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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan data-slate-fragment=\"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\">Inside Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish — home to historic farmworker organizing in East San Jose — we sit down with Father Jon Pedigo, a Catholic priest in the South Bay, to talk about the role of faith and houses of worship under the Trump Administration, what he’s seen in his primarily Spanish-speaking communities, and why he’s leaving the pulpit to become a full-time organizer. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC6411062460&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:00] I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra and welcome to the Bay, local news to keep you rooted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:00:07] I was at St. Lucy’s and it was after Mass. And this lady, you know, comes up and says, I need a blessing, I need a blessing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:17] This is Father John Pedigo. He’s a Catholic priest who’s worked as a pastor in the South Bay for decades, primarily in Spanish-speaking communities in Campbell, Morgan Hill, and San Jose. Communities that have now been hit hard by President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:00:39] Her son has been taken from her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:42] Taken by immigration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:00:43] Taken by immigration, deta detained. They’ve she’s given no information about it. She’s desperate. And so she’s wailing. But what do you say to her? You as a priest. Right. As a priest you say, I need to just h I need to hold the space with you. I need to cry with you. I need to just hold the space. And I ask people to come up and just kind of hold her in prayer. So they’re kind of h putting her hands on her shoulder and praying with her. I mean that’s all really you can kind of do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:10] Father John knows that faith leaders and houses of worship have an important role to play in moments like this. Moments of political and social chaos, where people are afraid, want to be consoled, and are seeking a sense of safety and community. He’s also someone who wrestles with the limits of his work at the church pulpit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:01:39] For me, I found it I needed more than the sacramental and the pastoral dimension of holding a person who is inconsolable. There has to also be about getting people to think about how are we building power in our neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:59] When President Trump began his second term, Father John committed himself to do more, taking his faith and the stories from people in his ministry with him to step up his community organizing. So today we sit with Father John Pedigo and talk with him about the role of faith leaders when immigrants are under attack.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:02:33] My name’s Father John Pedigo. I’m the executive director of People Acting in Community Together, Pact. We’re at our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. It’s in the east side, the heart of East Side San Jose, in the former neighborhood called Sal Si Puedes, meaning “get out if you can” neighborhood. We call it now the Mayfair neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:51] What was it called?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:02:52] What is well Sal Si Puedes means that it was one of the last places in Santa Clara County to have pavement and sewage. It was former farm workers that are here and they didn’t really have the resources like other parts of San Jose. And so when it would rain, it would be this mud that you couldn’t get out. So they always say, Leave if you can, sal si puedes – get out if you can. When Dolores Huerta came here with Cesar Chavez – his organizing roots are here in San Jose East Side – that phrase Sal Si Puede they turn it around to say si se puede.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066648\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066648\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00002_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00002_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00002_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00002_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mural decorates the exterior of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, where Father Jon Pedigo has worked as a priest, at 2020 East San Antonio Street in San Jose on December 3, 2025. Father Jon Pedigo, a priest who has worked with immigrant communities affected by ICE raids and deportations, is leaving his full time job as a priest to be a full time organizer. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:46] I wanna step back and really like sort of help people to understand the particular community that we’re that we’re in, who you serve and and just like a little bit more about who you are. We’re in Mayfair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:04:00] We’re in the Mayfair community, right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:04:01] Mayfair community in East San Jose, predominantly immigrant community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:04:05] Primarily Spanish speaking monolingual community in East Side is a heart of the East Side and it has always been a place where Spanish speaking folks will come. So when I was a pastor here a few years ago, it was predominantly Mexican immigrants with a few Chicanos that were old farm worker families. So we have an English mass, but then we were getting at the Spanish Mass is a lot of new folks from Mexico. Then we started when I was here, we started to see more Central Americans. Now we’re seeing a lot more people from Colombia, Venezuela, Honduras, Salvador. So immigration reform has always been a huge issue here. Education of children has been a an another large issue in health. You know, public safety and health are our big issues of the people that are here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:04:55] How long have you been sort of rooted in this community?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:05:00] Late nineties maybe?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:01] Okay, a long time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:05:02] This has been a long time. It’s been a long time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:05] I I don’t imagine most priests come into this work because of an interest in immigration, but how did how did that sort of happen for you? Was that always the case that immigration has been part of your work as a priest or\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:05:23] No, strangely no. When I first started, it was not an issue. So I was ordained in ninety-one. I was in Morgan Hill. We were just I was just working with the Spanish speaking community and it was English and English community and Spanish speaking community. And it was mostly just people wanting to just get along and be be part of the community. People were looking to integrate and not forget their roots. And over t just just a few short years, everything became really racialized. And it was like very anti-immigrant or anti-Mexican. And that just became more and more anti-immigrant as the years went on. So I was in it because I was working with the working partnerships, USA. I was one of the clergy members of their board and we did a lot of work with hotel workers, most were immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066649\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066649\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00063_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00063_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00063_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00063_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Our Lady of Guadalupe Church is located at 2020 East San Antonio Street in San Jose on December 3, 2025. Father Jon Pedigo, a priest who has worked with immigrant communities affected by ICE raids and deportations, is leaving his full time job as a priest to be a full time organizer. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:12] But why? Was it just ’cause it was your community?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:06:16] Well, my mother asked the same question.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:19] Like why do immigration work on top of being a priest or\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:06:24] It’s you can’t really do at least when you’re working, at least as I was working, I didn’t really see a division between that, is because whatever the needs of the people are, that’s my needs. So whatever their worries are, those are my worries. Whatever their joys are, those are my joys. As a priest, we believe in the spiritual dimension of sacramental life, meaning that that it’s the divine is you disclose in ordinary, everyday things that we do. The the divine emerges from the hearts of the people. My first week at St. Catharine’s was I learned to do one-to-one. So first thing I did is like knock on doors and just get to know people. I I had a dinner and a dessert meeting with two different families. One was in Coyote Valley. There’s some farm labor camps that are in that area. And one of these small camps was a very wonderful, beautiful family that had tons of kids, they’re all super smart kids, wonderful kids, but they lived in this kind of farm worker house, which was like cardboard and plywood, and they had the most delicious food. They’re all laughing, they’re all talking, all the kids are present. It was really wonderful. Then I says, Okay, I gotta I gotta go to another one-to-one, which is up in the Holiday Lakes Estates. Which was in Morgan Hill. It’s a very nicey nice houses and go to this house. You had to walk over a bridge because they had a stream in front of their house. You go in, you take your shoes off, and you kind of meet the people. They had nice soft jazz playing. And then they their teenage and college age kids are sitting there very poised in nice shirts and you know, clothes, and they’re all sitting there around in a circle in the in the living room. So you gotta talk to the parents and they said, Oh, I want you to talk to young people. And it was it was very different experience because they had -.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:08:16] Night and day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:08:18] Night and day. And I realized that that was for me showing that a lot of the Spanish speaking people and the English speaking people, though they were at the same table at the church, they really were in different dimensions of realities. My mom grew up as a farm worker in Hawaii. So I’m half Asian. And so I ex experienced some other racial issues that my mom would speak about when she would work for the government. She worked for the government for a while, and and I don’t think she was thinking that she was kind of raising me to be radical. These are just regular t you know, talk story. You know, in Hawaii, you just hang around talk story. And and just kind of the vibe and the feeling of what happens when you’re having conversations with people, getting to know them and and talk to them and hearing what their stories are. And I brought that into ministry with me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:15] Was there a moment within this last year that you realized that this was gonna be a particularly chaotic, scary, frightening year for the community that you serve here in San Jose?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:09:35] I would after the election, lead and facilitate healing circles here in the neighborhood, here in the in the Mayfair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:43] What was that like?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:46] It was humbling because people really, really, really fearful about what’s happening. So people in different organizations and different collectives, one of the schools, they asked if I would come in and just sort of work with the kids or work with the the staff or work with the population. So they can process some of their issues and what’s going on. What are you feeling? I had one small healing circle at Saint Lucy’s. It was requested by the teenagers because they’re they were concerned about their moms. And so what we did is we kind of sat everyone in a circle and then we just had people share briefly what’s going on. And then we broke into small groups and just said, All right, let’s pretend that we’re family. How are we having this conversation? Someone’s having to go, you know, back to wherever they’re coming from. How are you breaking the news?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:36] Oh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:10:37] To each other and what are you all feeling? And so they break broke into small groups. Like there was someone that was assigned the role of a mother, and then three were assigned the roles of of a of of kids. It’s intense. It was very yeah, it was intense. It was real sad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066651\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066651\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00035_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00035_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00035_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00035_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Father Jon Pedigo poses for a portrait at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church where he has worked as a priest, at 2020 East San Antonio Street in San Jose on December 3, 2025. Father Jon Pedigo, a priest who has worked with immigrant communities affected by ICE raids and deportations, is leaving his full time job as a priest to be a full time organizer. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:51] But I’m getting the sense that in some ways you found your role as a priest a bit limiting, maybe in this for this moment that we’re in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:11:02] Very limiting. I think there’s there’s very limiting. I think that some would say, No, that’s what you do as a priest. It’s all you and that is what is fully expected of you. For me, I found it I needed more than the sacramental and the pastoral dimension of holding a person who is inconsolable. And I said, God, I am right now working full-time in a parish. And I said, I there has to be something more to helping people make real decisions, to to to move them from, you know, isolation, desperation, and fear into realizing their own potential, their inner potential.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:11:46] Did you did you not feel like you could do that at the pulpit, on church? I could\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:11:52] I keep it I was I was getting push back from the English speaking community on it, and even the Spanish because it’s really difficult because people also want us to be comforted. I look at sacred text and I ask where is the liberation message here? What’s the where are people being freed? You know, listening and bringing people into community and that’s really important. But you need to also have a focus and an effort to take people to that next level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:12:27] In March of this year, Father Jon got permission to leave his job as a parochial vicar at St. Lucie Parish in Campbell to work instead as a full-time executive director at the multi-faith community organization called PACT, or People Acting in Community Together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:12:53] How different is what you’re what you’re doing now with PACT with these other community organizations and religious organizations? How is it different than the work that you were doing as a priest in terms of helping the immigrant community here in San Jose?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:13:09] So my work now is really focused on building power. That means that this craziness is gonna come to an end. And at the end of when it happens, are we gonna be in a position where we don’t repeat the same cycle to get us in this mess again? So the first thing is you gotta get people to kind of get to that place, to see themselves different. So that we do that in in our leadership development, and then we get them to start working with other people, to start organizing with other people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:13:41] Any specific issues that you’re you’re pushing?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:13:44] One of the big things is is universal legal representation. People without a lawyer are ten and a half times more likely to, you know, get out. And so all this illegality that’s going on, people not being presented with a warrant, there’s no way there to kind of bring this to the front. And so we’re working with members of the board of supervisors, working with members of the state senate, we’re looking with assembly members to you know look at this issue and how do we how do we structure it so it’s sustainable? The other piece is activating faith communities to be accompaniment teams. Accompaniment teams can do a bunch of different things, and we train different teams to handle different kinds of problems. And so there’s one team that works with a simple walking with people and helping them get connected to social services that they qualify for. Other forms of accompaniment can be going with somebody to court to an immigration check-in because you need to have people there showing that you have community support. It’s they’re less less likely to be taken away when you have a lot of people there. And so we’re now in the process of working with faith communities who have chosen to do one or more dimensions of accompaniment, and we’re opening that up even more. But it’s just basic organizing. And when you do that, with the belief that God wants you to do it, you’re you’re and there’s no stopping you because you’re already you’re already in a value based system where you believe the divine spark is the energy that’s moving you forward. Ain’t no one gonna stop you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:15:13] It is a lot more work than I’d ever expect a priest to do. But at the end of the day you’re still a priest. And i it seems like there is still a very important role that churches, houses of worship, faith leaders can play in this moment. How w what do you think is the role of a faith leader in times like these?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:15:39] As a minister, as a priest, as a rabbi, we all understand there is a power in community, that people need to connect to each other, and that we need to support the weaker link. We need to challenge the missing link. We need to invite and heal. I think that if faith communities are going to be relevant in the future, they need to be sure they’re damn well sure they’re they’re convening people, they’re facilitating conversations. They are not trying to create litmus tests on who belongs to my network, who doesn’t belong to my network. People aren’t asking that question. They’re saying, who is going to be ready to be with me and stand up with me and help me? Churches need to do that as well. Synagogues need to do that, and all the different temples need to do that. Songhas need to do that. We all need to figure out how do we get on board together. Believing that there is a divine spark in every human being, believing in the power of the divine to shape, change, and transform the person and society, knowing that with the divine, with God, all things are possible.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:00:07] I was at St. Lucy’s and it was after Mass. And this lady, you know, comes up and says, I need a blessing, I need a blessing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:17] This is Father John Pedigo. He’s a Catholic priest who’s worked as a pastor in the South Bay for decades, primarily in Spanish-speaking communities in Campbell, Morgan Hill, and San Jose. Communities that have now been hit hard by President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:00:39] Her son has been taken from her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:42] Taken by immigration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:00:43] Taken by immigration, deta detained. They’ve she’s given no information about it. She’s desperate. And so she’s wailing. But what do you say to her? You as a priest. Right. As a priest you say, I need to just h I need to hold the space with you. I need to cry with you. I need to just hold the space. And I ask people to come up and just kind of hold her in prayer. So they’re kind of h putting her hands on her shoulder and praying with her. I mean that’s all really you can kind of do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:10] Father John knows that faith leaders and houses of worship have an important role to play in moments like this. Moments of political and social chaos, where people are afraid, want to be consoled, and are seeking a sense of safety and community. He’s also someone who wrestles with the limits of his work at the church pulpit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:01:39] For me, I found it I needed more than the sacramental and the pastoral dimension of holding a person who is inconsolable. There has to also be about getting people to think about how are we building power in our neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:59] When President Trump began his second term, Father John committed himself to do more, taking his faith and the stories from people in his ministry with him to step up his community organizing. So today we sit with Father John Pedigo and talk with him about the role of faith leaders when immigrants are under attack.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:02:33] My name’s Father John Pedigo. I’m the executive director of People Acting in Community Together, Pact. We’re at our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. It’s in the east side, the heart of East Side San Jose, in the former neighborhood called Sal Si Puedes, meaning “get out if you can” neighborhood. We call it now the Mayfair neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:51] What was it called?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:02:52] What is well Sal Si Puedes means that it was one of the last places in Santa Clara County to have pavement and sewage. It was former farm workers that are here and they didn’t really have the resources like other parts of San Jose. And so when it would rain, it would be this mud that you couldn’t get out. So they always say, Leave if you can, sal si puedes – get out if you can. When Dolores Huerta came here with Cesar Chavez – his organizing roots are here in San Jose East Side – that phrase Sal Si Puede they turn it around to say si se puede.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066648\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066648\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00002_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00002_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00002_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00002_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mural decorates the exterior of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, where Father Jon Pedigo has worked as a priest, at 2020 East San Antonio Street in San Jose on December 3, 2025. Father Jon Pedigo, a priest who has worked with immigrant communities affected by ICE raids and deportations, is leaving his full time job as a priest to be a full time organizer. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:03:46] I wanna step back and really like sort of help people to understand the particular community that we’re that we’re in, who you serve and and just like a little bit more about who you are. We’re in Mayfair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:04:00] We’re in the Mayfair community, right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:04:01] Mayfair community in East San Jose, predominantly immigrant community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:04:05] Primarily Spanish speaking monolingual community in East Side is a heart of the East Side and it has always been a place where Spanish speaking folks will come. So when I was a pastor here a few years ago, it was predominantly Mexican immigrants with a few Chicanos that were old farm worker families. So we have an English mass, but then we were getting at the Spanish Mass is a lot of new folks from Mexico. Then we started when I was here, we started to see more Central Americans. Now we’re seeing a lot more people from Colombia, Venezuela, Honduras, Salvador. So immigration reform has always been a huge issue here. Education of children has been a an another large issue in health. You know, public safety and health are our big issues of the people that are here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:04:55] How long have you been sort of rooted in this community?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:05:00] Late nineties maybe?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:01] Okay, a long time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:05:02] This has been a long time. It’s been a long time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:05] I I don’t imagine most priests come into this work because of an interest in immigration, but how did how did that sort of happen for you? Was that always the case that immigration has been part of your work as a priest or\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:05:23] No, strangely no. When I first started, it was not an issue. So I was ordained in ninety-one. I was in Morgan Hill. We were just I was just working with the Spanish speaking community and it was English and English community and Spanish speaking community. And it was mostly just people wanting to just get along and be be part of the community. People were looking to integrate and not forget their roots. And over t just just a few short years, everything became really racialized. And it was like very anti-immigrant or anti-Mexican. And that just became more and more anti-immigrant as the years went on. So I was in it because I was working with the working partnerships, USA. I was one of the clergy members of their board and we did a lot of work with hotel workers, most were immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066649\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066649\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00063_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00063_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00063_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00063_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Our Lady of Guadalupe Church is located at 2020 East San Antonio Street in San Jose on December 3, 2025. Father Jon Pedigo, a priest who has worked with immigrant communities affected by ICE raids and deportations, is leaving his full time job as a priest to be a full time organizer. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:12] But why? Was it just ’cause it was your community?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:06:16] Well, my mother asked the same question.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:06:19] Like why do immigration work on top of being a priest or\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:06:24] It’s you can’t really do at least when you’re working, at least as I was working, I didn’t really see a division between that, is because whatever the needs of the people are, that’s my needs. So whatever their worries are, those are my worries. Whatever their joys are, those are my joys. As a priest, we believe in the spiritual dimension of sacramental life, meaning that that it’s the divine is you disclose in ordinary, everyday things that we do. The the divine emerges from the hearts of the people. My first week at St. Catharine’s was I learned to do one-to-one. So first thing I did is like knock on doors and just get to know people. I I had a dinner and a dessert meeting with two different families. One was in Coyote Valley. There’s some farm labor camps that are in that area. And one of these small camps was a very wonderful, beautiful family that had tons of kids, they’re all super smart kids, wonderful kids, but they lived in this kind of farm worker house, which was like cardboard and plywood, and they had the most delicious food. They’re all laughing, they’re all talking, all the kids are present. It was really wonderful. Then I says, Okay, I gotta I gotta go to another one-to-one, which is up in the Holiday Lakes Estates. Which was in Morgan Hill. It’s a very nicey nice houses and go to this house. You had to walk over a bridge because they had a stream in front of their house. You go in, you take your shoes off, and you kind of meet the people. They had nice soft jazz playing. And then they their teenage and college age kids are sitting there very poised in nice shirts and you know, clothes, and they’re all sitting there around in a circle in the in the living room. So you gotta talk to the parents and they said, Oh, I want you to talk to young people. And it was it was very different experience because they had -.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:08:16] Night and day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:08:18] Night and day. And I realized that that was for me showing that a lot of the Spanish speaking people and the English speaking people, though they were at the same table at the church, they really were in different dimensions of realities. My mom grew up as a farm worker in Hawaii. So I’m half Asian. And so I ex experienced some other racial issues that my mom would speak about when she would work for the government. She worked for the government for a while, and and I don’t think she was thinking that she was kind of raising me to be radical. These are just regular t you know, talk story. You know, in Hawaii, you just hang around talk story. And and just kind of the vibe and the feeling of what happens when you’re having conversations with people, getting to know them and and talk to them and hearing what their stories are. And I brought that into ministry with me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:15] Was there a moment within this last year that you realized that this was gonna be a particularly chaotic, scary, frightening year for the community that you serve here in San Jose?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:09:35] I would after the election, lead and facilitate healing circles here in the neighborhood, here in the in the Mayfair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:43] What was that like?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:46] It was humbling because people really, really, really fearful about what’s happening. So people in different organizations and different collectives, one of the schools, they asked if I would come in and just sort of work with the kids or work with the the staff or work with the population. So they can process some of their issues and what’s going on. What are you feeling? I had one small healing circle at Saint Lucy’s. It was requested by the teenagers because they’re they were concerned about their moms. And so what we did is we kind of sat everyone in a circle and then we just had people share briefly what’s going on. And then we broke into small groups and just said, All right, let’s pretend that we’re family. How are we having this conversation? Someone’s having to go, you know, back to wherever they’re coming from. How are you breaking the news?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:36] Oh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:10:37] To each other and what are you all feeling? And so they break broke into small groups. Like there was someone that was assigned the role of a mother, and then three were assigned the roles of of a of of kids. It’s intense. It was very yeah, it was intense. It was real sad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12066651\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12066651\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00035_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00035_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00035_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/12/251203-sjpriestimmigration00035_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Father Jon Pedigo poses for a portrait at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church where he has worked as a priest, at 2020 East San Antonio Street in San Jose on December 3, 2025. Father Jon Pedigo, a priest who has worked with immigrant communities affected by ICE raids and deportations, is leaving his full time job as a priest to be a full time organizer. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:51] But I’m getting the sense that in some ways you found your role as a priest a bit limiting, maybe in this for this moment that we’re in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:11:02] Very limiting. I think there’s there’s very limiting. I think that some would say, No, that’s what you do as a priest. It’s all you and that is what is fully expected of you. For me, I found it I needed more than the sacramental and the pastoral dimension of holding a person who is inconsolable. And I said, God, I am right now working full-time in a parish. And I said, I there has to be something more to helping people make real decisions, to to to move them from, you know, isolation, desperation, and fear into realizing their own potential, their inner potential.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:11:46] Did you did you not feel like you could do that at the pulpit, on church? I could\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:11:52] I keep it I was I was getting push back from the English speaking community on it, and even the Spanish because it’s really difficult because people also want us to be comforted. I look at sacred text and I ask where is the liberation message here? What’s the where are people being freed? You know, listening and bringing people into community and that’s really important. But you need to also have a focus and an effort to take people to that next level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:12:27] In March of this year, Father Jon got permission to leave his job as a parochial vicar at St. Lucie Parish in Campbell to work instead as a full-time executive director at the multi-faith community organization called PACT, or People Acting in Community Together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:12:53] How different is what you’re what you’re doing now with PACT with these other community organizations and religious organizations? How is it different than the work that you were doing as a priest in terms of helping the immigrant community here in San Jose?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:13:09] So my work now is really focused on building power. That means that this craziness is gonna come to an end. And at the end of when it happens, are we gonna be in a position where we don’t repeat the same cycle to get us in this mess again? So the first thing is you gotta get people to kind of get to that place, to see themselves different. So that we do that in in our leadership development, and then we get them to start working with other people, to start organizing with other people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:13:41] Any specific issues that you’re you’re pushing?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:13:44] One of the big things is is universal legal representation. People without a lawyer are ten and a half times more likely to, you know, get out. And so all this illegality that’s going on, people not being presented with a warrant, there’s no way there to kind of bring this to the front. And so we’re working with members of the board of supervisors, working with members of the state senate, we’re looking with assembly members to you know look at this issue and how do we how do we structure it so it’s sustainable? The other piece is activating faith communities to be accompaniment teams. Accompaniment teams can do a bunch of different things, and we train different teams to handle different kinds of problems. And so there’s one team that works with a simple walking with people and helping them get connected to social services that they qualify for. Other forms of accompaniment can be going with somebody to court to an immigration check-in because you need to have people there showing that you have community support. It’s they’re less less likely to be taken away when you have a lot of people there. And so we’re now in the process of working with faith communities who have chosen to do one or more dimensions of accompaniment, and we’re opening that up even more. But it’s just basic organizing. And when you do that, with the belief that God wants you to do it, you’re you’re and there’s no stopping you because you’re already you’re already in a value based system where you believe the divine spark is the energy that’s moving you forward. Ain’t no one gonna stop you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:15:13] It is a lot more work than I’d ever expect a priest to do. But at the end of the day you’re still a priest. And i it seems like there is still a very important role that churches, houses of worship, faith leaders can play in this moment. How w what do you think is the role of a faith leader in times like these?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fr. Jon Pedigo \u003c/strong>[00:15:39] As a minister, as a priest, as a rabbi, we all understand there is a power in community, that people need to connect to each other, and that we need to support the weaker link. We need to challenge the missing link. We need to invite and heal. I think that if faith communities are going to be relevant in the future, they need to be sure they’re damn well sure they’re they’re convening people, they’re facilitating conversations. They are not trying to create litmus tests on who belongs to my network, who doesn’t belong to my network. People aren’t asking that question. They’re saying, who is going to be ready to be with me and stand up with me and help me? Churches need to do that as well. Synagogues need to do that, and all the different temples need to do that. Songhas need to do that. We all need to figure out how do we get on board together. Believing that there is a divine spark in every human being, believing in the power of the divine to shape, change, and transform the person and society, knowing that with the divine, with God, all things are possible.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "ice-immigration-us-citizens-detained-carry-passports-documentation-green-card",
"title": "Should US Citizens Carry Their Passports?",
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"headTitle": "Should US Citizens Carry Their Passports? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/immigration-dhs-american-citizens-arrested-detained-against-will\">More than 170 American citizens\u003c/a> have been detained during raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as during protests, according to an October investigation by \u003cem>ProPublica\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the detained were nearly 20 children. In some cases, citizens have been held for 24 hours without being able to call a lawyer or a loved one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Regardless of potential legal recourse, the threat of mistakenly being taken into ICE detention — and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12047506/searching-for-a-loved-one-in-ice-custody-heres-what-you-need-to-know\">potentially disappearing into labyrinthine immigration custody\u003c/a> — has \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUS/comments/1m0w113/how_many_of_you_are_carrying_your_us_passport/\">some\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@imalawyerinreallife/video/7463630715998162222\">U.S. citizens\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/16/us/immigration-citizens-carrying-passports\">wondering\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/immigration/comments/1i8n698/lpt_us_citizens_who_are_brown_should_carry_their/\">online\u003c/a> if they should carry their passport or other documents with them to prove their citizenship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/immigration-dhs-american-citizens-arrested-detained-against-will\">the 50 American citizens \u003cem>ProPublica\u003c/em> found who were held \u003cem>after\u003c/em> immigration agents questioned their citizenship\u003c/a>, almost all were Latino. This fall, a Supreme Court decision allows \u003ca href=\"https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/25a169_5h25.pdf\">immigration agents to consider race\u003c/a> during sweeps in Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So amid the efforts of President Donald Trump’s administration to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060135/families-once-torn-apart-at-border-face-renewed-threat-of-separation\">ramp up\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058936/masking-bill-fuels-california-legal-battle-over-federal-immigration-agents\">immigration enforcement\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/ice-memo-deportation-due-process-six-hours-rcna218745\">across the country\u003c/a> this year, what do legal experts and advocates say about how U.S. citizens can protect themselves — and whether carrying proof of citizenship is a good idea?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Do U.S. citizens have to carry their documents?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Richard Boswell, law professor at UC Law School, San Francisco, called it “most troubling” that U.S. citizens should be considering carrying proof of citizenship in this context, and that “there is no reason why government officers can or should be questioning people about their citizenship without any reason to suspect that they are non-citizens who are here unlawfully.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At the same time, I understand the practical warning about carrying the original of one’s passport as a way of making it less likely that you will be arrested,” Boswell said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12054806\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12054806\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/GettyImages-1243312873_NEWS.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/GettyImages-1243312873_NEWS.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/GettyImages-1243312873_NEWS-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/GettyImages-1243312873_NEWS-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thomas Giles, Field Office Director, center, talks to a raiding party agent after a raid to arrest an illegal immigrant with a criminal record on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in Los Angeles. \u003ccite>(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/ Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But “if they have evidence that I have broken the law or that I am a non-citizen in the US in violation, the law places the burden on [an immigration officer] to have that evidence before they arrest me,” Boswell said. “I don’t have the legal obligation to give them that information in advance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This very question — of whether U.S. citizens should need to prove their status — highlights the gulf between what \u003cem>should \u003c/em>happen according to the law and what’s actually happening on the ground, said Bree Bernwanger, a senior attorney at ACLU NorCal.[aside postID=news_12025647 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/09/CBPSanYsidro-1180x787.jpg']“There is no legal requirement that U.S. citizens carry papers or have proof of their citizenship on them,” Bernwanger said. “There shouldn’t be a reason to have to carry your papers, because immigration agents aren’t supposed to stop people or detain them,” unless they have reasonable suspicion that the individual is unlawfully in the U.S., she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nonetheless, citizens may choose to make practical decisions around carrying documentation anyway, Bernwanger said, because of “our immigration agencies that are violating the law here and that are causing this anxiety and concern and confusion.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People just kind of have to make their own decisions about what they’re comfortable with in the face of this lawless enforcement,” Bernwanger said. “And that’s not fair.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saira Hussain, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told \u003ca href=\"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/proof-of-citizenship-trump-deportations_l_680675f2e4b066a6887ab2f0\">the Huffington Post\u003c/a> that U.S. citizens picked up by ICE “have a very strong civil rights suit because of \u003ca href=\"https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/supreme-courts-decision-racial-profiling-immigration-raids/\">the racial profiling\u003c/a> involved and the detention that would be involved.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to KQED’s request for comment. When contacted for comment by the reporters of October’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/immigration-dhs-american-citizens-arrested-detained-against-will\">\u003cem>ProPublica\u003c/em> investigation\u003c/a>, DHS claimed that agents do not racially profile or target Americans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have said it a million times: ICE does NOT arrest or deport U.S. citizens,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said \u003ca href=\"https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/10/01/dhs-debunks-new-york-times-false-reporting-dhs-does-not-deport-us-citizens\">in response\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/us/trump-immigration-agents-us-citizens.html\">a \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a> that featured stories of detained Americans.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What kind of documentation could someone potentially use to prove their citizenship?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Proof of \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/citizenship-evidence.html\">citizenship documents\u003c/a> include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>U.S. passport\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/card.html\">U.S. passport card\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/index.htm\">U.S. birth certificate\u003c/a> that has been issued by the city, county, or state of birth\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/living-abroad/birth.html\">Consular Report of Birth Abroad\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.usa.gov/certificate-citizenship-naturalization\">Certificate of Naturalization\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.usa.gov/certificate-citizenship-naturalization\">Certificate of Citizenship\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>A Real ID does not prove citizenship, but it does prove your identity, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/real-id/what-is-real-id/real-id-info-non-u-s-citizens/\">only immigrants with legal status in the U.S. can obtain one\u003c/a>. However, there have been \u003ca href=\"https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/ice-detained-us-citizen-immigration-crackdown-lawsuit-rcna238744\">reports of ICE agents refusing to accept\u003c/a> this form of ID.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If a person does decide to carry their actual, original documentation with them — like a passport — Bernwanger warned there’s a risk that ICE or CBP officers may confiscate it, or that your document could be otherwise lost in the confusion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is a real risk that if you are stopped, if you’re detained, if you were arrested — even if it’s unlawful — that your documents will be held,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11848802\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11848802\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/iStock-1130785257_1_1920x.jpg\" alt=\"Biometric passport with visa stamp for United States\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1281\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/iStock-1130785257_1_1920x.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/iStock-1130785257_1_1920x-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/iStock-1130785257_1_1920x-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/iStock-1130785257_1_1920x-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/iStock-1130785257_1_1920x-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An H1B visa issued Nov. 25, 2020. KQED’s Forum spoke to experts about how H-1B visa holders in the Bay Area are reacting to the latest White House order. \u003ccite>(iStock)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>An \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/mario.smith.549/videos/4124931194388551/\">alternative that’s being discussed\u003c/a> online could be carrying a legible copy of your passport or other proof of citizenship. Even a black and white photocopy of your passport’s photo page or \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/card.html\">your passport card\u003c/a> should be able to accomplish that, Bernwanger said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What about having a photo of your documentation on your phone, to potentially show an immigration officer? Again, Boswell stressed the need for that officer to have evidence that a person is unlawfully present in the U.S. — and cautioned that even just unlocking your phone to show your proof of citizenship “could be viewed as permission [for an officer] to go rummaging through it in search of other things.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Do non-citizens have to carry documentation with them?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Unlike citizens, U.S. law said that non-citizen immigrants \u003cem>should \u003c/em>actually carry documentation of their legal status in the country with them at all times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigrants with work authorization should carry documentation like a green card or an I-94 with them — and this should be their actual, original documentation, Bernwanger said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Should I have multiple copies of my documentation anyway?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Given what Bernwanger called the “real risk that documents will be confiscated during encounters with immigration agents just based on what we’ve seen elsewhere,” she recommended that citizens and non-citizens alike should make multiple, clear copies of their immigration documentation and store them securely at home in a place they can be quickly located.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bernwanger also advised you to “leave copies with your trusted family members,” who could then provide them in the event that you are detained by immigration enforcement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story has been updated to reflect that of the 50 American citizens \u003c/em>ProPublica \u003cem>found who were held after immigration agents questioned their citizenship, almost all were Latino.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/immigration-dhs-american-citizens-arrested-detained-against-will\">More than 170 American citizens\u003c/a> have been detained during raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as during protests, according to an October investigation by \u003cem>ProPublica\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the detained were nearly 20 children. In some cases, citizens have been held for 24 hours without being able to call a lawyer or a loved one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Regardless of potential legal recourse, the threat of mistakenly being taken into ICE detention — and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12047506/searching-for-a-loved-one-in-ice-custody-heres-what-you-need-to-know\">potentially disappearing into labyrinthine immigration custody\u003c/a> — has \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUS/comments/1m0w113/how_many_of_you_are_carrying_your_us_passport/\">some\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@imalawyerinreallife/video/7463630715998162222\">U.S. citizens\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/16/us/immigration-citizens-carrying-passports\">wondering\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/immigration/comments/1i8n698/lpt_us_citizens_who_are_brown_should_carry_their/\">online\u003c/a> if they should carry their passport or other documents with them to prove their citizenship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/immigration-dhs-american-citizens-arrested-detained-against-will\">the 50 American citizens \u003cem>ProPublica\u003c/em> found who were held \u003cem>after\u003c/em> immigration agents questioned their citizenship\u003c/a>, almost all were Latino. This fall, a Supreme Court decision allows \u003ca href=\"https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/25a169_5h25.pdf\">immigration agents to consider race\u003c/a> during sweeps in Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So amid the efforts of President Donald Trump’s administration to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060135/families-once-torn-apart-at-border-face-renewed-threat-of-separation\">ramp up\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058936/masking-bill-fuels-california-legal-battle-over-federal-immigration-agents\">immigration enforcement\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/ice-memo-deportation-due-process-six-hours-rcna218745\">across the country\u003c/a> this year, what do legal experts and advocates say about how U.S. citizens can protect themselves — and whether carrying proof of citizenship is a good idea?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Do U.S. citizens have to carry their documents?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Richard Boswell, law professor at UC Law School, San Francisco, called it “most troubling” that U.S. citizens should be considering carrying proof of citizenship in this context, and that “there is no reason why government officers can or should be questioning people about their citizenship without any reason to suspect that they are non-citizens who are here unlawfully.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At the same time, I understand the practical warning about carrying the original of one’s passport as a way of making it less likely that you will be arrested,” Boswell said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12054806\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12054806\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/GettyImages-1243312873_NEWS.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/GettyImages-1243312873_NEWS.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/GettyImages-1243312873_NEWS-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/GettyImages-1243312873_NEWS-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Thomas Giles, Field Office Director, center, talks to a raiding party agent after a raid to arrest an illegal immigrant with a criminal record on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in Los Angeles. \u003ccite>(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/ Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But “if they have evidence that I have broken the law or that I am a non-citizen in the US in violation, the law places the burden on [an immigration officer] to have that evidence before they arrest me,” Boswell said. “I don’t have the legal obligation to give them that information in advance.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This very question — of whether U.S. citizens should need to prove their status — highlights the gulf between what \u003cem>should \u003c/em>happen according to the law and what’s actually happening on the ground, said Bree Bernwanger, a senior attorney at ACLU NorCal.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“There is no legal requirement that U.S. citizens carry papers or have proof of their citizenship on them,” Bernwanger said. “There shouldn’t be a reason to have to carry your papers, because immigration agents aren’t supposed to stop people or detain them,” unless they have reasonable suspicion that the individual is unlawfully in the U.S., she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nonetheless, citizens may choose to make practical decisions around carrying documentation anyway, Bernwanger said, because of “our immigration agencies that are violating the law here and that are causing this anxiety and concern and confusion.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People just kind of have to make their own decisions about what they’re comfortable with in the face of this lawless enforcement,” Bernwanger said. “And that’s not fair.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saira Hussain, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told \u003ca href=\"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/proof-of-citizenship-trump-deportations_l_680675f2e4b066a6887ab2f0\">the Huffington Post\u003c/a> that U.S. citizens picked up by ICE “have a very strong civil rights suit because of \u003ca href=\"https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/supreme-courts-decision-racial-profiling-immigration-raids/\">the racial profiling\u003c/a> involved and the detention that would be involved.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to KQED’s request for comment. When contacted for comment by the reporters of October’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.propublica.org/article/immigration-dhs-american-citizens-arrested-detained-against-will\">\u003cem>ProPublica\u003c/em> investigation\u003c/a>, DHS claimed that agents do not racially profile or target Americans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have said it a million times: ICE does NOT arrest or deport U.S. citizens,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said \u003ca href=\"https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/10/01/dhs-debunks-new-york-times-false-reporting-dhs-does-not-deport-us-citizens\">in response\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/us/trump-immigration-agents-us-citizens.html\">a \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a> that featured stories of detained Americans.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What kind of documentation could someone potentially use to prove their citizenship?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Proof of \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/citizenship-evidence.html\">citizenship documents\u003c/a> include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>U.S. passport\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/card.html\">U.S. passport card\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/index.htm\">U.S. birth certificate\u003c/a> that has been issued by the city, county, or state of birth\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/living-abroad/birth.html\">Consular Report of Birth Abroad\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.usa.gov/certificate-citizenship-naturalization\">Certificate of Naturalization\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.usa.gov/certificate-citizenship-naturalization\">Certificate of Citizenship\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>A Real ID does not prove citizenship, but it does prove your identity, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/real-id/what-is-real-id/real-id-info-non-u-s-citizens/\">only immigrants with legal status in the U.S. can obtain one\u003c/a>. However, there have been \u003ca href=\"https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/ice-detained-us-citizen-immigration-crackdown-lawsuit-rcna238744\">reports of ICE agents refusing to accept\u003c/a> this form of ID.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If a person does decide to carry their actual, original documentation with them — like a passport — Bernwanger warned there’s a risk that ICE or CBP officers may confiscate it, or that your document could be otherwise lost in the confusion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is a real risk that if you are stopped, if you’re detained, if you were arrested — even if it’s unlawful — that your documents will be held,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11848802\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11848802\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/iStock-1130785257_1_1920x.jpg\" alt=\"Biometric passport with visa stamp for United States\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1281\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/iStock-1130785257_1_1920x.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/iStock-1130785257_1_1920x-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/iStock-1130785257_1_1920x-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/iStock-1130785257_1_1920x-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/11/iStock-1130785257_1_1920x-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An H1B visa issued Nov. 25, 2020. KQED’s Forum spoke to experts about how H-1B visa holders in the Bay Area are reacting to the latest White House order. \u003ccite>(iStock)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>An \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/mario.smith.549/videos/4124931194388551/\">alternative that’s being discussed\u003c/a> online could be carrying a legible copy of your passport or other proof of citizenship. Even a black and white photocopy of your passport’s photo page or \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/card.html\">your passport card\u003c/a> should be able to accomplish that, Bernwanger said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What about having a photo of your documentation on your phone, to potentially show an immigration officer? Again, Boswell stressed the need for that officer to have evidence that a person is unlawfully present in the U.S. — and cautioned that even just unlocking your phone to show your proof of citizenship “could be viewed as permission [for an officer] to go rummaging through it in search of other things.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Do non-citizens have to carry documentation with them?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Unlike citizens, U.S. law said that non-citizen immigrants \u003cem>should \u003c/em>actually carry documentation of their legal status in the country with them at all times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigrants with work authorization should carry documentation like a green card or an I-94 with them — and this should be their actual, original documentation, Bernwanger said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Should I have multiple copies of my documentation anyway?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Given what Bernwanger called the “real risk that documents will be confiscated during encounters with immigration agents just based on what we’ve seen elsewhere,” she recommended that citizens and non-citizens alike should make multiple, clear copies of their immigration documentation and store them securely at home in a place they can be quickly located.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bernwanger also advised you to “leave copies with your trusted family members,” who could then provide them in the event that you are detained by immigration enforcement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story has been updated to reflect that of the 50 American citizens \u003c/em>ProPublica \u003cem>found who were held after immigration agents questioned their citizenship, almost all were Latino.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Afghan American leaders in the Bay Area are increasingly worried that last week’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065556/newsom-condemns-violence-of-any-kind-after-national-guard-troops-are-shot-in-d-c\">shooting of two National Guard members\u003c/a> near the White House will spark a political backlash against Afghan evacuees nationwide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who served in a CIA-backed strike force in Afghanistan before being evacuated to the U.S. in 2021, is accused of killing Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and wounding Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe. Leaders of the Bay Area’s Afghan community said they were horrified by the attack.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fremont is home to one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12053196/how-fremont-became-a-hub-for-afghan-americans\">largest Afghan populations in the U.S.\u003c/a>, but across the Bay Area, Afghan Americans said they are already feeling the fervor surrounding the case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Afghan American Foundation Board Chair Joseph Azam of Oakland said the community is concerned that the alleged actions of one man will now be used to justify broad restrictions on immigration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As Americans, anybody who doesn’t start with the horror of what happened is missing the gravity of this moment,” Azam said. “But there’s also fear. People are nervous for their safety because political rhetoric comes with real danger.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Speaking to reporters after the shooting, President Trump vacillated from suggesting the suspect might have gone “cuckoo” to arguing he was not properly vetted. He went on to \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-are-you-stupid-trump-rebuffs-reporters-question-on-afghan-resettlement-vetting\">insult\u003c/a> a CBS reporter who tried to ask why his own administration had recently described the evacuee vetting process as thorough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051925\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12051925 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/GettyImages-2229572233-scaled-e1756854510343.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions during a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on Aug. 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Trump announced he will use his authority to place the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under federal control to assist in crime prevention in the nation’s capital, and that the National Guard will be deployed to D.C. \u003ccite>(Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At one point, he launched into familiar anti-immigrant rhetoric, describing them as criminals and a national security threat, saying: “For the most part, we don’t want them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the wake of the shooting, the Trump administration said it would halt the processing of Afghan immigration applications. Azam said many in the community worry that the federal response signals a return to the suspicion and xenophobia that Middle Easterners and others faced after the Sept. 11 attacks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m hearing a sense that we’re going back in time, to darker periods when communities have been scapegoated, targeted and used as political pawns,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Sen. Aisha Wahab (D–Hayward), the first Afghan American \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11932627/aisha-wahab-on-her-historic-election-to-the-state-senate\">elected to the California Legislature\u003c/a>, called the attacks on National Guard members on U.S. soil “disheartening.”[aside postID=news_12063980 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED-1020x680.jpg']Wahab said that while many questions remain for investigators, it’s clear that Afghans undergo some of the most rigorous security screening of any immigrant population, such as biometric data and interagency scrutiny.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The mere fact of this incident taking place should not be used as an excuse by political parties to demonize immigrants,” Wahab said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She noted that Afghans who worked alongside U.S. forces did so under extraordinary circumstances — and at great personal risk — after being \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040425/bay-area-afghans-allies-decry-trumps-end-of-tps-theyre-terrified\">promised a path to safety\u003c/a> for themselves and their immediate families. Many, she said, are still coping with trauma from decades of war. She called for a balanced response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are individuals that will have mental health issues, that will have PTSD, that will have a lot of other concerns,” Wahab said, “but we also are a nation built by immigrants. And we need to honor that and make sure that people feel welcomed and supported and treated equally.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Azam said approximately 80% of recent Afghan arrivals are working, with many employed at major American companies or serving in the U.S. military. Halting their progress because of one violent act, he said, would be “a tough pill to swallow.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060605\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060605\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251018_NoKingsOakland_Hernandez-26_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251018_NoKingsOakland_Hernandez-26_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251018_NoKingsOakland_Hernandez-26_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251018_NoKingsOakland_Hernandez-26_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A demonstrator’s silhouette is cast beneath an American flag during the No Kings National Day of Action in Oakland on Oct. 18, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He called on national leaders in both parties to return to the bipartisan cooperation that once guided Afghan resettlement, pointing to the 2021 testimony of Trump’s former national security advisor-turned United Nations ambassador, Mike Waltz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Waltz, the first Green Beret elected to the U.S. House, \u003ca href=\"https://www.congress.gov/117/crec/2021/06/22/167/108/CREC-2021-06-22.pdf\">appeared\u003c/a> before Congress alongside one of his former Afghan interpreters as he urged the Biden White House to take care of its allies as the U.S. military completed its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101885239/afghanistan-in-a-long-history-of-military-withdrawals\">withdrawal from Afghanistan\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need to ask ourselves, as Americans, what message are we sending in terms of keeping our promises, not only with the Afghans, but again, around the world?” Waltz testified. “The bottom line is, we need to get them out. We have a moral obligation to get them out. This is not just a moral obligation, but it is a national security obligation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Azam said the answer to one heinous act is not collective punishment: “I hope cooler heads prevail.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Afghan American leaders in the Bay Area are increasingly worried that last week’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12065556/newsom-condemns-violence-of-any-kind-after-national-guard-troops-are-shot-in-d-c\">shooting of two National Guard members\u003c/a> near the White House will spark a political backlash against Afghan evacuees nationwide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who served in a CIA-backed strike force in Afghanistan before being evacuated to the U.S. in 2021, is accused of killing Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and wounding Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe. Leaders of the Bay Area’s Afghan community said they were horrified by the attack.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fremont is home to one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12053196/how-fremont-became-a-hub-for-afghan-americans\">largest Afghan populations in the U.S.\u003c/a>, but across the Bay Area, Afghan Americans said they are already feeling the fervor surrounding the case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Afghan American Foundation Board Chair Joseph Azam of Oakland said the community is concerned that the alleged actions of one man will now be used to justify broad restrictions on immigration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As Americans, anybody who doesn’t start with the horror of what happened is missing the gravity of this moment,” Azam said. “But there’s also fear. People are nervous for their safety because political rhetoric comes with real danger.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Speaking to reporters after the shooting, President Trump vacillated from suggesting the suspect might have gone “cuckoo” to arguing he was not properly vetted. He went on to \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-are-you-stupid-trump-rebuffs-reporters-question-on-afghan-resettlement-vetting\">insult\u003c/a> a CBS reporter who tried to ask why his own administration had recently described the evacuee vetting process as thorough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12051925\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12051925 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/GettyImages-2229572233-scaled-e1756854510343.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions during a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on Aug. 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Trump announced he will use his authority to place the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under federal control to assist in crime prevention in the nation’s capital, and that the National Guard will be deployed to D.C. \u003ccite>(Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At one point, he launched into familiar anti-immigrant rhetoric, describing them as criminals and a national security threat, saying: “For the most part, we don’t want them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the wake of the shooting, the Trump administration said it would halt the processing of Afghan immigration applications. Azam said many in the community worry that the federal response signals a return to the suspicion and xenophobia that Middle Easterners and others faced after the Sept. 11 attacks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m hearing a sense that we’re going back in time, to darker periods when communities have been scapegoated, targeted and used as political pawns,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Sen. Aisha Wahab (D–Hayward), the first Afghan American \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11932627/aisha-wahab-on-her-historic-election-to-the-state-senate\">elected to the California Legislature\u003c/a>, called the attacks on National Guard members on U.S. soil “disheartening.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Wahab said that while many questions remain for investigators, it’s clear that Afghans undergo some of the most rigorous security screening of any immigrant population, such as biometric data and interagency scrutiny.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The mere fact of this incident taking place should not be used as an excuse by political parties to demonize immigrants,” Wahab said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She noted that Afghans who worked alongside U.S. forces did so under extraordinary circumstances — and at great personal risk — after being \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12040425/bay-area-afghans-allies-decry-trumps-end-of-tps-theyre-terrified\">promised a path to safety\u003c/a> for themselves and their immediate families. Many, she said, are still coping with trauma from decades of war. She called for a balanced response.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are individuals that will have mental health issues, that will have PTSD, that will have a lot of other concerns,” Wahab said, “but we also are a nation built by immigrants. And we need to honor that and make sure that people feel welcomed and supported and treated equally.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Azam said approximately 80% of recent Afghan arrivals are working, with many employed at major American companies or serving in the U.S. military. Halting their progress because of one violent act, he said, would be “a tough pill to swallow.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12060605\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12060605\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251018_NoKingsOakland_Hernandez-26_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251018_NoKingsOakland_Hernandez-26_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251018_NoKingsOakland_Hernandez-26_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251018_NoKingsOakland_Hernandez-26_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A demonstrator’s silhouette is cast beneath an American flag during the No Kings National Day of Action in Oakland on Oct. 18, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He called on national leaders in both parties to return to the bipartisan cooperation that once guided Afghan resettlement, pointing to the 2021 testimony of Trump’s former national security advisor-turned United Nations ambassador, Mike Waltz.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Waltz, the first Green Beret elected to the U.S. House, \u003ca href=\"https://www.congress.gov/117/crec/2021/06/22/167/108/CREC-2021-06-22.pdf\">appeared\u003c/a> before Congress alongside one of his former Afghan interpreters as he urged the Biden White House to take care of its allies as the U.S. military completed its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101885239/afghanistan-in-a-long-history-of-military-withdrawals\">withdrawal from Afghanistan\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need to ask ourselves, as Americans, what message are we sending in terms of keeping our promises, not only with the Afghans, but again, around the world?” Waltz testified. “The bottom line is, we need to get them out. We have a moral obligation to get them out. This is not just a moral obligation, but it is a national security obligation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Azam said the answer to one heinous act is not collective punishment: “I hope cooler heads prevail.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "how-fear-of-trumps-immigration-blitz-is-changing-life-in-california-farm-towns",
"title": "How Fear of Trump’s Immigration Blitz Is Changing Life in California Farm Towns",
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"headTitle": "How Fear of Trump’s Immigration Blitz Is Changing Life in California Farm Towns | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trailing in the shade of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/farming\">tractor-pulled harvester\u003c/a>, a small huddle of people in broad hats trawl the ochre rows of a green field. Every six or so feet, someone squats down and pulls into the morning sunlight a bright, spotted watermelon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walking a dozen yards behind this crew of pickers is their supervisor, Raul. He has done this for 21 years, since he was 18.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He, better than anybody, knows that perfectly ripe watermelons aren’t just pulled off the vine, they’re chosen. And the choosing still relies, as it ever has, on workers who are delicate with the fruit and severe with the choice. The job requires years of repetition: seeing the right melon, bending to heft it, cutting its root and placing it carefully on the harvester bed or a bag hanging off the back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rookies have trouble. They pick a melon before it’s ready, or they fumble the blades and cut themselves, or their bodies simply inform them after a day or a week of bending and lifting and bending and lifting that they will not be getting out of bed that morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-44-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A back view of a person in work clothes and a hat walking through a field of watermelons as workers harvest in the background on a tractor.\">\u003cfigcaption>A farmworker walks through a field where melons are harvested at a farm outside of Firebaugh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Raul knows this land. He raised his kids in the farmland around the town of Firebaugh, 38 miles west of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/fresno\">Fresno\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He points to a grove of full-grown almond trees near the Del Bosque melon farm where he works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We were putting in those trees when they were young, my first year,” Raul said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the last two decades, Raul would drive north when the melon harvest ends to work in the vineyards and then the apple and cherry orchards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this year is different, and Raul, who didn’t want his last name used in this story because he is in the country illegally, is not sure how much longer he can stay in the United States.[aside postID=news_12055072 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250903_FARMLABORCRISIS_GC-20-KQED.jpg']As this year’s harvest ends, the small Central Valley towns that rely on migrant or undocumented labor to survive are themselves forced to imagine the end of a way of life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The worry here is the workers might not return next year, at least not in the numbers that sustain local economies and power the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://plantingseedsblog.cdfa.ca.gov/wordpress/?p=29277\">$60 billion agricultural industry\u003c/a>, which grows three-fourths of the fruits and nuts consumed in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">Trump administration \u003c/a>has pledged to carry out the largest deportation program in American history. They have, so far, mostly left the agricultural industry alone. But Trump and his advisers \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/08/trump-teased-a-solution-for-farmers-its-likely-not-coming-soon-00498932\">have wavered\u003c/a> on whether to protect farms from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/immigration\">immigration raids,\u003c/a> so the seasonal workers and their employers will have to wait and see.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, what connects tiny truck stop towns and big cities of this part of the valley \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/03/immigration-raids-rumors/\">is fear\u003c/a>: of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/water/2024/04/california-farmers-groundwater-probation-kings-county/\">tightened water allocations\u003c/a>, of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2025/08/california-european-wines-tariffs/\">market turbulence\u003c/a> and, this year, of immigration agents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Small farm towns in the Central Valley are similar in their seasonal economics to a beach town on the East Coast: Both swell in summer with a population boom, then dig in for a slow winter. Firebaugh City Manager Ben Gallegos said the town of 4,000 grows to 8,000 people in the summer, then empties out after the harvest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The story plays out in the numbers, but already this year’s numbers tell a different tale.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-04-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A ground-level view of three watermelons growing on a vine in the middle of a field with the sun rising in the background, as workers pick in the far distance, just out of focus.\">\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-13-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A person holds up a watermelon after picking it from a field to put it on a conveyor belt while working in a watermelon field. The person has a slight shadow over their face to not show their identity.\">\u003c/figure>\u003cfigcaption>\u003cstrong>First: \u003c/strong>Melons in a field at a melon farm outside of Firebaugh. \u003cstrong>Last:\u003c/strong> A farmworker picks up a melon while harvesting at a melon farm outside of Firebaugh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photos by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the second quarter of the year, which runs from April 1 to June 30, total taxable transactions in Firebaugh were down 29% from the same quarter last year, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. In nearby Chowchilla, total taxable receipts are down 21% in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People don’t want to shop or go out to eat, Gallegos said. The city of Firebaugh is staring down cuts to its police force, its parks and its senior center. In September, the appearance of county probation officers dressed in green fatigues caused waves of panicked Whatsapp texts. Some people went into hiding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The food bank in Firebaugh used to serve about 50 families. Today, at weekly distributions behind city hall, that number is up to 150. When it’s over, volunteers take the remaining food boxes to families who are too afraid to leave their homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need those individuals to drive our community,” Gallegos said. “They’re the ones that eat at our local restaurants, they’re the ones that shop at our local stores. Without them, what do we do?\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-06-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A side view of field workers picking watermelons in a green field filled with vines behind a tractor pulling a conveyor belt. In the background are more green fields and a view of a semi-truck driving on a highway.\">\u003cfigcaption>Farmworkers harvest melons behind a tractor on a melon farm outside of Firebaugh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“They’re scared to come out \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/09/la-immigration-sweeps-supreme-court/\">because of the color of their skin\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Raul and his crew of six pickers will have to choose, too. Will they come back?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Borrowed time\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“My clients say this country’s not for them anymore,” said Fresno immigration attorney Jesus Ibañez, who works with farmworkers. “They feel like they’re on borrowed time here. That sentiment is not one I heard a lot one year ago.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The choices to stay or self-deport come down to money, but also the futures those farmworkers want for their children born in the United States, Ibañez said.[aside postID=news_12065240 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/IMG_4486-1020x765.jpeg']Sometimes the choice is more complicated – the U.S. isn’t as safe for them as it was, but its school districts still offer things like mental health care and physical therapy that migrant workers fear they won’t get in their home countries. Balanced against that is the possibility of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/10/caregiver-deportation-california/\">one or both parents being deported\u003c/a>, leaving the children with no legal guardians in this country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Statistically, it’s difficult to even know the number of farmworkers employed today, let alone how much the fear of deportation is affecting employment in the industry. In late October, Ag Alert, a publication of the California Farm Bureau, \u003ca href=\"https://www.agalert.com/california-ag-news/archives/october-22-2025/farmworkers-set-fear-aside-to-pick-california-bounty/\">broke the news\u003c/a> that both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Labor canceled annual farmworker labor surveys. That means that, for the first time since the late 1980s, there is no federal documentation of farmworker hours, wages or demographics. Historically, \u003ca href=\"http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/chart-detail?chartId=63466\">about 40% of farmworkers\u003c/a> in the last decade were undocumented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The nonpartisan Pew Research Center found that more immigrants \u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/08/21/key-findings-about-us-immigrants/?mod=ANLink\">left the country or were deported\u003c/a> this year than the number who arrived. If the trend holds until the end of the year, 2025 will be the first year since the 1960s that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/08/immigrant-population-declines/\">the population of immigrants in the U.S. falls\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Raul, the question of returning is simple. He will need to earn money so he can support his kids, so he plans on coming back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Que quisiera un padre? Raul said. “Quiere que sea lo mejor para los hijos.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>What would a father want? He wants what’s best for his children.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A town shaped by a river\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The road into Firebaugh rolls up and over a wash, next to the spot where Andrew Firebaugh founded a ferry across the San Joaquin River that became an important stop on stagecoach routes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The river has always been what kept this town alive, first as an obstacle around which they built a settlement and later as the lifeblood of its farms and fields.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-38-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A water tower that reads “Firebaugh” on its side over a street in a small town, with vehicles driving by between local businesses.\">\u003cfigcaption>The water tower in Firebaugh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Just outside of town, the pavement has fractured and buckled. The street signs are tiny and faded on the broad grid of roads bounded by fields that push right up to the street. You orient yourself with both cardinal directions and crops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Prunus amygdalus\u003c/em>, also called almond trees, look like they’re raising their arms. \u003cem>Pistacia vera\u003c/em>, the pistachio tree, look like they’re shrugging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Uncovered truck bed bins spill ripe red tomatoes on tight turns. Tractors with their tillers raised trundle slowly down the highway. On the side of the road bobs of lettuce heads peek out of the ground, followed by a massive pile of unhulled almonds, and then a series of palm trees, some very tall and some a little squat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/092425-Melon-Farm-Day-2-LV-13-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A ground-level view of two rows of trees growing crops in an agricultural field on a cloudy morning.\">\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/092425_Melon-Farm-Day-2_LV_CM_08-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A semi-truck carrying crops drives down the street during an early morning illuminated by the soft orange light of the sunrise.\">\u003c/figure>\u003cfigcaption>\u003cstrong>First:\u003c/strong> Rows of trees in an orchard outside of Firebaugh.\u003cstrong> Last:\u003c/strong> A truck carrying crops drives through farmland outside of Firebaugh in Fresno County on Sept. 24, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At the corner of one of these roads, just before it meets the interstate, is the melon farm owned by Joe Del Bosque, Raul’s employer of 21 years. And the first thing people inclined to these kinds of questions will ask Del Bosque is why he hires undocumented labor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He begins explaining his trouble hiring people on the federal H-2A visa, which permits employers to hire foreign seasonal workers. It’s not just that he has to pay them $3 more per hour, Del Bosque said. It’s that he must also pay for their transportation to and from the farm every day. He must pay for the rooms where they sleep and the food they eat. It is, he said, economically impossible to rely on the visa program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next suggestion is hiring local people. Del Bosque laughed and said he tried that. The locals made it a week, at the most, and then found some other way to make money that didn’t leave them sore all over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He knows that one day soon, he’ll likely have to turn over operations to the only family member active in the business, his son-in-law. But that’s only if there’s still a farm to hand over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t have a lot of confidence that the future of our farm and a lot of farms is looking very good right now,” Del Bosque said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-30.jpg\" alt=\"A ground-level view of a man dressed in a cowboy hat and a button-down shirt standing in a watermelon field. The vines from the field are visible in the lower portion of the frame, with a part of a mountain range peaking out in the background and a blue sky as the backdrop.\">\u003cfigcaption>Joe Del Bosque, owner of Del Bosque Farms, stands in one of his melon fields as they are being harvested outside of Firebaugh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Labor is already sounding the alarm on losing farmworkers and the threat that poses to the nation’s food supply in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/02/2025-19365/adverse-effect-wage-rate-methodology-for-the-temporary-employment-of-h-2a-nonimmigrants-in-non-range\">notice in the Federal Register in October.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The near total cessation of the inflow of illegal aliens combined with the lack of an available legal workforce, results in significant disruptions to production costs and threatening the stability of domestic food production and prices for U.S consumers,” the department said in a rule-making proposal that would allow employers to pay H-2A workers less than they are paying now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Unless the Department acts immediately to provide a source of stable and lawful labor, this threat will grow,” the notice said, citing the likelihood of enhanced immigration enforcement under the budget bill Trump signed earlier this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those longer-term consequences in the labor market won’t be felt evenly.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>This is Trump country\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Fresno County and the rest of the Central Valley went for Trump in the 2024 election. Del Bosque calls himself a conservative, though he \u003ca href=\"https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=joe+del+bosque\">donates to both parties\u003c/a> – Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff and former President \u003ca href=\"https://obamaoralhistory.columbia.edu/interviews/joe-del-bosque\">Barack Obama\u003c/a> have both made public visits to his acreage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next to his farm – right up on the property line where everyone will see it – is a massive Trump 2024 sign, erected by his neighbor. No one driving to the Del Bosque Farm will miss it. Del Bosque laughs about it, but it’s also a reflection of how their differing crops help define their politics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-34-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A banner on a sign that reads “2024 TRUMP END THIS HELL SAVE AMERICA NOW” on the side of a country road next to a fence. In the background is a red barn on a ranch and a mountain range.\">\u003cfigcaption>A Trump sign posted on a neighboring property of Del Bosque Farms outside of Firebaugh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Del Bosque grows melons, which are labor intensive and require lots of people to work long hours. He supports an easier path to employment for undocumented workers. Next door, his neighbor grows almonds. They only require one person to drive a “shaker” to get the nuts out of the trees and another to operate the basket that catches them as they fall. His neighbor, whom CalMatters was unable to contact, doesn’t require much labor at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Here’s the thing, not all farms are the same, not all farmers are the same,” Del Bosque said. “I’m concerned about these people. (The neighbor) is not concerned about that, because he has almonds. He manages his almonds with just him and one or two more people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He can do his whole farm with two, three people. So this immigration (enforcement) does not affect him at all.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Author and Central Valley farmer David Mas Masumoto wrote about neighborly tension in his 1995 “Epitaph for a Peach.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We depend on labor from Mexico, part of a seasonal flow of men and families. Many come here for the summer, return to Mexico during the slow winter months, and return the following year. They’re predominantly young men with the faces of boys. We’re dependent on their strong backs and quick hands. And they are hungry for work.…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This September, farmers drive down the road staring straight ahead, steering clear of a chance meeting with a competitor who was once a neighbor. Eyes avoid eyes, hands hesitate and refrain from waving. It’s an ugly September.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Politics out here can make it a whole ugly season.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Big and rapid change’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>What if they don’t come back?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t have a precedent for trying to understand that major of a disruption to our state’s economy and demographics,” said Liz Carlisle, an associate professor in the Environmental Studies Program at UC Santa Barbara.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/092425-Melon-Farm-Day-2-LV-12-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A view of field workers walking in a line between rows of trees in an agricultural field and a country road. The workers are walking along power poles near the field as the sun rises in the background, casting a golden haze across the sky.\">\u003cfigcaption>Farmworkers walk past rows of trees on an orchard outside of Firebaugh in Fresno County on Sept. 24, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Something is changing in one of the world’s most productive agricultural regions. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060895/visiting-a-vineyard-to-see-how-the-bays-wine-industry-is-doing\">Wine grapes are going unharvested\u003c/a>, rotting in the fields, as exports to Canada collapsed under new tariffs and younger consumers started shying away from alcohol.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.siliconvalley.com/2025/01/28/california-groundwater-crisis-farms-fail/\">Land values are cratering\u003c/a> in places with limited water, leaving farmers in multi-million dollar debt. Water costs are skyrocketing in part because of a \u003ca href=\"https://water.ca.gov/programs/groundwater-management/sgma-groundwater-management\">2014 conservation law\u003c/a> that seeks to regulate years of agricultural over-pumping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I do think we’re looking at the potential of really big and rapid change to California’s agricultural sector and all of the workers and everything that touches the economy,” Carlisle said. “It’s kind of a perfect storm because you have major shifts in trade policy at the same time as you have major shifts in the workforce at the same time you have major shifts in climate and potential regulatory responses to those climate impacts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So that’s a lot of huge transformations for people in the agricultural sector to try to manage at once.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, the problems were the usual problems: Five or six big storms clobbered the Central Valley with rain and hail, hitting young crops just as they were approaching maturity. But larger battles loom.[aside postID=news_12063793 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-17-KQED.jpg']During the first Trump administration, the labor market for Central Valley farmers tightened significantly, said California Fresh Fruits Association president Daniel Hartwig, when migration numbers plummeted and farms would lose workers to a neighboring operation that offered an extra 25 cents per hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During this second go-round with Trump as president, those concerns seem almost archaic. Now, Hartwig said, he’ll spend a couple hours every week running down rumors of immigration enforcement: an unmarked white van in Madera County that turned out to belong to a carpet cleaning business; a cluster of cars outside a health clinic that turned out to be a local police operation; a shaky TikTok of unknown provenance showing men in green fatigues that sent farmworkers rushing back to their homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you did let your imagination run wild, especially if you were undocumented, everywhere you look, around the corner, is somebody that you’re fearful is going to try and get you and deport you,” Hartwig said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now these towns in the lower basin of the Central Valley hunker down for an anxious winter, on the farms, at the food bank, in Firebaugh’s City Hall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They are dependent on so many factors out of their own control. Executive impulses in the White House. Cloud formations and wind speeds. Commodity prices set globally. Water prices set locally. And in the winter there is time to think and there is time to ask questions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Will the federal government increase immigration enforcement at farms? Will it rain enough early in the season? Will it rain too much when the fruit is in the fields? Could there be a repeat of last year’s heat wave? Or this year’s storms? What if the water gets costlier? What if the commodities get cheaper?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And a question perhaps more crucial than any other: What if they don’t come back?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s note: Author David Mas Masumoto is a member of the CalMatters board of director\u003c/em>s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2025/11/immigration-california-farms/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Tax receipts are down almost 30% in one California farm town, where immigrants are afraid to go out and some longtime workers are weighing self-deportation.",
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"title": "How Fear of Trump’s Immigration Blitz Is Changing Life in California Farm Towns | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trailing in the shade of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/farming\">tractor-pulled harvester\u003c/a>, a small huddle of people in broad hats trawl the ochre rows of a green field. Every six or so feet, someone squats down and pulls into the morning sunlight a bright, spotted watermelon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walking a dozen yards behind this crew of pickers is their supervisor, Raul. He has done this for 21 years, since he was 18.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He, better than anybody, knows that perfectly ripe watermelons aren’t just pulled off the vine, they’re chosen. And the choosing still relies, as it ever has, on workers who are delicate with the fruit and severe with the choice. The job requires years of repetition: seeing the right melon, bending to heft it, cutting its root and placing it carefully on the harvester bed or a bag hanging off the back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rookies have trouble. They pick a melon before it’s ready, or they fumble the blades and cut themselves, or their bodies simply inform them after a day or a week of bending and lifting and bending and lifting that they will not be getting out of bed that morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-44-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A back view of a person in work clothes and a hat walking through a field of watermelons as workers harvest in the background on a tractor.\">\u003cfigcaption>A farmworker walks through a field where melons are harvested at a farm outside of Firebaugh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Raul knows this land. He raised his kids in the farmland around the town of Firebaugh, 38 miles west of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/fresno\">Fresno\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He points to a grove of full-grown almond trees near the Del Bosque melon farm where he works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We were putting in those trees when they were young, my first year,” Raul said in Spanish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the last two decades, Raul would drive north when the melon harvest ends to work in the vineyards and then the apple and cherry orchards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this year is different, and Raul, who didn’t want his last name used in this story because he is in the country illegally, is not sure how much longer he can stay in the United States.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>As this year’s harvest ends, the small Central Valley towns that rely on migrant or undocumented labor to survive are themselves forced to imagine the end of a way of life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The worry here is the workers might not return next year, at least not in the numbers that sustain local economies and power the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://plantingseedsblog.cdfa.ca.gov/wordpress/?p=29277\">$60 billion agricultural industry\u003c/a>, which grows three-fourths of the fruits and nuts consumed in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">Trump administration \u003c/a>has pledged to carry out the largest deportation program in American history. They have, so far, mostly left the agricultural industry alone. But Trump and his advisers \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/08/trump-teased-a-solution-for-farmers-its-likely-not-coming-soon-00498932\">have wavered\u003c/a> on whether to protect farms from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/immigration\">immigration raids,\u003c/a> so the seasonal workers and their employers will have to wait and see.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, what connects tiny truck stop towns and big cities of this part of the valley \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/03/immigration-raids-rumors/\">is fear\u003c/a>: of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/water/2024/04/california-farmers-groundwater-probation-kings-county/\">tightened water allocations\u003c/a>, of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2025/08/california-european-wines-tariffs/\">market turbulence\u003c/a> and, this year, of immigration agents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Small farm towns in the Central Valley are similar in their seasonal economics to a beach town on the East Coast: Both swell in summer with a population boom, then dig in for a slow winter. Firebaugh City Manager Ben Gallegos said the town of 4,000 grows to 8,000 people in the summer, then empties out after the harvest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The story plays out in the numbers, but already this year’s numbers tell a different tale.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-04-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A ground-level view of three watermelons growing on a vine in the middle of a field with the sun rising in the background, as workers pick in the far distance, just out of focus.\">\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-13-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A person holds up a watermelon after picking it from a field to put it on a conveyor belt while working in a watermelon field. The person has a slight shadow over their face to not show their identity.\">\u003c/figure>\u003cfigcaption>\u003cstrong>First: \u003c/strong>Melons in a field at a melon farm outside of Firebaugh. \u003cstrong>Last:\u003c/strong> A farmworker picks up a melon while harvesting at a melon farm outside of Firebaugh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photos by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the second quarter of the year, which runs from April 1 to June 30, total taxable transactions in Firebaugh were down 29% from the same quarter last year, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. In nearby Chowchilla, total taxable receipts are down 21% in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People don’t want to shop or go out to eat, Gallegos said. The city of Firebaugh is staring down cuts to its police force, its parks and its senior center. In September, the appearance of county probation officers dressed in green fatigues caused waves of panicked Whatsapp texts. Some people went into hiding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The food bank in Firebaugh used to serve about 50 families. Today, at weekly distributions behind city hall, that number is up to 150. When it’s over, volunteers take the remaining food boxes to families who are too afraid to leave their homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need those individuals to drive our community,” Gallegos said. “They’re the ones that eat at our local restaurants, they’re the ones that shop at our local stores. Without them, what do we do?\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-06-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A side view of field workers picking watermelons in a green field filled with vines behind a tractor pulling a conveyor belt. In the background are more green fields and a view of a semi-truck driving on a highway.\">\u003cfigcaption>Farmworkers harvest melons behind a tractor on a melon farm outside of Firebaugh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“They’re scared to come out \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/09/la-immigration-sweeps-supreme-court/\">because of the color of their skin\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Raul and his crew of six pickers will have to choose, too. Will they come back?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Borrowed time\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“My clients say this country’s not for them anymore,” said Fresno immigration attorney Jesus Ibañez, who works with farmworkers. “They feel like they’re on borrowed time here. That sentiment is not one I heard a lot one year ago.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The choices to stay or self-deport come down to money, but also the futures those farmworkers want for their children born in the United States, Ibañez said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Sometimes the choice is more complicated – the U.S. isn’t as safe for them as it was, but its school districts still offer things like mental health care and physical therapy that migrant workers fear they won’t get in their home countries. Balanced against that is the possibility of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/10/caregiver-deportation-california/\">one or both parents being deported\u003c/a>, leaving the children with no legal guardians in this country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Statistically, it’s difficult to even know the number of farmworkers employed today, let alone how much the fear of deportation is affecting employment in the industry. In late October, Ag Alert, a publication of the California Farm Bureau, \u003ca href=\"https://www.agalert.com/california-ag-news/archives/october-22-2025/farmworkers-set-fear-aside-to-pick-california-bounty/\">broke the news\u003c/a> that both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Labor canceled annual farmworker labor surveys. That means that, for the first time since the late 1980s, there is no federal documentation of farmworker hours, wages or demographics. Historically, \u003ca href=\"http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/chart-detail?chartId=63466\">about 40% of farmworkers\u003c/a> in the last decade were undocumented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The nonpartisan Pew Research Center found that more immigrants \u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/08/21/key-findings-about-us-immigrants/?mod=ANLink\">left the country or were deported\u003c/a> this year than the number who arrived. If the trend holds until the end of the year, 2025 will be the first year since the 1960s that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/08/immigrant-population-declines/\">the population of immigrants in the U.S. falls\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Raul, the question of returning is simple. He will need to earn money so he can support his kids, so he plans on coming back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Que quisiera un padre? Raul said. “Quiere que sea lo mejor para los hijos.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>What would a father want? He wants what’s best for his children.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A town shaped by a river\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The road into Firebaugh rolls up and over a wash, next to the spot where Andrew Firebaugh founded a ferry across the San Joaquin River that became an important stop on stagecoach routes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The river has always been what kept this town alive, first as an obstacle around which they built a settlement and later as the lifeblood of its farms and fields.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-38-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A water tower that reads “Firebaugh” on its side over a street in a small town, with vehicles driving by between local businesses.\">\u003cfigcaption>The water tower in Firebaugh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Just outside of town, the pavement has fractured and buckled. The street signs are tiny and faded on the broad grid of roads bounded by fields that push right up to the street. You orient yourself with both cardinal directions and crops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Prunus amygdalus\u003c/em>, also called almond trees, look like they’re raising their arms. \u003cem>Pistacia vera\u003c/em>, the pistachio tree, look like they’re shrugging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Uncovered truck bed bins spill ripe red tomatoes on tight turns. Tractors with their tillers raised trundle slowly down the highway. On the side of the road bobs of lettuce heads peek out of the ground, followed by a massive pile of unhulled almonds, and then a series of palm trees, some very tall and some a little squat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/092425-Melon-Farm-Day-2-LV-13-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A ground-level view of two rows of trees growing crops in an agricultural field on a cloudy morning.\">\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/092425_Melon-Farm-Day-2_LV_CM_08-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A semi-truck carrying crops drives down the street during an early morning illuminated by the soft orange light of the sunrise.\">\u003c/figure>\u003cfigcaption>\u003cstrong>First:\u003c/strong> Rows of trees in an orchard outside of Firebaugh.\u003cstrong> Last:\u003c/strong> A truck carrying crops drives through farmland outside of Firebaugh in Fresno County on Sept. 24, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At the corner of one of these roads, just before it meets the interstate, is the melon farm owned by Joe Del Bosque, Raul’s employer of 21 years. And the first thing people inclined to these kinds of questions will ask Del Bosque is why he hires undocumented labor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He begins explaining his trouble hiring people on the federal H-2A visa, which permits employers to hire foreign seasonal workers. It’s not just that he has to pay them $3 more per hour, Del Bosque said. It’s that he must also pay for their transportation to and from the farm every day. He must pay for the rooms where they sleep and the food they eat. It is, he said, economically impossible to rely on the visa program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next suggestion is hiring local people. Del Bosque laughed and said he tried that. The locals made it a week, at the most, and then found some other way to make money that didn’t leave them sore all over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He knows that one day soon, he’ll likely have to turn over operations to the only family member active in the business, his son-in-law. But that’s only if there’s still a farm to hand over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t have a lot of confidence that the future of our farm and a lot of farms is looking very good right now,” Del Bosque said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-30.jpg\" alt=\"A ground-level view of a man dressed in a cowboy hat and a button-down shirt standing in a watermelon field. The vines from the field are visible in the lower portion of the frame, with a part of a mountain range peaking out in the background and a blue sky as the backdrop.\">\u003cfigcaption>Joe Del Bosque, owner of Del Bosque Farms, stands in one of his melon fields as they are being harvested outside of Firebaugh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Labor is already sounding the alarm on losing farmworkers and the threat that poses to the nation’s food supply in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/02/2025-19365/adverse-effect-wage-rate-methodology-for-the-temporary-employment-of-h-2a-nonimmigrants-in-non-range\">notice in the Federal Register in October.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The near total cessation of the inflow of illegal aliens combined with the lack of an available legal workforce, results in significant disruptions to production costs and threatening the stability of domestic food production and prices for U.S consumers,” the department said in a rule-making proposal that would allow employers to pay H-2A workers less than they are paying now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Unless the Department acts immediately to provide a source of stable and lawful labor, this threat will grow,” the notice said, citing the likelihood of enhanced immigration enforcement under the budget bill Trump signed earlier this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those longer-term consequences in the labor market won’t be felt evenly.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>This is Trump country\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Fresno County and the rest of the Central Valley went for Trump in the 2024 election. Del Bosque calls himself a conservative, though he \u003ca href=\"https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=joe+del+bosque\">donates to both parties\u003c/a> – Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff and former President \u003ca href=\"https://obamaoralhistory.columbia.edu/interviews/joe-del-bosque\">Barack Obama\u003c/a> have both made public visits to his acreage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Next to his farm – right up on the property line where everyone will see it – is a massive Trump 2024 sign, erected by his neighbor. No one driving to the Del Bosque Farm will miss it. Del Bosque laughs about it, but it’s also a reflection of how their differing crops help define their politics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/091125-Melon-Farm-and-Kerman-LV-34-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A banner on a sign that reads “2024 TRUMP END THIS HELL SAVE AMERICA NOW” on the side of a country road next to a fence. In the background is a red barn on a ranch and a mountain range.\">\u003cfigcaption>A Trump sign posted on a neighboring property of Del Bosque Farms outside of Firebaugh on Sept. 11, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Del Bosque grows melons, which are labor intensive and require lots of people to work long hours. He supports an easier path to employment for undocumented workers. Next door, his neighbor grows almonds. They only require one person to drive a “shaker” to get the nuts out of the trees and another to operate the basket that catches them as they fall. His neighbor, whom CalMatters was unable to contact, doesn’t require much labor at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Here’s the thing, not all farms are the same, not all farmers are the same,” Del Bosque said. “I’m concerned about these people. (The neighbor) is not concerned about that, because he has almonds. He manages his almonds with just him and one or two more people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He can do his whole farm with two, three people. So this immigration (enforcement) does not affect him at all.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Author and Central Valley farmer David Mas Masumoto wrote about neighborly tension in his 1995 “Epitaph for a Peach.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We depend on labor from Mexico, part of a seasonal flow of men and families. Many come here for the summer, return to Mexico during the slow winter months, and return the following year. They’re predominantly young men with the faces of boys. We’re dependent on their strong backs and quick hands. And they are hungry for work.…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This September, farmers drive down the road staring straight ahead, steering clear of a chance meeting with a competitor who was once a neighbor. Eyes avoid eyes, hands hesitate and refrain from waving. It’s an ugly September.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Politics out here can make it a whole ugly season.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Big and rapid change’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>What if they don’t come back?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t have a precedent for trying to understand that major of a disruption to our state’s economy and demographics,” said Liz Carlisle, an associate professor in the Environmental Studies Program at UC Santa Barbara.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/092425-Melon-Farm-Day-2-LV-12-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A view of field workers walking in a line between rows of trees in an agricultural field and a country road. The workers are walking along power poles near the field as the sun rises in the background, casting a golden haze across the sky.\">\u003cfigcaption>Farmworkers walk past rows of trees on an orchard outside of Firebaugh in Fresno County on Sept. 24, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Something is changing in one of the world’s most productive agricultural regions. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060895/visiting-a-vineyard-to-see-how-the-bays-wine-industry-is-doing\">Wine grapes are going unharvested\u003c/a>, rotting in the fields, as exports to Canada collapsed under new tariffs and younger consumers started shying away from alcohol.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.siliconvalley.com/2025/01/28/california-groundwater-crisis-farms-fail/\">Land values are cratering\u003c/a> in places with limited water, leaving farmers in multi-million dollar debt. Water costs are skyrocketing in part because of a \u003ca href=\"https://water.ca.gov/programs/groundwater-management/sgma-groundwater-management\">2014 conservation law\u003c/a> that seeks to regulate years of agricultural over-pumping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I do think we’re looking at the potential of really big and rapid change to California’s agricultural sector and all of the workers and everything that touches the economy,” Carlisle said. “It’s kind of a perfect storm because you have major shifts in trade policy at the same time as you have major shifts in the workforce at the same time you have major shifts in climate and potential regulatory responses to those climate impacts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So that’s a lot of huge transformations for people in the agricultural sector to try to manage at once.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, the problems were the usual problems: Five or six big storms clobbered the Central Valley with rain and hail, hitting young crops just as they were approaching maturity. But larger battles loom.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>During the first Trump administration, the labor market for Central Valley farmers tightened significantly, said California Fresh Fruits Association president Daniel Hartwig, when migration numbers plummeted and farms would lose workers to a neighboring operation that offered an extra 25 cents per hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During this second go-round with Trump as president, those concerns seem almost archaic. Now, Hartwig said, he’ll spend a couple hours every week running down rumors of immigration enforcement: an unmarked white van in Madera County that turned out to belong to a carpet cleaning business; a cluster of cars outside a health clinic that turned out to be a local police operation; a shaky TikTok of unknown provenance showing men in green fatigues that sent farmworkers rushing back to their homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you did let your imagination run wild, especially if you were undocumented, everywhere you look, around the corner, is somebody that you’re fearful is going to try and get you and deport you,” Hartwig said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now these towns in the lower basin of the Central Valley hunker down for an anxious winter, on the farms, at the food bank, in Firebaugh’s City Hall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They are dependent on so many factors out of their own control. Executive impulses in the White House. Cloud formations and wind speeds. Commodity prices set globally. Water prices set locally. And in the winter there is time to think and there is time to ask questions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Will the federal government increase immigration enforcement at farms? Will it rain enough early in the season? Will it rain too much when the fruit is in the fields? Could there be a repeat of last year’s heat wave? Or this year’s storms? What if the water gets costlier? What if the commodities get cheaper?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And a question perhaps more crucial than any other: What if they don’t come back?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Editor’s note: Author David Mas Masumoto is a member of the CalMatters board of director\u003c/em>s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2025/11/immigration-california-farms/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "misinformation-spreads-as-trump-moves-to-cut-aid-for-some-california-students",
"title": "Misinformation Spreads as Trump Moves to Cut Aid for Some California Students",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hours after the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">Trump administration\u003c/a> sued \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> last week, threatening to end key benefits for students without legal status, Michelle was scrolling social media when she saw a video that made her panic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.caed.475466/gov.uscourts.caed.475466.1.0.pdf\">is challenging\u003c/a> California’s policy of providing in-state tuition, scholarships and subsidized loans to immigrants without legal status — including Michelle, an immigrant who is a community college student in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-mateo-county\">San Mateo County\u003c/a>. CalMatters has agreed to withhold her full name because she fears drawing attention to her legal status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On TikTok, rumors swirled. Michelle saw a video of a young man, around her age, asking if the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@king.squidwardd/video/7574821777012985118?q=is%20fafsa%20getting%20taken%20away%20king.squidwardd&t=1764088724748\">is gone\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In reality, FAFSA is still around, and while the new lawsuit could affect some students’ financial aid, some top legal experts say the Trump administration is unlikely to win. Regardless, the court process may take weeks or much longer to resolve the government’s claims against California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Justice alleges that California’s policy of granting in-state tuition and financial aid for some students without legal status is unconstitutional. Federal lawyers also argue that California’s policies violate a 1996 federal law, which bars states from providing benefits to residents without legal status that aren’t also available to U.S. citizens who live anywhere in the U.S. The Justice Department is arguing that California either needs to drop the policy or let all U.S. citizens, including those who are out-of-state, pay the same rate.[aside postID=news_12063723 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251110-COLLEGE-STUDENTS-CALFRESH-MD-01-KQED.jpg']In California, over \u003ca href=\"https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/state/california/\">100,000 college students\u003c/a> lack legal status, according to one estimate by an alliance of university leaders who advocate for immigrants. Federal assistance, such as Pell grants and federal student loans, are off-limits to anyone who isn’t a U.S. citizen or does not have permanent legal status. California has its own money for college financial aid, which it distributes according to state law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As long as individuals meet certain requirements, such as attending three years of high school in California, they’re eligible for in-state tuition, saving as much as $39,000 of dollars each year \u003ca href=\"https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/tuition-financial-aid/tuition-cost-of-attendance/\">compared\u003c/a> to their out-of-state peers. Once they meet those requirements, students without legal status can also qualify for the state’s cornerstone financial aid program, known as Cal Grant, though \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/undocumented-student-affordability-report\">only a small fraction\u003c/a> of these students actually apply for and receive it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To Kevin Johnson, a law professor at UC Davis, Trump’s actions may be more about political wins than legal ones. “The Trump administration is engaged in a full-court press on undocumented immigrants and so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, and California and Governor Newsom in particular,” Johnson said. That the U.S. Department of Justice named the suit “United States of America v. Newsom” is another indication that this is political, he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others noted that states have\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2025/08/immigrants-california/\"> already invested\u003c/a> in students without legal status and denying them an affordable path toward a college education is a waste of resources. Economists have pointed out that immigrants without status also are \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2025/11/immigration-california-farms/\">integral\u003c/a> to the U.S. workforce and aren’t \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/06/trumps-first-immigration-crackdown-shrank-californias-population-it-could-happen-again/\">easily replaceable\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We didn’t expect them to go this low’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Even weak lawsuits or outright misinformation can make students nervous during November, when college and financial aid application season is in full swing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On TikTok, videos of students \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@biancadanae_/video/7351047038030597422?q=fafsa%20glitches&t=1764088866073\">panicking\u003c/a> about the financial aid system surfaced last winter, after the Biden administration delayed and botched the rollout of the new FAFSA. Among its many \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2024/02/federal-financial-aid/\">glitches\u003c/a>, the new form prevented students whose parents lacked a Social Security number from submitting their information.[aside postID=news_12065240 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/IMG_4486-1020x765.jpeg']After Trump was elected last November, fears about the \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@brisprivatediary/video/7434187434746711327?q=is%20fafsa%20getting%20taken%20away&t=1764076992930\">total demise\u003c/a> of federal financial aid swirled again on TikTok. Over the course of this year, as his administration targets universities and continues to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, those fears have \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@christian_jwalker/video/7484092163530280235?q=is%20fafsa%20getting%20taken%20away&t=1764076992930\">persisted\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, Trump seeks to impose a $1 billion penalty on UCLA for alleged civil rights abuses, though a federal judge recently \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2025/11/uc/\">handed the White House a temporary loss \u003c/a>on that front. His administration is also suing California colleges and universities for alleged antisemitism violations and has sought to freeze or curtail billions of dollars in federal research funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Much of those freezes have been blocked or reversed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/2025/09/ucla-research-grants/\">by federal judges\u003c/a>, but hundreds of millions of dollars still remain \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2025/11/uc-tuition/#:~:text=Nearly%20800%20employees,totalling%20%24230%20million\">cut off to campuses\u003c/a>. Much, if not all, of those friction points between California and Trump could be resolved through settlements and negotiations, which are political in nature, said UCLA law professor Hiroshi Motomura in an interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before Trump was elected, state leaders, including Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/david-alvarez-112993\">David Alvarez\u003c/a>, a Chula Vista Democrat, pushed for California to offer additional benefits to students without legal status, such as the opportunity to work \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2024/05/undocumented-students-work/\">campus jobs\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, with access to financial aid programs at risk for these students, Alvarez said the focus is shifting. “We didn’t expect it would go this low as to go after students that the president had previously said should be welcomed here.” In 2024, Trump told a podcast host that students should \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/theallinpod/status/1803932968794108081?lang=en\">“automatically”\u003c/a> receive “a Green Card,” otherwise known as permanent residency, when they get their college diploma.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Legal scholars doubt Trump’s lawsuit will win\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit against California is the Trump administration’s sixth against states with policies allowing in-state tuition for students without legal status. The White House went after \u003ca href=\"https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/04/texas-justice-department-lawsuit-undocumented-in-state-tuition/\">Texas first\u003c/a>, in June. Underscoring how much of a bipartisan issue in-state tuition is, Texan lawmakers were the first in the U.S. to enshrine the policy in 2001. In all, \u003ca href=\"https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/states/\">more than\u003c/a> 20 states passed some in-state tuition policy benefiting some residents without legal status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump’s legal attacks on the policy this year prompted leaders in \u003ca href=\"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70562424/united-states-v-beshear/\">Kentucky\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/08/06/after-doj-sues-okla-ends-state-tuition-noncitizens\">Oklahoma\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/04/texas-justice-department-lawsuit-undocumented-in-state-tuition/\">Texas\u003c/a> to side with the White House to terminate the benefit in those respective states. Some \u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/11/20/judge-lets-group-defend-kys-undocumented-state-tuition\">legal groups\u003c/a> that want to continue in-state tuition for students lacking legal status are challenging those states’ moves.[aside postID=news_12065375 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/240508-Berkeley-High-File-MD-03_qed.jpg']Trump has also sued Minnesota and Illinois, states with Democrats as governors and attorneys general who are \u003ca href=\"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mnd.226137/gov.uscourts.mnd.226137.9.0.pdf\">challenging\u003c/a> Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ilsd.106533/gov.uscourts.ilsd.106533.18.0.pdf\">lawsuits\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.caed.475466/gov.uscourts.caed.475466.1.0.pdf#page=12\">says that\u003c/a> the federal law in question bars students without legal status from receiving in-state tuition and financial aid benefits based on their living in the state. This, the federal lawyers argue, violates federal law since public campuses in California require U.S. citizens from other states to pay higher tuition rates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, California’s law, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=200120020AB540\">Assembly Bill 540\u003c/a>, doesn’t extend in-state tuition based on where students live, scholars and a previous court ruling say. Instead, students generally need to prove that they \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/california-nonresident-tuition-exemption\">attended three years of high school\u003c/a> or community college in California; they also need to earn in California a high school diploma or obtain enough community college credits to be eligible for transfer into a public university.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Justice says those three-year high school or community college requirements are tantamount to an in-state residency criteria and therefore violate the 1996 federal law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the California Supreme Court in 2010 already \u003ca href=\"https://cases.justia.com/california/supreme-court/S167791.PDF?ts=1462305163\">struck down that interpretation\u003c/a>. The high court observed that some students living in areas bordering California are permitted to study at California high schools. High school students from out of state enrolled in private boarding schools also satisfy the requirement; they don’t count as residents of California either. And students who were residents of California during high school but moved to a different state could still enroll in California colleges or universities paying in-state tuition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All of these scenarios require a student to complete the same AB 540 application as students who lack legal status. The only difference is that students without status must also complete an affidavit that they’ll pursue legal residency as soon as they can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, the University of California enrolled more students under AB 540 who were legal U.S. residents than those who weren’t, the state high court said then.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If Congress had intended to prohibit states entirely from making unlawful aliens eligible for in-state tuition, it could easily have done so,” the state Supreme Court wrote in 2010. But Congress didn’t do that, the court noted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers in California who passed AB 540 in 2001 knew what the federal law restricted, said Motomura, and they crafted a state law that wouldn’t contravene what Congress intended. “It was drafted to avoid the residency test, and it was drafted to avoid the exclusion of U.S. citizens,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What’s likely next\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California has already signaled that it will fight the lawsuit. “The Trump Administration has once again missed the mark with its latest attack on California, and we look forward to proving it in court,” wrote Nina Sheridan, a spokesperson for the California Department of Justice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both the UC and the community college system said their tuition and financial aid policies have always been legally compliant. The Cal State University system did not respond to a request for comment.[aside postID=news_12063793 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-17-KQED.jpg']The Trump administration may also seek a preliminary injunction to halt California’s in-state tuition law for nonresidents, which would again expose Californians to a seesaw of temporary court orders, sometimes contradictory in nature, while the full legal merits of the case play out slowly in court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, or MALDEF, thinks the U.S. Supreme Court will likely side with California despite its conservative orientation if the case goes that far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A major legal question underscoring the case against California is when and how federal rules preempt or supersede state laws. The Trump White House is arguing California’s in-state policies are preempted by federal law. But the legal concept of preemption is a pillar in jurisprudence. Liberal and conservative interests benefit similarly from a consistent application of preemption as a legal concept, Saenz said. For example, businesses rely on preemption rules in situations where a state law is more progressive or consumer-friendly than a federal rule and want courts to defend them from following the more demanding state rules.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Supreme Court is “going to be very wary of making bad law in the realm of preemption, because it could then come back to bite the right wing in protecting businesses,” Saenz said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Michelle and other students without legal status navigating their own financial aid applications — and the misinformation online — a series of temporary court orders could create more panic. Financial aid is top of mind, said Michelle, but she doesn’t have time to track the legal back-and-forth of her eligibility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to being a full-time student, Michelle works four days a week at a restaurant, saving up money not only to support herself but also her family. She’s the oldest of four kids and said she sends $500 to her parents each month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>College is “an opportunity for me to be someone in life, to make my parents proud,” she said. Asked about the lawsuit at the cafeteria of her college, Michelle made a choking gesture with her hand, as though the threat of losing financial aid next year could kill her. “Trump is taking that opportunity away because he doesn’t like immigrants.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The deadline to submit financial aid applications for community college is Sept. 2, but Michelle is already working on her application, just in case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2025/11/electric-bills-will-not-reflect-historically-low-profit-margins/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"headline": "Misinformation Spreads as Trump Moves to Cut Aid for Some California Students",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hours after the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">Trump administration\u003c/a> sued \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a> last week, threatening to end key benefits for students without legal status, Michelle was scrolling social media when she saw a video that made her panic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.caed.475466/gov.uscourts.caed.475466.1.0.pdf\">is challenging\u003c/a> California’s policy of providing in-state tuition, scholarships and subsidized loans to immigrants without legal status — including Michelle, an immigrant who is a community college student in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-mateo-county\">San Mateo County\u003c/a>. CalMatters has agreed to withhold her full name because she fears drawing attention to her legal status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On TikTok, rumors swirled. Michelle saw a video of a young man, around her age, asking if the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@king.squidwardd/video/7574821777012985118?q=is%20fafsa%20getting%20taken%20away%20king.squidwardd&t=1764088724748\">is gone\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In reality, FAFSA is still around, and while the new lawsuit could affect some students’ financial aid, some top legal experts say the Trump administration is unlikely to win. Regardless, the court process may take weeks or much longer to resolve the government’s claims against California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Justice alleges that California’s policy of granting in-state tuition and financial aid for some students without legal status is unconstitutional. Federal lawyers also argue that California’s policies violate a 1996 federal law, which bars states from providing benefits to residents without legal status that aren’t also available to U.S. citizens who live anywhere in the U.S. The Justice Department is arguing that California either needs to drop the policy or let all U.S. citizens, including those who are out-of-state, pay the same rate.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In California, over \u003ca href=\"https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/state/california/\">100,000 college students\u003c/a> lack legal status, according to one estimate by an alliance of university leaders who advocate for immigrants. Federal assistance, such as Pell grants and federal student loans, are off-limits to anyone who isn’t a U.S. citizen or does not have permanent legal status. California has its own money for college financial aid, which it distributes according to state law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As long as individuals meet certain requirements, such as attending three years of high school in California, they’re eligible for in-state tuition, saving as much as $39,000 of dollars each year \u003ca href=\"https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/tuition-financial-aid/tuition-cost-of-attendance/\">compared\u003c/a> to their out-of-state peers. Once they meet those requirements, students without legal status can also qualify for the state’s cornerstone financial aid program, known as Cal Grant, though \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/undocumented-student-affordability-report\">only a small fraction\u003c/a> of these students actually apply for and receive it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To Kevin Johnson, a law professor at UC Davis, Trump’s actions may be more about political wins than legal ones. “The Trump administration is engaged in a full-court press on undocumented immigrants and so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, and California and Governor Newsom in particular,” Johnson said. That the U.S. Department of Justice named the suit “United States of America v. Newsom” is another indication that this is political, he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others noted that states have\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/k-12-education/2025/08/immigrants-california/\"> already invested\u003c/a> in students without legal status and denying them an affordable path toward a college education is a waste of resources. Economists have pointed out that immigrants without status also are \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2025/11/immigration-california-farms/\">integral\u003c/a> to the U.S. workforce and aren’t \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/06/trumps-first-immigration-crackdown-shrank-californias-population-it-could-happen-again/\">easily replaceable\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘We didn’t expect them to go this low’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Even weak lawsuits or outright misinformation can make students nervous during November, when college and financial aid application season is in full swing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On TikTok, videos of students \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@biancadanae_/video/7351047038030597422?q=fafsa%20glitches&t=1764088866073\">panicking\u003c/a> about the financial aid system surfaced last winter, after the Biden administration delayed and botched the rollout of the new FAFSA. Among its many \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2024/02/federal-financial-aid/\">glitches\u003c/a>, the new form prevented students whose parents lacked a Social Security number from submitting their information.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>After Trump was elected last November, fears about the \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@brisprivatediary/video/7434187434746711327?q=is%20fafsa%20getting%20taken%20away&t=1764076992930\">total demise\u003c/a> of federal financial aid swirled again on TikTok. Over the course of this year, as his administration targets universities and continues to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, those fears have \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@christian_jwalker/video/7484092163530280235?q=is%20fafsa%20getting%20taken%20away&t=1764076992930\">persisted\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, Trump seeks to impose a $1 billion penalty on UCLA for alleged civil rights abuses, though a federal judge recently \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2025/11/uc/\">handed the White House a temporary loss \u003c/a>on that front. His administration is also suing California colleges and universities for alleged antisemitism violations and has sought to freeze or curtail billions of dollars in federal research funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Much of those freezes have been blocked or reversed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/2025/09/ucla-research-grants/\">by federal judges\u003c/a>, but hundreds of millions of dollars still remain \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2025/11/uc-tuition/#:~:text=Nearly%20800%20employees,totalling%20%24230%20million\">cut off to campuses\u003c/a>. Much, if not all, of those friction points between California and Trump could be resolved through settlements and negotiations, which are political in nature, said UCLA law professor Hiroshi Motomura in an interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before Trump was elected, state leaders, including Assemblymember \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/legislators/david-alvarez-112993\">David Alvarez\u003c/a>, a Chula Vista Democrat, pushed for California to offer additional benefits to students without legal status, such as the opportunity to work \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2024/05/undocumented-students-work/\">campus jobs\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, with access to financial aid programs at risk for these students, Alvarez said the focus is shifting. “We didn’t expect it would go this low as to go after students that the president had previously said should be welcomed here.” In 2024, Trump told a podcast host that students should \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/theallinpod/status/1803932968794108081?lang=en\">“automatically”\u003c/a> receive “a Green Card,” otherwise known as permanent residency, when they get their college diploma.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Legal scholars doubt Trump’s lawsuit will win\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The lawsuit against California is the Trump administration’s sixth against states with policies allowing in-state tuition for students without legal status. The White House went after \u003ca href=\"https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/04/texas-justice-department-lawsuit-undocumented-in-state-tuition/\">Texas first\u003c/a>, in June. Underscoring how much of a bipartisan issue in-state tuition is, Texan lawmakers were the first in the U.S. to enshrine the policy in 2001. In all, \u003ca href=\"https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/states/\">more than\u003c/a> 20 states passed some in-state tuition policy benefiting some residents without legal status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump’s legal attacks on the policy this year prompted leaders in \u003ca href=\"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70562424/united-states-v-beshear/\">Kentucky\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/08/06/after-doj-sues-okla-ends-state-tuition-noncitizens\">Oklahoma\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/04/texas-justice-department-lawsuit-undocumented-in-state-tuition/\">Texas\u003c/a> to side with the White House to terminate the benefit in those respective states. Some \u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/11/20/judge-lets-group-defend-kys-undocumented-state-tuition\">legal groups\u003c/a> that want to continue in-state tuition for students lacking legal status are challenging those states’ moves.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Trump has also sued Minnesota and Illinois, states with Democrats as governors and attorneys general who are \u003ca href=\"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mnd.226137/gov.uscourts.mnd.226137.9.0.pdf\">challenging\u003c/a> Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ilsd.106533/gov.uscourts.ilsd.106533.18.0.pdf\">lawsuits\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.caed.475466/gov.uscourts.caed.475466.1.0.pdf#page=12\">says that\u003c/a> the federal law in question bars students without legal status from receiving in-state tuition and financial aid benefits based on their living in the state. This, the federal lawyers argue, violates federal law since public campuses in California require U.S. citizens from other states to pay higher tuition rates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, California’s law, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=200120020AB540\">Assembly Bill 540\u003c/a>, doesn’t extend in-state tuition based on where students live, scholars and a previous court ruling say. Instead, students generally need to prove that they \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/california-nonresident-tuition-exemption\">attended three years of high school\u003c/a> or community college in California; they also need to earn in California a high school diploma or obtain enough community college credits to be eligible for transfer into a public university.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Justice says those three-year high school or community college requirements are tantamount to an in-state residency criteria and therefore violate the 1996 federal law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the California Supreme Court in 2010 already \u003ca href=\"https://cases.justia.com/california/supreme-court/S167791.PDF?ts=1462305163\">struck down that interpretation\u003c/a>. The high court observed that some students living in areas bordering California are permitted to study at California high schools. High school students from out of state enrolled in private boarding schools also satisfy the requirement; they don’t count as residents of California either. And students who were residents of California during high school but moved to a different state could still enroll in California colleges or universities paying in-state tuition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All of these scenarios require a student to complete the same AB 540 application as students who lack legal status. The only difference is that students without status must also complete an affidavit that they’ll pursue legal residency as soon as they can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, the University of California enrolled more students under AB 540 who were legal U.S. residents than those who weren’t, the state high court said then.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If Congress had intended to prohibit states entirely from making unlawful aliens eligible for in-state tuition, it could easily have done so,” the state Supreme Court wrote in 2010. But Congress didn’t do that, the court noted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lawmakers in California who passed AB 540 in 2001 knew what the federal law restricted, said Motomura, and they crafted a state law that wouldn’t contravene what Congress intended. “It was drafted to avoid the residency test, and it was drafted to avoid the exclusion of U.S. citizens,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What’s likely next\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California has already signaled that it will fight the lawsuit. “The Trump Administration has once again missed the mark with its latest attack on California, and we look forward to proving it in court,” wrote Nina Sheridan, a spokesperson for the California Department of Justice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both the UC and the community college system said their tuition and financial aid policies have always been legally compliant. The Cal State University system did not respond to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The Trump administration may also seek a preliminary injunction to halt California’s in-state tuition law for nonresidents, which would again expose Californians to a seesaw of temporary court orders, sometimes contradictory in nature, while the full legal merits of the case play out slowly in court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, or MALDEF, thinks the U.S. Supreme Court will likely side with California despite its conservative orientation if the case goes that far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A major legal question underscoring the case against California is when and how federal rules preempt or supersede state laws. The Trump White House is arguing California’s in-state policies are preempted by federal law. But the legal concept of preemption is a pillar in jurisprudence. Liberal and conservative interests benefit similarly from a consistent application of preemption as a legal concept, Saenz said. For example, businesses rely on preemption rules in situations where a state law is more progressive or consumer-friendly than a federal rule and want courts to defend them from following the more demanding state rules.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Supreme Court is “going to be very wary of making bad law in the realm of preemption, because it could then come back to bite the right wing in protecting businesses,” Saenz said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Michelle and other students without legal status navigating their own financial aid applications — and the misinformation online — a series of temporary court orders could create more panic. Financial aid is top of mind, said Michelle, but she doesn’t have time to track the legal back-and-forth of her eligibility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to being a full-time student, Michelle works four days a week at a restaurant, saving up money not only to support herself but also her family. She’s the oldest of four kids and said she sends $500 to her parents each month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>College is “an opportunity for me to be someone in life, to make my parents proud,” she said. Asked about the lawsuit at the cafeteria of her college, Michelle made a choking gesture with her hand, as though the threat of losing financial aid next year could kill her. “Trump is taking that opportunity away because he doesn’t like immigrants.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The deadline to submit financial aid applications for community college is Sept. 2, but Michelle is already working on her application, just in case.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2025/11/electric-bills-will-not-reflect-historically-low-profit-margins/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "After Trump Fires 5 More SF Immigration Judges, Legal Scholars Fear a More Partisan System",
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"headTitle": "After Trump Fires 5 More SF Immigration Judges, Legal Scholars Fear a More Partisan System | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>After five federal judges were fired last week in San Francisco, legal scholars and advocates are warning that t\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">he Trump administration\u003c/a> is taking unprecedented steps to remake the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/immigration-court\">immigration court system\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Friday’s firings bring the total number of immigration court judges removed by the Trump Administration to 90 across the country, including 12 on the Bay Area’s bench, according to the National Association of Immigration Judges. This overhaul comes amid a nationwide backlog of immigration cases — with about 120,000 currently pending in the Bay Area alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>UC Davis Law Professor Kevin Johnson said that it’s not uncommon for presidents to appoint judges whose philosophy matches their own, but that the current administration appears to be not only at hiring, but firing, the federal judges based on their immigration ideology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very aggressive, and it’s like nothing we’ve seen in any of the previous five or six administrations. I don’t remember it ever happening in U.S. history,” he told KQED. “But it’s happening now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Friday, Judges Amber George, Jeremiah Johnson, Louis Gordon, Shuting Chen and Patrick Savage were fired from San Francisco’s immigration court, which at the start of the year had more than 20 judges, according to Milli Atkinson, the director of the Immigrant Legal Defense Program with the Bar Association of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, she said, the bench is down to just nine judges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, at least \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12054620/despite-a-growing-case-backlog-trump-fires-6th-san-francisco-immigration-judge\">seven other Bay Area judges were fired\u003c/a>, including the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055416/trump-fires-san-franciscos-top-immigration-judge\">city’s top judge, Loi McCleskey, who was terminated\u003c/a> after just over a year on the job in September.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12063685\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12063685\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-Vigil_GH-15_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-Vigil_GH-15_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-Vigil_GH-15_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-Vigil_GH-15_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A demonstrator holds a sign reading “Santuario: Manteniendo Familias Unidas” (“Sanctuary: Keeping Families United”) during the Faith in Action “Walking Our Faith” vigil outside the San Francisco Immigration Court on Nov. 6, 2025. The multi-faith gathering called for compassion and protection for immigrant families. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The firings of longstanding adjudicators have been without explanation from the DOJ, according to Atkinson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The general belief among the immigration legal community is that they are trying to remove judges who’ve been longstanding civil servants who’ve been very experienced in adjudicating these cases here in San Francisco and filling the bench with judges who are more aligned with the political beliefs of this administration and are going to follow policy memos and directives from the administration,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Justice did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s immigration court has historically granted asylum at higher rates than the national average, and 11 of the 12 judges who have lost their jobs have higher-than-average asylum-granting rates. The three San Francisco judges with the highest rates of asylum were all terminated earlier this year.[aside postID=news_12065068 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/HooverElementaryGetty.jpg']Attorneys told KQED in September that the discrepancy between rates across jurisdictions is likely due to a multitude of factors, including that asylum seekers in San Francisco are more likely to have representation and required to meet different standards than in some other states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former immigration judge Dana Leigh Marks told KQED at the time that the firings also appear to be targeting those who have previously worked in immigrant advocacy rights, private practice or public interest law, while others who rose through the ranks as prosecutors for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division of the Department of Homeland Security have kept their appointments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is an effort to change things by removing people as well as selecting new people who are going to be with their party line,” Professor Kevin Johnson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Atkinson said that the firings will require a major reshuffling of scheduled proceedings, which will make attorneys’ jobs more difficult, since they usually know how the presiding judge runs proceedings and tailor preparation and testimony and preparation to fit their style.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is also jarring for asylum seekers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003275\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12003275 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In August, the U.S. Department of Justice lowered the prerequisites to qualify for temporary judge positions, removing the requirement that candidates have prior experience. \u003ccite>(J. David Ake/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“People are being arrested when they go to their hearings. They’re being arrested when they show up for appointments. So, they’re already terrified,” Atkinson said. “Now, everything that they’d been working towards and kind of building themselves up for mentally to prepare for — to suddenly have that taken out from under them is really challenging.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The shake-up will also add more strain to an overloaded immigration system, especially as temporary judges filling in remotely are no longer required to have a background in immigration law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In August, the DOJ lowered the prerequisites to qualify for temporary judge positions, removing the requirement that candidates have prior experience. The following week, the federal government authorized 600 military lawyers to serve as temporary immigration judges, NPR reported.[aside postID=news_12063980 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED-1020x680.jpg']Experts who spoke with KQED worried more, though, that in the long term, the firings could be making way for a more partisan immigration court system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This has just been so extreme that it really is a radical departure from past experiences in terms of people being fired despite good performance,” Marks said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the court’s enforcement priorities typically shift with each administration, since it is housed within the Department of Justice, Atkinson said sitting judges are now under unprecedented pressure to make decisions that the DOJ agrees with, or face possible termination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New immigration judge job\u003ca href=\"https://join.justice.gov/\"> postings\u003c/a> in San Francisco and other cities, \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/Sec_Noem\">advertised\u003c/a> on social media by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem the day before the firings, seek candidates to apply for roles as “deportation judges,” who would “restore integrity and honor to our Nation’s Immigration Court system” and ensure that “only aliens with legally meritorious claims are allowed to remain.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think immigration judges are the canaries in the coal mine of the judicial system in America, they are the early warning system,” Marks said. “I fear that this kind of erratic, irrational and probably illegal behavior by the administration is just starting at the immigration courts. And I worry as to how it’s going to affect the legal system writ large.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/wcruz\">\u003cem>Billy Cruz\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>After five federal judges were fired last week in San Francisco, legal scholars and advocates are warning that t\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/donald-trump\">he Trump administration\u003c/a> is taking unprecedented steps to remake the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/immigration-court\">immigration court system\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Friday’s firings bring the total number of immigration court judges removed by the Trump Administration to 90 across the country, including 12 on the Bay Area’s bench, according to the National Association of Immigration Judges. This overhaul comes amid a nationwide backlog of immigration cases — with about 120,000 currently pending in the Bay Area alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>UC Davis Law Professor Kevin Johnson said that it’s not uncommon for presidents to appoint judges whose philosophy matches their own, but that the current administration appears to be not only at hiring, but firing, the federal judges based on their immigration ideology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very aggressive, and it’s like nothing we’ve seen in any of the previous five or six administrations. I don’t remember it ever happening in U.S. history,” he told KQED. “But it’s happening now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Friday, Judges Amber George, Jeremiah Johnson, Louis Gordon, Shuting Chen and Patrick Savage were fired from San Francisco’s immigration court, which at the start of the year had more than 20 judges, according to Milli Atkinson, the director of the Immigrant Legal Defense Program with the Bar Association of San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, she said, the bench is down to just nine judges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, at least \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12054620/despite-a-growing-case-backlog-trump-fires-6th-san-francisco-immigration-judge\">seven other Bay Area judges were fired\u003c/a>, including the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12055416/trump-fires-san-franciscos-top-immigration-judge\">city’s top judge, Loi McCleskey, who was terminated\u003c/a> after just over a year on the job in September.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12063685\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12063685\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-Vigil_GH-15_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-Vigil_GH-15_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-Vigil_GH-15_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-Vigil_GH-15_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A demonstrator holds a sign reading “Santuario: Manteniendo Familias Unidas” (“Sanctuary: Keeping Families United”) during the Faith in Action “Walking Our Faith” vigil outside the San Francisco Immigration Court on Nov. 6, 2025. The multi-faith gathering called for compassion and protection for immigrant families. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The firings of longstanding adjudicators have been without explanation from the DOJ, according to Atkinson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The general belief among the immigration legal community is that they are trying to remove judges who’ve been longstanding civil servants who’ve been very experienced in adjudicating these cases here in San Francisco and filling the bench with judges who are more aligned with the political beliefs of this administration and are going to follow policy memos and directives from the administration,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Justice did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s immigration court has historically granted asylum at higher rates than the national average, and 11 of the 12 judges who have lost their jobs have higher-than-average asylum-granting rates. The three San Francisco judges with the highest rates of asylum were all terminated earlier this year.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Attorneys told KQED in September that the discrepancy between rates across jurisdictions is likely due to a multitude of factors, including that asylum seekers in San Francisco are more likely to have representation and required to meet different standards than in some other states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former immigration judge Dana Leigh Marks told KQED at the time that the firings also appear to be targeting those who have previously worked in immigrant advocacy rights, private practice or public interest law, while others who rose through the ranks as prosecutors for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division of the Department of Homeland Security have kept their appointments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is an effort to change things by removing people as well as selecting new people who are going to be with their party line,” Professor Kevin Johnson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Atkinson said that the firings will require a major reshuffling of scheduled proceedings, which will make attorneys’ jobs more difficult, since they usually know how the presiding judge runs proceedings and tailor preparation and testimony and preparation to fit their style.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is also jarring for asylum seekers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12003275\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12003275 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/USDeptofJusticeGetty-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In August, the U.S. Department of Justice lowered the prerequisites to qualify for temporary judge positions, removing the requirement that candidates have prior experience. \u003ccite>(J. David Ake/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“People are being arrested when they go to their hearings. They’re being arrested when they show up for appointments. So, they’re already terrified,” Atkinson said. “Now, everything that they’d been working towards and kind of building themselves up for mentally to prepare for — to suddenly have that taken out from under them is really challenging.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The shake-up will also add more strain to an overloaded immigration system, especially as temporary judges filling in remotely are no longer required to have a background in immigration law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In August, the DOJ lowered the prerequisites to qualify for temporary judge positions, removing the requirement that candidates have prior experience. The following week, the federal government authorized 600 military lawyers to serve as temporary immigration judges, NPR reported.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Experts who spoke with KQED worried more, though, that in the long term, the firings could be making way for a more partisan immigration court system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This has just been so extreme that it really is a radical departure from past experiences in terms of people being fired despite good performance,” Marks said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the court’s enforcement priorities typically shift with each administration, since it is housed within the Department of Justice, Atkinson said sitting judges are now under unprecedented pressure to make decisions that the DOJ agrees with, or face possible termination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New immigration judge job\u003ca href=\"https://join.justice.gov/\"> postings\u003c/a> in San Francisco and other cities, \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/Sec_Noem\">advertised\u003c/a> on social media by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem the day before the firings, seek candidates to apply for roles as “deportation judges,” who would “restore integrity and honor to our Nation’s Immigration Court system” and ensure that “only aliens with legally meritorious claims are allowed to remain.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think immigration judges are the canaries in the coal mine of the judicial system in America, they are the early warning system,” Marks said. “I fear that this kind of erratic, irrational and probably illegal behavior by the administration is just starting at the immigration courts. And I worry as to how it’s going to affect the legal system writ large.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/wcruz\">\u003cem>Billy Cruz\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Satima Flaherty was working from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064801/heres-what-we-know-about-ice-activity-near-west-oakland-schools\">her West Oakland home on Wednesday \u003c/a>when she heard tires screeching and a loud smash outside her door.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She rushed to her front window, assuming there had been a car crash — and hoped it didn’t involve hers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I go outside, I look, it’s my car,” she recalled. “I was almost in tears.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flaherty said she saw an older man, who appeared to be limping, get out of the grey Dodge Charger that rammed into the front of her black Honda and take off down the street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At first, she thought it had been a typical hit-and-run until neighbors informed her that the officers on scene were federal immigration officials who had been following the man.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The collision occurred after 9 a.m. Wednesday morning, shortly before reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had been spotted conducting a targeted enforcement operation nearby Hoover Elementary School.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The commotion led to secure lockout procedures at Hoover and Harriet Tubman Child Development Center and standard protocol for ICE activity at other nearby Oakland Unified School District sites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11626216\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11626216 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/RS18012_GettyImages-492659230-e1509046076403.jpg\" alt=\"A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent detains an immigrant in Los Angeles in 2015.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. \u003ccite>(John Moore/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to Councilmember Carroll Fife, the targeted man had been dropping a child off at school that morning when he was “chased by masked men,” believed to be ICE officers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The crash came just months after Oakland loosened its vehicle chase policies for local law enforcement, reversing restrictions from 2022 intended to protect bystanders during high-speed pursuits. Oakland’s rules don’t apply to state and federal agencies, including ICE and the Department of Homeland Security. The speed at which the agents and the pursued vehicle were traveling is unknown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flaherty said that when she went outside to check on her car, she approached the agents, who were searching through the Dodge. They told her that Oakland Police would follow up on the incident and drove away, she said, guessing they were still in pursuit of the man they had aimed to detain.[aside postID=news_12064801 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/ICEGetty.jpg']“It left me with a huge amount of damage and no accountability,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The front bumper of Flaherty’s car was completely totaled and undrivable, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She filed a police report with OPD later that day, but said she hasn’t been contacted. In a statement on Wednesday, OPD said it was investigating the collision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of like I’m just left dangling here,” Flaherty told KQED. “It’s going to be a setback, especially during the holidays.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 38-year-old Oakland native, who lives with her nine-year-old daughter and mother, said she doesn’t have a reliable way to take her child to school or visit the clients she serves as a social worker. She is also pregnant and relies on her car to get to and from prenatal doctor’s appointments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her mother has a car, but it isn’t in reliable condition, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flaherty said Fife offered to help her get reimbursed for a rental car, but she doesn’t have one yet. Instead, she’s used Uber to travel to and from her daughter’s school at pick-up and drop-off and took Thursday off from work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She has insurance and said she’s begun the claim process, but isn’t expecting to get enough compensation to replace the car. She started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/ice-hit-and-run-victim-seeking-help-for-reliable-vehicle\">fundraiser on GoFundMe\u003c/a> asking neighbors to help her raise money to purchase a new vehicle in the meantime.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said she wanted to be able to be independent again, but didn’t want to see the driver get in trouble.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It caused a huge setback for me, but for me, it’s material stuff and for him, it’s his life. When he was running, he was running for his life,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At first, she thought it had been a typical hit-and-run until neighbors informed her that the officers on scene were federal immigration officials who had been following the man.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The collision occurred after 9 a.m. Wednesday morning, shortly before reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had been spotted conducting a targeted enforcement operation nearby Hoover Elementary School.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The commotion led to secure lockout procedures at Hoover and Harriet Tubman Child Development Center and standard protocol for ICE activity at other nearby Oakland Unified School District sites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11626216\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11626216 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/10/RS18012_GettyImages-492659230-e1509046076403.jpg\" alt=\"A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent detains an immigrant in Los Angeles in 2015.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. \u003ccite>(John Moore/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to Councilmember Carroll Fife, the targeted man had been dropping a child off at school that morning when he was “chased by masked men,” believed to be ICE officers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The crash came just months after Oakland loosened its vehicle chase policies for local law enforcement, reversing restrictions from 2022 intended to protect bystanders during high-speed pursuits. Oakland’s rules don’t apply to state and federal agencies, including ICE and the Department of Homeland Security. The speed at which the agents and the pursued vehicle were traveling is unknown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flaherty said that when she went outside to check on her car, she approached the agents, who were searching through the Dodge. They told her that Oakland Police would follow up on the incident and drove away, she said, guessing they were still in pursuit of the man they had aimed to detain.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“It left me with a huge amount of damage and no accountability,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The front bumper of Flaherty’s car was completely totaled and undrivable, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She filed a police report with OPD later that day, but said she hasn’t been contacted. In a statement on Wednesday, OPD said it was investigating the collision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of like I’m just left dangling here,” Flaherty told KQED. “It’s going to be a setback, especially during the holidays.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 38-year-old Oakland native, who lives with her nine-year-old daughter and mother, said she doesn’t have a reliable way to take her child to school or visit the clients she serves as a social worker. She is also pregnant and relies on her car to get to and from prenatal doctor’s appointments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her mother has a car, but it isn’t in reliable condition, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flaherty said Fife offered to help her get reimbursed for a rental car, but she doesn’t have one yet. Instead, she’s used Uber to travel to and from her daughter’s school at pick-up and drop-off and took Thursday off from work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She has insurance and said she’s begun the claim process, but isn’t expecting to get enough compensation to replace the car. She started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/ice-hit-and-run-victim-seeking-help-for-reliable-vehicle\">fundraiser on GoFundMe\u003c/a> asking neighbors to help her raise money to purchase a new vehicle in the meantime.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said she wanted to be able to be independent again, but didn’t want to see the driver get in trouble.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It caused a huge setback for me, but for me, it’s material stuff and for him, it’s his life. When he was running, he was running for his life,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>The woman facing federal charges for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062859/suspected-u-haul-driver-charged-with-assaulting-federal-officers-after-bay-area-protest\">driving a U-Haul truck toward Coast Guard officers\u003c/a> during an immigration protest in Oakland last month was released on bail early Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bella Thompson, 26, is expected to reside with her parents in Southern California while attending an outpatient mental health treatment program pending trial, according to new court filings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thompson is accused of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061436/2-injured-after-officers-shoot-at-truck-outside-alameda-base-following-day-of-protests\">reversing a U-Haul truck toward a blockade of federal officers\u003c/a> on the bridge to Alameda’s Coast Guard Island on the night of Oct. 23. That day, U.S. Border Patrol agents had arrived on the base ahead of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061209/lurie-trump-is-calling-off-plans-to-send-federal-troops-to-san-francisco\">planned “surge”\u003c/a> of immigration enforcement activity in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, the Coast Guard said the Department of Homeland Security planned to use the base as a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061080/federal-border-agents-to-arrive-in-bay-area-as-cities-brace-for-enforcement-surge\">place of operation\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their arrival that morning sparked protests across the Bay Area, including at the intersection of Dennison Street and Embarcadero in Oakland, which leads onto the base’s single access bridge. For hours, hundreds of activists tried to block vehicles from driving on or off the island, though most dispersed in the afternoon after California Highway Patrol cleared the road.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortly before 10 p.m., prosecutors say, Thompson arrived at the intersection, where a few dozen protesters remained. Prosecutors allege she reversed the truck onto the bridge and defied orders to stop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062874\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062874\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulCoastGuardAlamedaAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulCoastGuardAlamedaAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulCoastGuardAlamedaAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulCoastGuardAlamedaAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Police officers examine a U-Haul truck involved in a shooting at the entrance to Coast Guard Base Alameda, according to an officer at the scene, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Oakland, California. \u003ccite>(Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>They say Coast Guard personnel feared for their lives and opened fire on the truck, striking Thompson and a bystander.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thompson drove off but was detained later that night at Highland Hospital in Oakland, where she was being treated for a gunshot wound to the back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The order to release Thompson pending trial on Thursday comes a week after she appeared in court for a bail hearing that was sealed to the public, since defense attorneys said it would include discussion of her mental health diagnosis and medical and hospitalization information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to federal prosecutors, she returned to the court on Thursday for further proceedings and was ultimately granted bail. They moved to pause Thompson’s release that day, saying they planned to appeal the decision.[aside postID=news_12063471 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251023-MAYOR-LEE-PRESSER-MD-02_qed.jpg']Prosecutors had argued that Thompson should remain in custody pending trial, calling her a “danger to the community” and citing her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12063898/suspected-u-haul-driver-tried-to-flee-hospital-after-coast-guard-shooting-police-report-says\">attempt to flee detention\u003c/a> on the night of her arrest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to police reports, Thompson tried to escape Alameda police officers at Highland Hospital after asking to use the restroom. Officers wrote that they tackled her to the ground and handcuffed her to a gurney.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That night, Thompson was transferred to John George Psychiatric Hospital and underwent a mental health evaluation. She was later placed on a 72-hour involuntary psychiatric hold before being booked into Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The conditions of release currently set — which include release to a ‘partial hospitalization plan’ — are insufficient to ensure the safety of the community,” the government’s motion read.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>District Judge Casey Pitts late Thursday granted a temporary delay on her release until 4 p.m. Friday. Normally, that order would have required Thompson to remain in custody until it expired or Pitts issued a further instruction, but she was released around 2:30 a.m. Friday, according to her attorneys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12063909\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12063909\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251024-CoastGuard-01-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251024-CoastGuard-01-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251024-CoastGuard-01-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251024-CoastGuard-01-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Law enforcement agents stand at the intersection of Dennison Street and Embarcadero in front of Coast Guard Island in Oakland on Oct. 24, 2025, following a shooting late last night in which security personnel opened fire on a U-Haul near the base. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In a motion they filed Friday morning opposing the delay of Thompson’s release, attorneys Elisse Larouche and Kaitlyn Frysek wrote that the government did not make a strong case that her release posed a danger to the community, citing that she had no criminal record and would be required to reside with her parents in Southern California pending trial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They also wrote that delaying bail would delay Thompson’s participation in a mental health treatment program 25 hours per week beginning Monday, and could cause potential harm to her mental health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pitts vacated the temporary delay of release on Friday morning, writing that it was not warranted since Thompson had been released from custody and “a judge had ‘appropriately tailored’ the conditions of release ‘to avoid risk to the community’” pending appeal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The woman facing federal charges for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062859/suspected-u-haul-driver-charged-with-assaulting-federal-officers-after-bay-area-protest\">driving a U-Haul truck toward Coast Guard officers\u003c/a> during an immigration protest in Oakland last month was released on bail early Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bella Thompson, 26, is expected to reside with her parents in Southern California while attending an outpatient mental health treatment program pending trial, according to new court filings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thompson is accused of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061436/2-injured-after-officers-shoot-at-truck-outside-alameda-base-following-day-of-protests\">reversing a U-Haul truck toward a blockade of federal officers\u003c/a> on the bridge to Alameda’s Coast Guard Island on the night of Oct. 23. That day, U.S. Border Patrol agents had arrived on the base ahead of a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061209/lurie-trump-is-calling-off-plans-to-send-federal-troops-to-san-francisco\">planned “surge”\u003c/a> of immigration enforcement activity in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, the Coast Guard said the Department of Homeland Security planned to use the base as a “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061080/federal-border-agents-to-arrive-in-bay-area-as-cities-brace-for-enforcement-surge\">place of operation\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their arrival that morning sparked protests across the Bay Area, including at the intersection of Dennison Street and Embarcadero in Oakland, which leads onto the base’s single access bridge. For hours, hundreds of activists tried to block vehicles from driving on or off the island, though most dispersed in the afternoon after California Highway Patrol cleared the road.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shortly before 10 p.m., prosecutors say, Thompson arrived at the intersection, where a few dozen protesters remained. Prosecutors allege she reversed the truck onto the bridge and defied orders to stop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062874\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062874\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulCoastGuardAlamedaAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulCoastGuardAlamedaAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulCoastGuardAlamedaAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/UHaulCoastGuardAlamedaAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Police officers examine a U-Haul truck involved in a shooting at the entrance to Coast Guard Base Alameda, according to an officer at the scene, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Oakland, California. \u003ccite>(Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>They say Coast Guard personnel feared for their lives and opened fire on the truck, striking Thompson and a bystander.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thompson drove off but was detained later that night at Highland Hospital in Oakland, where she was being treated for a gunshot wound to the back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The order to release Thompson pending trial on Thursday comes a week after she appeared in court for a bail hearing that was sealed to the public, since defense attorneys said it would include discussion of her mental health diagnosis and medical and hospitalization information.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to federal prosecutors, she returned to the court on Thursday for further proceedings and was ultimately granted bail. They moved to pause Thompson’s release that day, saying they planned to appeal the decision.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Prosecutors had argued that Thompson should remain in custody pending trial, calling her a “danger to the community” and citing her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12063898/suspected-u-haul-driver-tried-to-flee-hospital-after-coast-guard-shooting-police-report-says\">attempt to flee detention\u003c/a> on the night of her arrest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to police reports, Thompson tried to escape Alameda police officers at Highland Hospital after asking to use the restroom. Officers wrote that they tackled her to the ground and handcuffed her to a gurney.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That night, Thompson was transferred to John George Psychiatric Hospital and underwent a mental health evaluation. She was later placed on a 72-hour involuntary psychiatric hold before being booked into Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The conditions of release currently set — which include release to a ‘partial hospitalization plan’ — are insufficient to ensure the safety of the community,” the government’s motion read.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>District Judge Casey Pitts late Thursday granted a temporary delay on her release until 4 p.m. Friday. Normally, that order would have required Thompson to remain in custody until it expired or Pitts issued a further instruction, but she was released around 2:30 a.m. Friday, according to her attorneys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12063909\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12063909\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251024-CoastGuard-01-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251024-CoastGuard-01-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251024-CoastGuard-01-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251024-CoastGuard-01-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Law enforcement agents stand at the intersection of Dennison Street and Embarcadero in front of Coast Guard Island in Oakland on Oct. 24, 2025, following a shooting late last night in which security personnel opened fire on a U-Haul near the base. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In a motion they filed Friday morning opposing the delay of Thompson’s release, attorneys Elisse Larouche and Kaitlyn Frysek wrote that the government did not make a strong case that her release posed a danger to the community, citing that she had no criminal record and would be required to reside with her parents in Southern California pending trial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They also wrote that delaying bail would delay Thompson’s participation in a mental health treatment program 25 hours per week beginning Monday, and could cause potential harm to her mental health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pitts vacated the temporary delay of release on Friday morning, writing that it was not warranted since Thompson had been released from custody and “a judge had ‘appropriately tailored’ the conditions of release ‘to avoid risk to the community’” pending appeal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Two schools in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/west-oakland\">West Oakland\u003c/a> and concerned neighbors were on alert Wednesday after an immigration enforcement operation appeared to have led to a car crash near the campuses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the schools followed the district’s “\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uvwTgGIS_2SFTspbEnU7oPMTggaP8QOS6ieKHCDEh2c/edit?tab=t.0\">secure protocol\u003c/a>” for Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, the Oakland Unified School District and Alameda County’s rapid response network said the sites were not targeted by ICE and remained safe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what we know, and don’t know, about the incident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Enforcement activity in West Oakland\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to the Alameda County Immigration Legal Education Partnership, federal immigration officers were conducting targeted enforcement activity in the area on Wednesday morning when a vehicle crashed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The crash happened just before 10 a.m. on the 800 block of 31st Street as “an outside law enforcement agency was conducting an investigation within the City of Oakland,” according to the Oakland Police Department, which is investigating the collision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12043210\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12043210\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Offices in Oakland on April 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The outside agency — presumed to be ICE — was trying to contact a vehicle involved in its case, Oakland police said. That vehicle collided with another vehicle, which was not involved in the operation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Councilmember Carroll Fife \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DRQJ6nGEk8E/?hl=en\">said in a video on social media\u003c/a> that the crash happened as a parent dropping their child off at school was “chased by masked men” believed to be ICE officers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Monique Berlanga, who heads Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland, said the collision scared people in the neighborhood, where there are multiple OUSD campuses.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Schools respond\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The district said in a message to parents on Wednesday that it placed Hoover Elementary School and Harriet Tubman Child Development Center under its secure school protocol after hearing reports of ICE activity in their vicinity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Your child is safe in school,” the message continued, adding that other campuses were following standard protocol for ICE activity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12013785\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12013785 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students at recess at an Oakland school on Oct. 20, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Berlanga said the Alameda County Immigration Legal Education Partnership got reports that staff at Hoover questioned the officers and asked them to identify themselves, but that they had not been able to confirm what agency they were with. She said the network had no reason to believe that either school was the target of enforcement activity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It appears likely that this was targeted ICE enforcement nearby the school, which may have been related to a collision nearby,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, the incident rattled community members and sparked a protest of about 50 people, including Oakland teachers and teachers union staff, outside Hoover in the late morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They told KQED they were gathered to support families and school staff if there was increased ICE presence, especially around pickup time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Olivia Udovic, a kindergarten teacher and Oakland Education Association officer, said principals were driving some students home from school.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What we don’t know\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Oakland police said their investigation into the crash is ongoing, and they did not specify which outside law enforcement agency was involved.[aside postID=news_12063793 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-17-KQED.jpg']OUSD said it had heard reports of ICE presence in other Oakland neighborhoods, including between 71st and 81st avenues and International Boulevard, but those had not been confirmed. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fife said that after the collision, neighbors surrounded the immigration officials’ vehicle and prevented them from making any arrest, though that has not been confirmed. Berlanga said ACILEP was still determining whether the morning’s enforcement activity had led to any arrests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayor Barbara Lee said in a statement that her office was in communication with the school district and police about the reports.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want to reiterate to our immigrant community: Oakland stands firmly with you — this is who we are and what we believe. You are not alone, and we will not be intimidated by federal operations designed to create fear and division,” she wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/jlara\">\u003cem>Juan Carlos Lara\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Two schools in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/west-oakland\">West Oakland\u003c/a> and concerned neighbors were on alert Wednesday after an immigration enforcement operation appeared to have led to a car crash near the campuses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the schools followed the district’s “\u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uvwTgGIS_2SFTspbEnU7oPMTggaP8QOS6ieKHCDEh2c/edit?tab=t.0\">secure protocol\u003c/a>” for Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, the Oakland Unified School District and Alameda County’s rapid response network said the sites were not targeted by ICE and remained safe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what we know, and don’t know, about the incident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Enforcement activity in West Oakland\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>According to the Alameda County Immigration Legal Education Partnership, federal immigration officers were conducting targeted enforcement activity in the area on Wednesday morning when a vehicle crashed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The crash happened just before 10 a.m. on the 800 block of 31st Street as “an outside law enforcement agency was conducting an investigation within the City of Oakland,” according to the Oakland Police Department, which is investigating the collision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12043210\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12043210\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250428-OUSD-OFFICE-FILE-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Oakland Unified School District Offices in Oakland on April 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The outside agency — presumed to be ICE — was trying to contact a vehicle involved in its case, Oakland police said. That vehicle collided with another vehicle, which was not involved in the operation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Councilmember Carroll Fife \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DRQJ6nGEk8E/?hl=en\">said in a video on social media\u003c/a> that the crash happened as a parent dropping their child off at school was “chased by masked men” believed to be ICE officers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Monique Berlanga, who heads Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland, said the collision scared people in the neighborhood, where there are multiple OUSD campuses.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Schools respond\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The district said in a message to parents on Wednesday that it placed Hoover Elementary School and Harriet Tubman Child Development Center under its secure school protocol after hearing reports of ICE activity in their vicinity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Your child is safe in school,” the message continued, adding that other campuses were following standard protocol for ICE activity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12013785\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12013785 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/030_KQEDScience_IntCommunitySchoolOakland_10202022_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students at recess at an Oakland school on Oct. 20, 2022. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Berlanga said the Alameda County Immigration Legal Education Partnership got reports that staff at Hoover questioned the officers and asked them to identify themselves, but that they had not been able to confirm what agency they were with. She said the network had no reason to believe that either school was the target of enforcement activity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It appears likely that this was targeted ICE enforcement nearby the school, which may have been related to a collision nearby,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, the incident rattled community members and sparked a protest of about 50 people, including Oakland teachers and teachers union staff, outside Hoover in the late morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They told KQED they were gathered to support families and school staff if there was increased ICE presence, especially around pickup time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Olivia Udovic, a kindergarten teacher and Oakland Education Association officer, said principals were driving some students home from school.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What we don’t know\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Oakland police said their investigation into the crash is ongoing, and they did not specify which outside law enforcement agency was involved.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>OUSD said it had heard reports of ICE presence in other Oakland neighborhoods, including between 71st and 81st avenues and International Boulevard, but those had not been confirmed. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fife said that after the collision, neighbors surrounded the immigration officials’ vehicle and prevented them from making any arrest, though that has not been confirmed. Berlanga said ACILEP was still determining whether the morning’s enforcement activity had led to any arrests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayor Barbara Lee said in a statement that her office was in communication with the school district and police about the reports.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want to reiterate to our immigrant community: Oakland stands firmly with you — this is who we are and what we believe. You are not alone, and we will not be intimidated by federal operations designed to create fear and division,” she wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/jlara\">\u003cem>Juan Carlos Lara\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "California Doctors Urge Ban on Engineered Stone as Silicosis Cases Surge",
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"headTitle": "California Doctors Urge Ban on Engineered Stone as Silicosis Cases Surge | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>A former stoneworker named Lopez sat confined to his \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/east-bay\">East Bay\u003c/a> home, breathing with the help of a whirring oxygen supply machine through clear tubes pronged to his nostrils. After years of making kitchen countertops from engineered stone, the 43-year-old was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11969381/california-regulators-to-vote-on-emergency-rules-for-stonecutters-safety\">diagnosed with silicosis\u003c/a>, an often deadly lung disease linked to inhaling toxic dust the material releases when powercut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The once-active father of four now awaits a double lung transplant. He can no longer support his family or walk a few steps without pausing to catch his breath. Two stonecutter friends died after working with the man-made material, also known as artificial stone or quartz. Three others are on a waitlist for lung transplants, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel desperate just sitting here unable to do anything,” said Lopez, an undocumented immigrant who worked in California for more than two decades. KQED is withholding his full name, as he fears losing vital medical care if arrested by federal authorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s agonizing waiting for the hospital to call me so I can finally get the transplant I’m waiting for and be able to go back to work,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As silicosis cases surge in California’s countertop fabrication industry, medical and occupational safety experts warn that current regulations won’t protect hundreds more relatively young workers like Lopez from contracting the incurable illness. The state must act urgently to phase out hazardous engineered stone from fabrication shops, as Australia did, they say, to stem a growing health crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Australia banned the use, supply and manufacture of engineered stone benchtops in July 2024, forcing major manufacturers to switch to silica-free alternatives in that market, though they still sell their higher-silica products in the U.S. The companies maintain that their products are safe if fabrication shops follow protocols.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064718\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064718\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A photo of a pair lungs with silicosis used in a Cal/OSHA presentation slide about the disease, and rising number of cases in California, at a public meeting on Nov. 13, 2025. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Museomed via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Silicosis is preventable when proper safety and health measures are in place to protect workers against inhalation of silica dust in the workplace,” a spokesperson for Cosentino North America said in a statement. “The company continues its efforts in research and development for the ongoing improvement of its products.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Between 1,000 to 1,500 stoneworkers in California could develop silicosis within the next decade, leading to roughly 285 deaths, according to California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA. The state is home to about 5,000 countertop fabrication workers, predominantly Latino immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artificial stone in the U.S. market often contains more than 90% pulverized crystalline silica, far more than natural stones such as marble and granite. When workers powercut, polish and grind slabs of the material, tiny silica particles are released. If inhaled, they can lodge in the lungs and cause tissue scarring that progressively impedes breathing. Respirable silica can also lead to lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other illnesses.[aside postID=news_12033036 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/StonecutterGetty-1020x680.jpg']To save lives, the Governor’s Office could issue an emergency declaration pausing the processing of artificial stone until a permanent ban is pursued through rulemaking, according to a Sept. 4 memorandum obtained by KQED. Drafted by a committee of doctors, occupational safety experts and worker advocates convened by Cal/OSHA, the letter was addressed to the state board responsible for adopting new workplace safety regulations, but was not sent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office did not respond to requests for comment about his position on banning engineered stone in fabrication shops. A spokesperson with the Department of Industrial Relations, which oversees press requests for both Cal/OSHA and the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, said the draft had not been vetted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The memo referenced … is an incomplete working draft by the Silica Technical Committee and not by Cal/OSHA. None of the recommendations are final,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Cal/OSHA continually works to protect the health and safety of California’s workers and enforces all regulations adopted by the Board.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several board members have publicly expressed dismay for months at the steep climb in silicosis cases, but the agenda for their next meeting on Thursday does not include decision-making on artificial stone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maegan Ortiz, director of the Instituto de Educacion Popular del Sur de California, said that although the state approved stricter standards nearly two years ago, California has made little progress in protecting stoneworkers still inhaling engineered stone dust on the job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064281\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064281\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-04-KQED-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-04-KQED-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-04-KQED-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-04-KQED-2-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lopez adjusts the breathing tube connected to his oxygen tank in his home in Pittsburg on Nov. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We need to ban this. I think the concern is great, but it is kind of like thoughts and prayers in the face of other crises that don’t go far enough,” said Ortiz, whose organization has been surveying stoneworkers in Los Angeles County, the state’s silicosis epicenter. “We’ve seen the conditions ourselves on the ground in terms of the amount of dust that is there, even in these bigger shops that are following the regulations. Workers see the dust, they carry it on them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since 2019, more than 430 workers have been confirmed with silicosis in California, including 25 who died and 48 who underwent a lung transplant, according to state public health officials tracking \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DEODC/OHB/Pages/essdashboard.aspx\">reported cases\u003c/a>. Half of those sick are located in Los Angeles County. Nearly all are Latino men, some in their 20s, who said they didn’t know how dangerous artificial stone dust could be. About 40% of silicosis cases were identified this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lopez said he worked in licensed shops using safety gear and methods his supervisors said would protect him. He wore filter masks and cut and polished engineered stone with machines that covered slabs with water to suppress dust. But mounting evidence shows silica particles in artificial stone dust are so small and toxic that it doesn’t take much to hurt workers. Silica can penetrate filter masks and remain on workers’ clothes and tools when water dries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Australia tried banning drycutting of engineered stone, similar to Cal/OSHA rules in place since December 2023 and a bill Newsom signed last month, SB 20. Australia also tried additional safeguards, including full-face powered air-purifying respirators, ventilation systems and monitoring, like California’s strict \u003ca href=\"https://worksafewithsilica.org/employer-information#rp\">regulations\u003c/a> that go beyond federal requirements. But in both places, experts say, the sophisticated and costly measures are not realistic for an industry made up of mostly small shops with only a few workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064282\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064282\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-05-KQED-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-05-KQED-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-05-KQED-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-05-KQED-2-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lopez coils the breathing tube connected to his oxygen tank in his home in Pittsburg on Nov. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I think it’s completely unfeasible,” said Dr. Ryan Hoy, a respiratory physician and researcher at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. “I often use the analogy that you can work with asbestos safely, you can work with uranium safely, but you need to have in place very sophisticated control measures.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, most fabrication shops are not complying with drycutting bans, respiratory protection, monitoring or other requirements. About 94% of 107 worksites investigated by Cal/OSHA had violations of the silica regulations as of Oct. 16.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lopez’s wife said she wished her husband had more accurate information from manufacturers, vendors and employers before working with artificial stone so he could have chosen whether to take on the risk. Considering the impact of his disease on her family, the 41-year-old choked back tears.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s painful because I’ve always seen him working. He’s always looked out for us. He’s the pillar of our family,” she said in Spanish, adding that her youngest son is 3. “It hurts us deeply.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064276\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064276\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-03-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-03-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lopez’s wife draws in a coloring book with their 3-year-old in their home in Pittsburg on Nov. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lopez’s state disability benefits have run out, he said, and the family relies on financial support from their oldest daughter, a 20-year-old medical assistant. He became one of hundreds of workers in the U.S. and other countries who have sued top manufacturers of engineered stone — including Minnesota-based Cambria, Israel-based Caesarstone and Cosentino, headquartered in Spain — claiming silica-related injuries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Caesarstone, which generated nearly half of its $303 million in revenue so far this year in the U.S. market, reported claims by more than 500 individuals in its latest \u003ca href=\"https://ir.caesarstone.com/news/news-details/2025/Caesarstone-Reports-Third-Quarter-2025-Financial-Results/default.aspx\">financial results\u003c/a>. The company recorded a $46 million provision for probable losses, with $24.3 million covered by insurance. But costs could grow, as most of the 320 U.S. claims are awaiting trial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Caesarstone won one case in the U.S., which remains under appeal, and settled another this year, according to Nahum Trust, Caesarstone’s chief financial officer, during an earnings call this month. Last year, a jury \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-08-07/jury-finds-stone-companies-at-fault-in-suit-by-countertop-cutter-with-silicosis\">awarded\u003c/a> a 34-year-old stoneworker $52 million after finding Caesarstone and other companies liable, a decision the company has appealed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company developed crystalline silica-free countertop surfaces in preparation for restrictions in Australia and recently unveiled what it advertises as safer alternatives for fabrication workers in the U.S. Caesarstone’s sales were down this quarter in the U.S. and Canada, due to softness in the market and competitive pressures, according to Trust, but sales are up in Australia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033047\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033047\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A stone fabricator places his hand on a table that he cut at his home in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Our first year of real growth in this market since the silica ban implementation,” Trust said. “This reflects early recovery and the successful launch of our zero silica collection.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cosentino said it has also moved to offer newer products due to safety concerns, including a new mineral-surface product with zero crystalline silica that will be available next year globally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cosentino, Caesarstone and associations representing manufacturers declined to comment on why they continue selling their high-silica engineered stone products in the U.S. if they have alternatives for the Australian market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Global demand for artificial stone, a multibillion-dollar industry in the U.S., is expected to significantly grow. In California, sales are expected to increase even more due to efforts to rebuild the more than 16,000 homes and buildings destroyed by January wildfires in Los Angeles.[aside postID=news_12063843 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/CaregiverGetty.jpg']Consumers prefer the stain-resistant material because it’s often cheaper than natural stone and offers diverse colors and designs. But many homeowners don’t know of the potential health impacts to the workers who make their countertops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pulmonologists predict silicosis cases will keep rising, even if exposure to silica dust stopped immediately. By the time workers feel symptoms, the disease has often advanced, Hoy said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Unfortunately, that is definitely the tip of the iceberg of workers that are currently affected,” said Hoy, who screened stoneworkers in Australia for silicosis and treats diagnosed patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As manufacturers switched to silica-free products in Australia, costs increased, but consumers still purchased countertops for renovations and new buildings. The industry carried on without the old material.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Hayley Barnes, a pulmonologist who studied silicosis in Australia, said that initially, talking about banning the material in that country felt like a huge ordeal, with predictions that the building industry would collapse and jobs would disappear. But that didn’t happen, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The companies just made a low-silica or no-silica product, which is currently available in Australia and many other countries,” Barnes said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now medical director of UCSF’s Interstitial Lung Disease Program, she worries many cases in California have not yet been diagnosed, and stoneworkers are suffering.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037908\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037908\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1236\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED-800x494.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED-1020x630.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED-160x99.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED-1536x949.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED-1920x1187.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay in San Francisco on April 24, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We could do better. It’s been done elsewhere,” Barnes said. “People would still get their houses and apartments built and workers would be better protected.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Sheiphali Gandhi, an assistant professor of medicine at UCSF and a colleague of Barnes who treats dozens of silicosis patients, said she wants California to begin phasing out artificial stone countertops. The move would ensure consumers purchase materials that also protect workers, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve tried all these regulations, but we still are seeing that the cases are going up,” Gandhi said. “We need to move towards the more effective strategies of elimination or substitution, where we really go for safer alternatives.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For now, Gandhi must wade through a stack of about 40 additional cases of very sick workers she has been referred.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s just like every month, my mailbox is full of more referrals of silicosis cases,” she said. “The number of cases is exploding. It’s insane.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A former stoneworker named Lopez sat confined to his \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/east-bay\">East Bay\u003c/a> home, breathing with the help of a whirring oxygen supply machine through clear tubes pronged to his nostrils. After years of making kitchen countertops from engineered stone, the 43-year-old was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11969381/california-regulators-to-vote-on-emergency-rules-for-stonecutters-safety\">diagnosed with silicosis\u003c/a>, an often deadly lung disease linked to inhaling toxic dust the material releases when powercut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The once-active father of four now awaits a double lung transplant. He can no longer support his family or walk a few steps without pausing to catch his breath. Two stonecutter friends died after working with the man-made material, also known as artificial stone or quartz. Three others are on a waitlist for lung transplants, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel desperate just sitting here unable to do anything,” said Lopez, an undocumented immigrant who worked in California for more than two decades. KQED is withholding his full name, as he fears losing vital medical care if arrested by federal authorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s agonizing waiting for the hospital to call me so I can finally get the transplant I’m waiting for and be able to go back to work,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As silicosis cases surge in California’s countertop fabrication industry, medical and occupational safety experts warn that current regulations won’t protect hundreds more relatively young workers like Lopez from contracting the incurable illness. The state must act urgently to phase out hazardous engineered stone from fabrication shops, as Australia did, they say, to stem a growing health crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Australia banned the use, supply and manufacture of engineered stone benchtops in July 2024, forcing major manufacturers to switch to silica-free alternatives in that market, though they still sell their higher-silica products in the U.S. The companies maintain that their products are safe if fabrication shops follow protocols.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064718\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064718\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251119-Miners-Lung-silicosis-01-KQED-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A photo of a pair lungs with silicosis used in a Cal/OSHA presentation slide about the disease, and rising number of cases in California, at a public meeting on Nov. 13, 2025. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Museomed via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Silicosis is preventable when proper safety and health measures are in place to protect workers against inhalation of silica dust in the workplace,” a spokesperson for Cosentino North America said in a statement. “The company continues its efforts in research and development for the ongoing improvement of its products.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Between 1,000 to 1,500 stoneworkers in California could develop silicosis within the next decade, leading to roughly 285 deaths, according to California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA. The state is home to about 5,000 countertop fabrication workers, predominantly Latino immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artificial stone in the U.S. market often contains more than 90% pulverized crystalline silica, far more than natural stones such as marble and granite. When workers powercut, polish and grind slabs of the material, tiny silica particles are released. If inhaled, they can lodge in the lungs and cause tissue scarring that progressively impedes breathing. Respirable silica can also lead to lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other illnesses.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>To save lives, the Governor’s Office could issue an emergency declaration pausing the processing of artificial stone until a permanent ban is pursued through rulemaking, according to a Sept. 4 memorandum obtained by KQED. Drafted by a committee of doctors, occupational safety experts and worker advocates convened by Cal/OSHA, the letter was addressed to the state board responsible for adopting new workplace safety regulations, but was not sent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office did not respond to requests for comment about his position on banning engineered stone in fabrication shops. A spokesperson with the Department of Industrial Relations, which oversees press requests for both Cal/OSHA and the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, said the draft had not been vetted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The memo referenced … is an incomplete working draft by the Silica Technical Committee and not by Cal/OSHA. None of the recommendations are final,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Cal/OSHA continually works to protect the health and safety of California’s workers and enforces all regulations adopted by the Board.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several board members have publicly expressed dismay for months at the steep climb in silicosis cases, but the agenda for their next meeting on Thursday does not include decision-making on artificial stone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maegan Ortiz, director of the Instituto de Educacion Popular del Sur de California, said that although the state approved stricter standards nearly two years ago, California has made little progress in protecting stoneworkers still inhaling engineered stone dust on the job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064281\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064281\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-04-KQED-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-04-KQED-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-04-KQED-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-04-KQED-2-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lopez adjusts the breathing tube connected to his oxygen tank in his home in Pittsburg on Nov. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We need to ban this. I think the concern is great, but it is kind of like thoughts and prayers in the face of other crises that don’t go far enough,” said Ortiz, whose organization has been surveying stoneworkers in Los Angeles County, the state’s silicosis epicenter. “We’ve seen the conditions ourselves on the ground in terms of the amount of dust that is there, even in these bigger shops that are following the regulations. Workers see the dust, they carry it on them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since 2019, more than 430 workers have been confirmed with silicosis in California, including 25 who died and 48 who underwent a lung transplant, according to state public health officials tracking \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DEODC/OHB/Pages/essdashboard.aspx\">reported cases\u003c/a>. Half of those sick are located in Los Angeles County. Nearly all are Latino men, some in their 20s, who said they didn’t know how dangerous artificial stone dust could be. About 40% of silicosis cases were identified this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lopez said he worked in licensed shops using safety gear and methods his supervisors said would protect him. He wore filter masks and cut and polished engineered stone with machines that covered slabs with water to suppress dust. But mounting evidence shows silica particles in artificial stone dust are so small and toxic that it doesn’t take much to hurt workers. Silica can penetrate filter masks and remain on workers’ clothes and tools when water dries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Australia tried banning drycutting of engineered stone, similar to Cal/OSHA rules in place since December 2023 and a bill Newsom signed last month, SB 20. Australia also tried additional safeguards, including full-face powered air-purifying respirators, ventilation systems and monitoring, like California’s strict \u003ca href=\"https://worksafewithsilica.org/employer-information#rp\">regulations\u003c/a> that go beyond federal requirements. But in both places, experts say, the sophisticated and costly measures are not realistic for an industry made up of mostly small shops with only a few workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064282\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064282\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-05-KQED-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-05-KQED-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-05-KQED-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-05-KQED-2-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lopez coils the breathing tube connected to his oxygen tank in his home in Pittsburg on Nov. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I think it’s completely unfeasible,” said Dr. Ryan Hoy, a respiratory physician and researcher at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. “I often use the analogy that you can work with asbestos safely, you can work with uranium safely, but you need to have in place very sophisticated control measures.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, most fabrication shops are not complying with drycutting bans, respiratory protection, monitoring or other requirements. About 94% of 107 worksites investigated by Cal/OSHA had violations of the silica regulations as of Oct. 16.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lopez’s wife said she wished her husband had more accurate information from manufacturers, vendors and employers before working with artificial stone so he could have chosen whether to take on the risk. Considering the impact of his disease on her family, the 41-year-old choked back tears.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s painful because I’ve always seen him working. He’s always looked out for us. He’s the pillar of our family,” she said in Spanish, adding that her youngest son is 3. “It hurts us deeply.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12064276\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12064276\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-03-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/251115-DEADLY-LUNG-DISEASE-MD-03-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lopez’s wife draws in a coloring book with their 3-year-old in their home in Pittsburg on Nov. 15, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lopez’s state disability benefits have run out, he said, and the family relies on financial support from their oldest daughter, a 20-year-old medical assistant. He became one of hundreds of workers in the U.S. and other countries who have sued top manufacturers of engineered stone — including Minnesota-based Cambria, Israel-based Caesarstone and Cosentino, headquartered in Spain — claiming silica-related injuries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Caesarstone, which generated nearly half of its $303 million in revenue so far this year in the U.S. market, reported claims by more than 500 individuals in its latest \u003ca href=\"https://ir.caesarstone.com/news/news-details/2025/Caesarstone-Reports-Third-Quarter-2025-Financial-Results/default.aspx\">financial results\u003c/a>. The company recorded a $46 million provision for probable losses, with $24.3 million covered by insurance. But costs could grow, as most of the 320 U.S. claims are awaiting trial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Caesarstone won one case in the U.S., which remains under appeal, and settled another this year, according to Nahum Trust, Caesarstone’s chief financial officer, during an earnings call this month. Last year, a jury \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-08-07/jury-finds-stone-companies-at-fault-in-suit-by-countertop-cutter-with-silicosis\">awarded\u003c/a> a 34-year-old stoneworker $52 million after finding Caesarstone and other companies liable, a decision the company has appealed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company developed crystalline silica-free countertop surfaces in preparation for restrictions in Australia and recently unveiled what it advertises as safer alternatives for fabrication workers in the U.S. Caesarstone’s sales were down this quarter in the U.S. and Canada, due to softness in the market and competitive pressures, according to Trust, but sales are up in Australia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12033047\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12033047\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-002-BL_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A stone fabricator places his hand on a table that he cut at his home in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Our first year of real growth in this market since the silica ban implementation,” Trust said. “This reflects early recovery and the successful launch of our zero silica collection.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cosentino said it has also moved to offer newer products due to safety concerns, including a new mineral-surface product with zero crystalline silica that will be available next year globally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cosentino, Caesarstone and associations representing manufacturers declined to comment on why they continue selling their high-silica engineered stone products in the U.S. if they have alternatives for the Australian market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Global demand for artificial stone, a multibillion-dollar industry in the U.S., is expected to significantly grow. In California, sales are expected to increase even more due to efforts to rebuild the more than 16,000 homes and buildings destroyed by January wildfires in Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Consumers prefer the stain-resistant material because it’s often cheaper than natural stone and offers diverse colors and designs. But many homeowners don’t know of the potential health impacts to the workers who make their countertops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pulmonologists predict silicosis cases will keep rising, even if exposure to silica dust stopped immediately. By the time workers feel symptoms, the disease has often advanced, Hoy said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Unfortunately, that is definitely the tip of the iceberg of workers that are currently affected,” said Hoy, who screened stoneworkers in Australia for silicosis and treats diagnosed patients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As manufacturers switched to silica-free products in Australia, costs increased, but consumers still purchased countertops for renovations and new buildings. The industry carried on without the old material.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Hayley Barnes, a pulmonologist who studied silicosis in Australia, said that initially, talking about banning the material in that country felt like a huge ordeal, with predictions that the building industry would collapse and jobs would disappear. But that didn’t happen, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The companies just made a low-silica or no-silica product, which is currently available in Australia and many other countries,” Barnes said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now medical director of UCSF’s Interstitial Lung Disease Program, she worries many cases in California have not yet been diagnosed, and stoneworkers are suffering.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12037908\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12037908\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1236\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED-800x494.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED-1020x630.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED-160x99.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED-1536x949.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/20250424_UCSFFILE_GC-12-KQED-1920x1187.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay in San Francisco on April 24, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We could do better. It’s been done elsewhere,” Barnes said. “People would still get their houses and apartments built and workers would be better protected.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Sheiphali Gandhi, an assistant professor of medicine at UCSF and a colleague of Barnes who treats dozens of silicosis patients, said she wants California to begin phasing out artificial stone countertops. The move would ensure consumers purchase materials that also protect workers, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve tried all these regulations, but we still are seeing that the cases are going up,” Gandhi said. “We need to move towards the more effective strategies of elimination or substitution, where we really go for safer alternatives.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For now, Gandhi must wade through a stack of about 40 additional cases of very sick workers she has been referred.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s just like every month, my mailbox is full of more referrals of silicosis cases,” she said. “The number of cases is exploding. It’s insane.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "as-enforcement-intensifies-churches-become-sanctuaries-for-immigrants-seeking-peace",
"title": "As Enforcement Intensifies, Churches Become Sanctuaries for Immigrants Seeking Peace",
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"headTitle": "As Enforcement Intensifies, Churches Become Sanctuaries for Immigrants Seeking Peace | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>On a recent Thursday evening, on the edge of Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/fruitvale\">Fruitvale neighborhood\u003c/a>, scores of parishioners carrying candles made a quiet procession out the heavy wooden doors of St. Jarlath Catholic Church, past the glowing stained-glass windows and around the block.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This special service centered on a \u003ca href=\"https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/immigrants-and-refugees\">prayer\u003c/a>, written by the late Pope Francis, for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061294/federal-immigration-agents-in-the-bay-what-we-know-and-dont-know\">protection of immigrants\u003c/a>: “May we seek a world where none are forced to leave their home and where all can live in freedom, dignity and peace.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These words were a balm for Vicente, 57, a welder with glasses and a goatee, whose 10-year-old son walked beside him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vicente, who’s originally from Mexico but has built a life in the East Bay over the past quarter-century, said the Trump administration’s aggressive approach to immigration enforcement has left his family, friends and coworkers in a constant state of anxiety. KQED is not using his last name because, even with a lawyer’s help, he’s been unable to obtain a secure immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re all living with this same panic,” Vicente said. “More than anything, it’s the fear of being separated from our children.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062012\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062012\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fr. Simon Mbuthi stands outside St. Jarlath’s Church in Oakland before a vigil for immigrant families on Oct. 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>St. Jarlath’s pastor, Father Simon Mbuthi, organized the mass at the request of \u003ca href=\"https://fiaeastbay.org\">Faith in Action East Bay\u003c/a>, a multi-denominational community organizing network that advocates for immigrants. He said he was also moved to act because he had seen fewer students show up for catechism classes as their immigrant parents are fearful of leaving their homes any more than necessary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s to dispel fear, first of all, and also to let them know that they are not alone in this,” said Mbuthi, who’s originally from Kenya and holds mass in both Spanish and English. “We want to show them solidarity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Mbuthi stood outside the church in his red clerical robe, he said Francis’s prayer was not only meant to offer comfort but also a plea to God to open the hearts of those in power, namely the people making decisions about immigration enforcement — “that they may see our brothers and sisters not as criminals, not as enemies, but as human beings.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Faith communities mobilize\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>With social media feeds and TV news filled with videos of masked immigration agents smashing car windows and wrestling people to the ground in Chicago, Los Angeles and other U.S. cities, Mbuthi is one of many Bay Area faith leaders working to build solidarity — and offer some solace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His mass took place shortly before the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a near-unanimous \u003ca href=\"https://www.usccb.org/news/2025/us-bishops-issue-special-message-immigration-plenary-assembly-baltimore\">special pastoral message\u003c/a> on Wednesday, condemning the government for “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062014\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062014\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-5-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-5-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-5-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-5-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A son and mother hold hands in prayer during a vigil for immigrant families at St. Jarlath’s Church in Oakland on Oct. 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants,” the bishops wrote in the rare unified message. “We feel compelled now in this environment to raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For months, as immigration enforcement ramped up in President Donald Trump’s second term, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12063228/bay-area-religious-leaders-hold-interfaith-vigil-outside-of-ice-office-in-san-francisco\">religious leaders of many faiths have held vigils\u003c/a> outside the San Francisco office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, calling for an end to the agency’s increasingly harsh tactics that they say separate families and violate people’s rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in late October, when dozens of Border Patrol agents were deployed to U.S. Coast Guard Base Alameda with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061080/federal-border-agents-to-arrive-in-bay-area-as-cities-brace-for-enforcement-surge\">a plan to “surge”\u003c/a> them onto Bay Area streets, clergy were prominent among those protesting at the gates. The operation was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061209/lurie-trump-is-calling-off-plans-to-send-federal-troops-to-san-francisco\">canceled at the last minute\u003c/a>, following reports of phone calls to Trump made by tech executives at the behest of San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062017\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062017\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-20-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-20-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-20-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-20-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Parishioners kneel and raise candles as clergy lead a blessing outside St. Jarlath’s Church in Oakland during a vigil for immigrant families on Oct. 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The protests come amid a sharp rise in arrests and detentions, as the Trump administration aims for “mass” deportations. ICE \u003ca href=\"https://enforcementdashboard.com/ice-arrests/?state=CALIFORNIA&composition=All&age_group=All&nationality_group=All&from_date=&to_date=\">arrests in California\u003c/a> shot up from 456 in July 2024 to 2,874 this past July, the most recent month for which data is available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Deportations from California grew 78% — to roughly 5,500 people in the first seven months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/ice-deported-california-21075519.php\">\u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> reported\u003c/a>, citing data obtained by the \u003ca href=\"https://deportationdata.org\">Deportation Data Project\u003c/a> at UC Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Many of us have been deeply distressed to see so many of our immigrant neighbors treated in such brutal ways,” Rev. Marjorie Matthews, pastor of Plymouth United Church of Christ in Oakland, said at a recent rally.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Dignity emboldened in faith\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At St. Jarlath’s, Vicente said he has barely wanted to leave the house lately, but he felt safe to attend the service because Faith in Action, a group he volunteers with, was involved. After the mass, organizers provided information to parishioners about the county’s rapid response hotline for verifying ICE activity and about resources for families whose loved ones face detention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We feel more secure doing this vigil because there are people here who understand the issue,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062011\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062011\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Faith in Action organizer Emma Paulino stands before a mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Jarlath’s Church in Oakland on Oct. 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Emma Paulino, a longtime organizer with Faith in Action who asked Father Mbuthi to hold the service, said people need to see their clergy accompany them through this difficult time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For many families, immigrant families, the church is their second home,” said Paulino, whose short gray hair framed her weathered face. “The church is a place where we feel safe, where we feel like this is my community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With one in four Californians born in another country, the impact of Trump’s immigration crackdown is widely felt. Nearly 40% of likely California voters say they know someone whose mental health and finances are suffering as a result, according to an October \u003ca href=\"https://www.calwellness.org/news/new-poll-finds-californians-deeply-connected-to-their-communities-but-anxious-about-healthcare-and-affordability/\">poll by the California Wellness Foundation\u003c/a>.[aside postID=news_12063676 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/20251106_ICE-Vigil_GH-15_qed.jpg']Another recent poll, by the Public Policy Institute of California, found nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-october-2025/\">three-quarters of Californians consider immigrants a benefit\u003c/a> to the state and say undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay legally if they meet certain requirements. Additionally, 71% said they disapprove of ICE’s performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of them is Jim Wood, a lawyer and lifelong Oaklander, who’s a member of the St. Jarlath congregation and offers free legal services to others in the parish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People who have come here deserve so much better than what it is that this country is giving them,” said Wood, 77, as he walked in the evening procession. “These are extraordinarily courageous people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said he takes seriously Francis’s call to pray even for those whose actions he abhors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The hardest thing that we can do is to stand up to the Trump administration with compassion, with love,” he said. “We learned from the civil rights movement that that is extraordinarily powerful and effective in creating change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062013\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062013\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A man prays inside St. Jarlath’s Church during a vigil for immigrant families on Oct. 28, 2025, in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For Vicente, walking with his son and his priest and the other members of Faith in Action through the dark streets with candles raised meant a lot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Gathering together in faith gives us strength,” he said. “We can say, ‘We’re here. And we’re working and helping this country.’ It’s a way of saying, ‘Here I am.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For advocates like Paulino, reminding people of their inherent worth is both an antidote to fear and a source of power — one they can draw from to organize for change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For me, as a person of faith, my dignity is not something that somebody in a political power position gives to me,” she said. “It’s a gift from God. We have been created in the image of God, and that is something that no one can take away from us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Across the Bay Area, faith communities are creating spaces where immigrants can reclaim dignity and find solace amid escalating ICE enforcement, including a recent Oakland candlelight service that drew families seeking safety and solidarity.",
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"title": "As Enforcement Intensifies, Churches Become Sanctuaries for Immigrants Seeking Peace | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On a recent Thursday evening, on the edge of Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/fruitvale\">Fruitvale neighborhood\u003c/a>, scores of parishioners carrying candles made a quiet procession out the heavy wooden doors of St. Jarlath Catholic Church, past the glowing stained-glass windows and around the block.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This special service centered on a \u003ca href=\"https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/immigrants-and-refugees\">prayer\u003c/a>, written by the late Pope Francis, for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061294/federal-immigration-agents-in-the-bay-what-we-know-and-dont-know\">protection of immigrants\u003c/a>: “May we seek a world where none are forced to leave their home and where all can live in freedom, dignity and peace.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These words were a balm for Vicente, 57, a welder with glasses and a goatee, whose 10-year-old son walked beside him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vicente, who’s originally from Mexico but has built a life in the East Bay over the past quarter-century, said the Trump administration’s aggressive approach to immigration enforcement has left his family, friends and coworkers in a constant state of anxiety. KQED is not using his last name because, even with a lawyer’s help, he’s been unable to obtain a secure immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re all living with this same panic,” Vicente said. “More than anything, it’s the fear of being separated from our children.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062012\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062012\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fr. Simon Mbuthi stands outside St. Jarlath’s Church in Oakland before a vigil for immigrant families on Oct. 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>St. Jarlath’s pastor, Father Simon Mbuthi, organized the mass at the request of \u003ca href=\"https://fiaeastbay.org\">Faith in Action East Bay\u003c/a>, a multi-denominational community organizing network that advocates for immigrants. He said he was also moved to act because he had seen fewer students show up for catechism classes as their immigrant parents are fearful of leaving their homes any more than necessary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s to dispel fear, first of all, and also to let them know that they are not alone in this,” said Mbuthi, who’s originally from Kenya and holds mass in both Spanish and English. “We want to show them solidarity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Mbuthi stood outside the church in his red clerical robe, he said Francis’s prayer was not only meant to offer comfort but also a plea to God to open the hearts of those in power, namely the people making decisions about immigration enforcement — “that they may see our brothers and sisters not as criminals, not as enemies, but as human beings.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Faith communities mobilize\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>With social media feeds and TV news filled with videos of masked immigration agents smashing car windows and wrestling people to the ground in Chicago, Los Angeles and other U.S. cities, Mbuthi is one of many Bay Area faith leaders working to build solidarity — and offer some solace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His mass took place shortly before the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a near-unanimous \u003ca href=\"https://www.usccb.org/news/2025/us-bishops-issue-special-message-immigration-plenary-assembly-baltimore\">special pastoral message\u003c/a> on Wednesday, condemning the government for “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062014\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062014\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-5-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-5-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-5-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-5-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A son and mother hold hands in prayer during a vigil for immigrant families at St. Jarlath’s Church in Oakland on Oct. 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants,” the bishops wrote in the rare unified message. “We feel compelled now in this environment to raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For months, as immigration enforcement ramped up in President Donald Trump’s second term, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12063228/bay-area-religious-leaders-hold-interfaith-vigil-outside-of-ice-office-in-san-francisco\">religious leaders of many faiths have held vigils\u003c/a> outside the San Francisco office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, calling for an end to the agency’s increasingly harsh tactics that they say separate families and violate people’s rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in late October, when dozens of Border Patrol agents were deployed to U.S. Coast Guard Base Alameda with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061080/federal-border-agents-to-arrive-in-bay-area-as-cities-brace-for-enforcement-surge\">a plan to “surge”\u003c/a> them onto Bay Area streets, clergy were prominent among those protesting at the gates. The operation was \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12061209/lurie-trump-is-calling-off-plans-to-send-federal-troops-to-san-francisco\">canceled at the last minute\u003c/a>, following reports of phone calls to Trump made by tech executives at the behest of San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062017\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062017\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-20-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-20-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-20-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-20-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Parishioners kneel and raise candles as clergy lead a blessing outside St. Jarlath’s Church in Oakland during a vigil for immigrant families on Oct. 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The protests come amid a sharp rise in arrests and detentions, as the Trump administration aims for “mass” deportations. ICE \u003ca href=\"https://enforcementdashboard.com/ice-arrests/?state=CALIFORNIA&composition=All&age_group=All&nationality_group=All&from_date=&to_date=\">arrests in California\u003c/a> shot up from 456 in July 2024 to 2,874 this past July, the most recent month for which data is available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Deportations from California grew 78% — to roughly 5,500 people in the first seven months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/ice-deported-california-21075519.php\">\u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> reported\u003c/a>, citing data obtained by the \u003ca href=\"https://deportationdata.org\">Deportation Data Project\u003c/a> at UC Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Many of us have been deeply distressed to see so many of our immigrant neighbors treated in such brutal ways,” Rev. Marjorie Matthews, pastor of Plymouth United Church of Christ in Oakland, said at a recent rally.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Dignity emboldened in faith\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At St. Jarlath’s, Vicente said he has barely wanted to leave the house lately, but he felt safe to attend the service because Faith in Action, a group he volunteers with, was involved. After the mass, organizers provided information to parishioners about the county’s rapid response hotline for verifying ICE activity and about resources for families whose loved ones face detention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We feel more secure doing this vigil because there are people here who understand the issue,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062011\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062011\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Faith in Action organizer Emma Paulino stands before a mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Jarlath’s Church in Oakland on Oct. 28, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Emma Paulino, a longtime organizer with Faith in Action who asked Father Mbuthi to hold the service, said people need to see their clergy accompany them through this difficult time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For many families, immigrant families, the church is their second home,” said Paulino, whose short gray hair framed her weathered face. “The church is a place where we feel safe, where we feel like this is my community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With one in four Californians born in another country, the impact of Trump’s immigration crackdown is widely felt. Nearly 40% of likely California voters say they know someone whose mental health and finances are suffering as a result, according to an October \u003ca href=\"https://www.calwellness.org/news/new-poll-finds-californians-deeply-connected-to-their-communities-but-anxious-about-healthcare-and-affordability/\">poll by the California Wellness Foundation\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Another recent poll, by the Public Policy Institute of California, found nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/ppic-statewide-survey-californians-and-their-government-october-2025/\">three-quarters of Californians consider immigrants a benefit\u003c/a> to the state and say undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay legally if they meet certain requirements. Additionally, 71% said they disapprove of ICE’s performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of them is Jim Wood, a lawyer and lifelong Oaklander, who’s a member of the St. Jarlath congregation and offers free legal services to others in the parish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People who have come here deserve so much better than what it is that this country is giving them,” said Wood, 77, as he walked in the evening procession. “These are extraordinarily courageous people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said he takes seriously Francis’s call to pray even for those whose actions he abhors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The hardest thing that we can do is to stand up to the Trump administration with compassion, with love,” he said. “We learned from the civil rights movement that that is extraordinarily powerful and effective in creating change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062013\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062013\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/20251028_IMMIGRANT-MASS-_HERNANDEZ-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A man prays inside St. Jarlath’s Church during a vigil for immigrant families on Oct. 28, 2025, in Oakland. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For Vicente, walking with his son and his priest and the other members of Faith in Action through the dark streets with candles raised meant a lot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Gathering together in faith gives us strength,” he said. “We can say, ‘We’re here. And we’re working and helping this country.’ It’s a way of saying, ‘Here I am.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For advocates like Paulino, reminding people of their inherent worth is both an antidote to fear and a source of power — one they can draw from to organize for change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For me, as a person of faith, my dignity is not something that somebody in a political power position gives to me,” she said. “It’s a gift from God. We have been created in the image of God, and that is something that no one can take away from us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Around 17,000 immigrant truck drivers in California are set to have their commercial driver’s licenses revoked by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/department-of-motor-vehicles\">Department of Motor Vehicles\u003c/a>, raising concerns from truckers and advocates for their livelihood and the effect on the state’s economy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the DMV, the expiration dates of these licenses go past the time drivers are legally allowed to be in the U.S. The agency notified drivers of the move in letters sent out in the last week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Drivers will lose their licenses 60 days after receiving the letter, which also affects their personal licenses. Commercial truckers, many of them immigrants, make up a crucial part of the state’s transportation and distribution system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“How are you going to support your family when you’ve lost your job?” said Bill Aboudi, owner of the AB Trucking Company, based out of the Port of Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Aboudi said an overwhelming majority of the truckers he works with have recently immigrated from places such as Ukraine and Afghanistan and have a temporary work permit while they apply for asylum — a process with a timeline they cannot control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The license revocations come amid pressure from the Trump administration. In September, the DMV began \u003ca href=\"https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/important-changes-to-limited-term-legal-presence-cdl-requirements/\">a review\u003c/a> of licenses held by non-domiciled commercial drivers — immigrant drivers in the country with certain work visas — after the federal Department of Transportation \u003ca href=\"https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/2025-09/Interim%20Final%20Rule_Restoring%20Integrity%20to%20the%20Issuance%20of%20Non-Domiciled%20Commercial%20Drivers%20Licenses.pdf\">issued stricter rules\u003c/a> that limit which lawfully present foreigners qualify for commercial licenses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12036220\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12036220\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Port of Oakland on March 6, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Last month, administration officials pointed to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/crash-jashanpreet-singh-california-ad268515fbe4ff67d9376c141e8995c5\">a fiery crash\u003c/a> that killed three people in San Bernardino County when a truck slammed into several vehicles on the 10 Freeway. Jashanpreet Singh, 21, was accused of driving while intoxicated, and soon after, Trump administration officials shared on social media that he has no legal immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is exactly why I set new restrictions that prohibit ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS from operating trucks,” \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/SecDuffy/status/1981348481345475014\">wrote\u003c/a> Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, who has also threatened to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-truck-licenses-immigration-aafb6807c1f40158d705ee116df53ad0\">pull $160 million\u003c/a> in federal funding from California for what he called the state’s refusal to follow his agency’s new rules for commercial licenses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After confirming that thousands of immigrant truckers will lose their licenses, Duffy claimed victory on Thursday. “This is just the tip of the iceberg,” he said in a statement. “My team will continue to force California to prove they have removed every illegal immigrant from behind the wheel of semitrucks and school buses.”[aside postID=news_12062811 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/CostcoTruckGetty.jpg']State officials have pushed back against Duffy’s declaration, noting that the drivers who will lose their licenses are not in the country illegally and have some form of work permit from the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Once again, Sean ‘Road Rules’ Duffy fails to share the truth — spreading easily disproven falsehoods in a sad and desperate attempt to please his dear leader,” said Brandon Richards, spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Labor groups, however, have criticized the state’s decision to revoke these licenses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They should have pushed back harder on the federal government,” said Shane Gusman, legislative director for Teamsters California, adding that in the letters that the DMV sent out to truckers, it justified its actions by pointing to the Trump administration’s new rules.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But on Thursday, a federal judge issued an emergency stay blocking the White House from enforcing these regulations until the courts reach a final decision about their legality. With this latest update, California should rescind the letters it has already sent out, Gusman said: “Those federal rules are not in effect right now. … There’s no authority for the letter.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052396\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052396\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/230928-EAGLE-ROCK-SETTLE-MD-07_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/230928-EAGLE-ROCK-SETTLE-MD-07_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/230928-EAGLE-ROCK-SETTLE-MD-07_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/230928-EAGLE-ROCK-SETTLE-MD-07_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trucks leave the Port of Oakland on Sept. 28, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s office did not respond to questions from KQED on how it plans to move forward while the federal rules remain frozen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But not taking action to bring these drivers back into the workforce could have serious consequences for the state’s economy, Gusman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you just look at any one of our major ports where cargo is coming in and out, it is a largely immigrant workforce from the driver’s side of things,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And consumers could potentially see higher prices in the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you have a pool of drivers pulled out, the trucking industry will have to balance it out,” said Aboudi of the AB Trucking Company. “That is going to weaken our trucking system in the state, applying demand, and of course, costs will go up.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Around 17,000 immigrant truck drivers in California are set to have their commercial driver’s licenses revoked by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/department-of-motor-vehicles\">Department of Motor Vehicles\u003c/a>, raising concerns from truckers and advocates for their livelihood and the effect on the state’s economy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the DMV, the expiration dates of these licenses go past the time drivers are legally allowed to be in the U.S. The agency notified drivers of the move in letters sent out in the last week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Drivers will lose their licenses 60 days after receiving the letter, which also affects their personal licenses. Commercial truckers, many of them immigrants, make up a crucial part of the state’s transportation and distribution system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“How are you going to support your family when you’ve lost your job?” said Bill Aboudi, owner of the AB Trucking Company, based out of the Port of Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Aboudi said an overwhelming majority of the truckers he works with have recently immigrated from places such as Ukraine and Afghanistan and have a temporary work permit while they apply for asylum — a process with a timeline they cannot control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The license revocations come amid pressure from the Trump administration. In September, the DMV began \u003ca href=\"https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/important-changes-to-limited-term-legal-presence-cdl-requirements/\">a review\u003c/a> of licenses held by non-domiciled commercial drivers — immigrant drivers in the country with certain work visas — after the federal Department of Transportation \u003ca href=\"https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/2025-09/Interim%20Final%20Rule_Restoring%20Integrity%20to%20the%20Issuance%20of%20Non-Domiciled%20Commercial%20Drivers%20Licenses.pdf\">issued stricter rules\u003c/a> that limit which lawfully present foreigners qualify for commercial licenses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12036220\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12036220\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/04/250306-PORT-OF-OAKLAND-MD-04_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Port of Oakland on March 6, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Last month, administration officials pointed to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/crash-jashanpreet-singh-california-ad268515fbe4ff67d9376c141e8995c5\">a fiery crash\u003c/a> that killed three people in San Bernardino County when a truck slammed into several vehicles on the 10 Freeway. Jashanpreet Singh, 21, was accused of driving while intoxicated, and soon after, Trump administration officials shared on social media that he has no legal immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is exactly why I set new restrictions that prohibit ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS from operating trucks,” \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/SecDuffy/status/1981348481345475014\">wrote\u003c/a> Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, who has also threatened to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-truck-licenses-immigration-aafb6807c1f40158d705ee116df53ad0\">pull $160 million\u003c/a> in federal funding from California for what he called the state’s refusal to follow his agency’s new rules for commercial licenses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After confirming that thousands of immigrant truckers will lose their licenses, Duffy claimed victory on Thursday. “This is just the tip of the iceberg,” he said in a statement. “My team will continue to force California to prove they have removed every illegal immigrant from behind the wheel of semitrucks and school buses.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>State officials have pushed back against Duffy’s declaration, noting that the drivers who will lose their licenses are not in the country illegally and have some form of work permit from the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Once again, Sean ‘Road Rules’ Duffy fails to share the truth — spreading easily disproven falsehoods in a sad and desperate attempt to please his dear leader,” said Brandon Richards, spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Labor groups, however, have criticized the state’s decision to revoke these licenses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They should have pushed back harder on the federal government,” said Shane Gusman, legislative director for Teamsters California, adding that in the letters that the DMV sent out to truckers, it justified its actions by pointing to the Trump administration’s new rules.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But on Thursday, a federal judge issued an emergency stay blocking the White House from enforcing these regulations until the courts reach a final decision about their legality. With this latest update, California should rescind the letters it has already sent out, Gusman said: “Those federal rules are not in effect right now. … There’s no authority for the letter.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12052396\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12052396\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/230928-EAGLE-ROCK-SETTLE-MD-07_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/230928-EAGLE-ROCK-SETTLE-MD-07_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/230928-EAGLE-ROCK-SETTLE-MD-07_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/08/230928-EAGLE-ROCK-SETTLE-MD-07_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trucks leave the Port of Oakland on Sept. 28, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Newsom’s office did not respond to questions from KQED on how it plans to move forward while the federal rules remain frozen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But not taking action to bring these drivers back into the workforce could have serious consequences for the state’s economy, Gusman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you just look at any one of our major ports where cargo is coming in and out, it is a largely immigrant workforce from the driver’s side of things,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And consumers could potentially see higher prices in the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you have a pool of drivers pulled out, the trucking industry will have to balance it out,” said Aboudi of the AB Trucking Company. “That is going to weaken our trucking system in the state, applying demand, and of course, costs will go up.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"marketplace": {
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"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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"planet-money": {
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"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"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.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"pri-the-world": {
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"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
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},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
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"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
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},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
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"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
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},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
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},
"snap-judgment": {
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