It also lands seven weeks before U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick is scheduled to decide whether to end more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085228/oakland-police-judge-clears-path-for-possible-end-to-federal-oversight\">two decades of federal oversight\u003c/a> of the department. Federal monitor Robert Warshaw found in a May 22 report that OPD had met all 51 court-ordered reforms for the first time, and Orrick has said he will close the case at a Sept. 29 hearing as long as the department stays in compliance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Community response\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cat Brooks, co-founder and executive director of the Anti Police-Terror Project, questioned the role of CHP on the scene and said the man visible in the footage appeared to be in crisis.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He needed help,” Brooks said. “He needed somebody that knows how to talk to people that are in elevated states of mental health crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12017328\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Oakland Police Department on Nov. 12, 2016. (Alex Emslie/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brooks said officers could have backed off instead of following Castillo and called a non-police crisis responder. She added that she did not believe the shooting was justified.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>APTP said it is still trying to reach Castillo’s family, and OPD is asking the public for help locating his next of kin. Brooks said the organization is holding a protest at 5 p.m. Friday at Oscar Grant Plaza in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That was somebody’s son,” she said. “Probably somebody’s brother, father. Whether he lived outside or he lived inside, he was one of us.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The release comes a month after OPD’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/News-Releases/Police/Officer-Involved-Shooting-in-the-4000-block-of-International-Boulevard\">initial account\u003c/a> of the shooting, which said only that officers “located an armed individual” who “lunged at officers with a weapon.” The department did not describe the weapon publicly at the time, which activists criticized, calling for transparency around the use of force.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Police identified the man as José Ángel Castillo, 43. The department said that it is waiting on the Alameda County Coroner’s office to formally verify his identity.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The footage shows what the department calls “homemade weapons”: two long poles with blades affixed to the ends, one in each of Castillo’s hands. The footage shows officers with their guns drawn following Castillo down an East Oakland street for roughly a minute, firing Tasers at him as he stood in a parking lot, then shooting him seconds later as he swung one of two bladed poles he was carrying.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The footage shows what the department calls “homemade weapons”: two long poles with blades affixed to the ends, one in each of Castillo’s hands. The footage shows officers with their guns drawn following Castillo down an East Oakland street for roughly a minute, firing Tasers at him as he stood in a parking lot, then shooting him seconds later as he swung one of two bladed poles he was carrying.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The videos do not capture every angle of the encounter, and CHP has not released footage from its officers, but OPD’s release offers more insight into the moments leading up to Castillo’s death. The videos can be publicly viewed \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandca.nextrequest.com/documents?folder_filter=26-0708_OIS\">here\u003c/a>, with a warning that they contain graphic content. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The videos do not capture every angle of the encounter, and CHP has not released footage from its officers, but OPD’s release offers more insight into the moments leading up to Castillo’s death. The videos can be publicly viewed \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandca.nextrequest.com/documents?folder_filter=26-0708_OIS\">here\u003c/a>, with a warning that they contain graphic content. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The footage shows California Highway Patrol officers first encountering Castillo at a homeless encampment near 40th Avenue and International Boulevard after 2 p.m. He is holding a hammer and complies when officers tell him to drop it. Castillo then raises the two bladed poles toward the officers, one of whom points a gun at him. He then walks away from the encampment toward the street.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Oakland officers arrive at East 12th Street and 41st Avenue, Castillo is still carrying both poles. Officers get out of their cars and order him to drop the weapons. He keeps walking. One officer can be heard telling him, “Just stop and talk to us.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Castillo yells back, but most of what he says is difficult to make out.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As Castillo walks up 41st Avenue toward International Boulevard, footage from a second officer’s camera and a nearby security camera shows two adults and a child walking past Castillo on the sidewalk. An officer waves them along. Roughly 20 seconds later, as Castillo continues walking toward International Boulevard on 41st Avenue, one of the officers says, “We are going to use force. Just stop.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As Castillo walks up 41st Avenue toward International Boulevard, footage from a second officer’s camera and a nearby security camera shows two adults and a child walking past Castillo on the sidewalk. An officer waves them along. Roughly 20 seconds later, as Castillo continues walking toward International Boulevard on 41st Avenue, one of the officers says, “We are going to use force. Just stop.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Castillo walks into a parking lot on 41st Avenue, connected to businesses on International Boulevard. Around five officers follow him at a walking pace. Tasers are deployed — an officer can be heard saying, “Hit him again,” before a second Taser is heard. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Castillo walks into a parking lot on 41st Avenue, connected to businesses on International Boulevard. Around five officers follow him at a walking pace. Tasers are deployed — an officer can be heard saying, “Hit him again,” before a second Taser is heard. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Castillo swings one pole. Immediately, multiple gunshots follow, and he falls forward. One more shot is heard. In the footage, no officer appears to be within arm’s reach of him when he swings.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Castillo swings one pole. Immediately, multiple gunshots follow, and he falls forward. One more shot is heard. In the footage, no officer appears to be within arm’s reach of him when he swings.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A wider angle from the parking lot shows nine officers in view. Text on one video states that two officers fired their weapons. After a resuscitation attempt, Castillo died on scene.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The officers who fired were placed on paid administrative leave. The department is conducting criminal and internal affairs investigations. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is also conducting an independent investigation, and the city’s civilian Community Police Review Agency has been notified. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The officers who fired were placed on paid administrative leave. The department is conducting criminal and internal affairs investigations. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is also conducting an independent investigation, and the city’s civilian Community Police Review Agency has been notified. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>OPD told KQED the investigation remains ongoing and that no additional information is being provided at this time.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The shooting is the third by Oakland officers this year and the second that was fatal, following an April 27 shooting in the 1800 block of 89th Avenue that left one dead, and a May 8 shooting near Ninth Avenue that wounded a man police said dragged one officer and pinned another against a parked car. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It also lands seven weeks before U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick is scheduled to decide whether to end more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085228/oakland-police-judge-clears-path-for-possible-end-to-federal-oversight\">two decades of federal oversight\u003c/a> of the department. Federal monitor Robert Warshaw found in a May 22 report that OPD had met all 51 court-ordered reforms for the first time, and Orrick has said he will close the case at a Sept. 29 hearing as long as the department stays in compliance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It also lands seven weeks before U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick is scheduled to decide whether to end more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085228/oakland-police-judge-clears-path-for-possible-end-to-federal-oversight\">two decades of federal oversight\u003c/a> of the department. Federal monitor Robert Warshaw found in a May 22 report that OPD had met all 51 court-ordered reforms for the first time, and Orrick has said he will close the case at a Sept. 29 hearing as long as the department stays in compliance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cat Brooks, co-founder and executive director of the Anti Police-Terror Project, questioned the role of CHP on the scene and said the man visible in the footage appeared to be in crisis.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He needed help,” Brooks said. “He needed somebody that knows how to talk to people that are in elevated states of mental health crisis.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brooks said officers could have backed off instead of following Castillo and called a non-police crisis responder. She added that she did not believe the shooting was justified.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>APTP said it is still trying to reach Castillo’s family, and OPD is asking the public for help locating his next of kin. Brooks said the organization is holding a protest at 5 p.m. Friday at Oscar Grant Plaza in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That was somebody’s son,” she said. “Probably somebody’s brother, father. Whether he lived outside or he lived inside, he was one of us.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Footage released Wednesday shows a man carrying two bladed poles down an East Oakland street before officers open fire. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Oakland Police released body camera footage from a fatal July 13 shooting of a man in the Fruitvale neighborhood on Wednesday, a month after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12091598/after-third-opd-shooting-this-year-advocates-demand-body-cam-footage\">advocates demanded the department \u003c/a>make the video public.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The release comes a month after OPD’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/News-Releases/Police/Officer-Involved-Shooting-in-the-4000-block-of-International-Boulevard\">initial account\u003c/a> of the shooting, which said only that officers “located an armed individual” who “lunged at officers with a weapon.” The department did not describe the weapon publicly at the time, which activists criticized, calling for transparency around the use of force.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Police identified the man as José Ángel Castillo, 43. The department said that it is waiting on the Alameda County Coroner’s office to formally verify his identity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The footage shows what the department calls “homemade weapons”: two long poles with blades affixed to the ends, one in each of Castillo’s hands. The footage shows officers with their guns drawn following Castillo down an East Oakland street for roughly a minute, firing Tasers at him as he stood in a parking lot, then shooting him seconds later as he swung one of two bladed poles he was carrying.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The videos do not capture every angle of the encounter, and CHP has not released footage from its officers, but OPD’s release offers more insight into the moments leading up to Castillo’s death. The videos can be publicly viewed \u003ca href=\"https://oaklandca.nextrequest.com/documents?folder_filter=26-0708_OIS\">here\u003c/a>, with a warning that they contain graphic content. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Video footage\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The footage shows California Highway Patrol officers first encountering Castillo at a homeless encampment near 40th Avenue and International Boulevard after 2 p.m. He is holding a hammer and complies when officers tell him to drop it. Castillo then raises the two bladed poles toward the officers, one of whom points a gun at him. He then walks away from the encampment toward the street.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Oakland officers arrive at East 12th Street and 41st Avenue, Castillo is still carrying both poles. Officers get out of their cars and order him to drop the weapons. He keeps walking. One officer can be heard telling him, “Just stop and talk to us.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Castillo yells back, but most of what he says is difficult to make out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250702-OAKLAND-POLICE-DEPARTMENT-MD-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12046794\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250702-OAKLAND-POLICE-DEPARTMENT-MD-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250702-OAKLAND-POLICE-DEPARTMENT-MD-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/250702-OAKLAND-POLICE-DEPARTMENT-MD-01-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An Oakland Police Department Vehicle in Oakland on July 1, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Castillo walks up 41st Avenue toward International Boulevard, footage from a second officer’s camera and a nearby security camera shows two adults and a child walking past Castillo on the sidewalk. An officer waves them along. Roughly 20 seconds later, as Castillo continues walking toward International Boulevard on 41st Avenue, one of the officers says, “We are going to use force. Just stop.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Castillo walks into a parking lot on 41st Avenue, connected to businesses on International Boulevard. Around five officers follow him at a walking pace. Tasers are deployed — an officer can be heard saying, “Hit him again,” before a second Taser is heard. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Castillo swings one pole. Immediately, multiple gunshots follow, and he falls forward. One more shot is heard. In the footage, no officer appears to be within arm’s reach of him when he swings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A wider angle from the parking lot shows nine officers in view. Text on one video states that two officers fired their weapons. After a resuscitation attempt, Castillo died on scene.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The officers who fired were placed on paid administrative leave. The department is conducting criminal and internal affairs investigations. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is also conducting an independent investigation, and the city’s civilian Community Police Review Agency has been notified. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>OPD told KQED the investigation remains ongoing and that no additional information is being provided at this time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The shooting is the third by Oakland officers this year and the second that was fatal, following an April 27 shooting in the 1800 block of 89th Avenue that left one dead, and a May 8 shooting near Ninth Avenue that wounded a man police said dragged one officer and pinned another against a parked car. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It also lands seven weeks before U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick is scheduled to decide whether to end more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12085228/oakland-police-judge-clears-path-for-possible-end-to-federal-oversight\">two decades of federal oversight\u003c/a> of the department. Federal monitor Robert Warshaw found in a May 22 report that OPD had met all 51 court-ordered reforms for the first time, and Orrick has said he will close the case at a Sept. 29 hearing as long as the department stays in compliance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Community response\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Cat Brooks, co-founder and executive director of the Anti Police-Terror Project, questioned the role of CHP on the scene and said the man visible in the footage appeared to be in crisis.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He needed help,” Brooks said. “He needed somebody that knows how to talk to people that are in elevated states of mental health crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12017328\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/OaklandPoliceDepartment2-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Oakland Police Department on Nov. 12, 2016. (Alex Emslie/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brooks said officers could have backed off instead of following Castillo and called a non-police crisis responder. She added that she did not believe the shooting was justified.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>APTP said it is still trying to reach Castillo’s family, and OPD is asking the public for help locating his next of kin. Brooks said the organization is holding a protest at 5 p.m. Friday at Oscar Grant Plaza in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That was somebody’s son,” she said. “Probably somebody’s brother, father. Whether he lived outside or he lived inside, he was one of us.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"soldout": {
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"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
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"info": "",
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