San Diego

A House Judiciary Committee report led by Rep. Jim Jordan and Rep. Tom McClintock alleges that police and sheriff's departments in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego rejected nearly 9,000 ICE detainer requests in recent years, with Los Angeles honoring roughly 0.1% of those it received. The report also cites ICE figures claiming California authorities released over 4,500 sought immigrants since January 2025, and highlights several high-profile killings involving previously deported individuals to argue sanctuary laws like the Trust Act and California Values Act endanger public safety.

Newsom's office has disputed similar claims previously, saying California has transferred thousands of inmates to ICE custody since 2019. Republicans are pushing the Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act to bar such local restrictions.

San Diego's City Council voted unanimously to impose a 45-day moratorium on AI data center development, pausing a proposed 400-megawatt facility at the NAVWAR site near Old Town. Manchester Financial Group, selected by the Navy in 2024 to redevelop the 70-acre property, had promised housing and mixed-use development, but emails revealed the firm explored building what could be California's largest data center. The pause, which could extend nearly a year, gives the city time to craft permanent data center regulations. Residents, some in costume, cited concerns over electricity demand, water use, and rising utility costs. The Navy is still conducting an environmental review of the site.

The U.S. Department of Justice sent letters to 57 of California's 58 counties demanding officials help verify the citizenship status of voters flagged on a federal list of roughly 20,000 names, threatening potential criminal prosecution for tabulating ballots from noncitizens. San Diego County, given 48 hours to respond regarding 1,709 flagged voters, said it is "evaluating next steps" rather than committing to the request. The move follows a DOJ lawsuit against Los Angeles County and the Secretary of State after they declined to set aside the flagged ballots. California officials call the list error-ridden and the effort election interference, while critics say it may violate a federal "quiet period" rule barring systematic voter list reviews before elections.

Sen. Adam Schiff joined Reps. Sara Jacobs, Scott Peters, Juan Vargas and Mike Levin, along with San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Fabiola Bagula and board members, at Point Loma High School to condemn ICE arrests near schools. The news conference followed the arrest last month of two parents, whose Temporary Protected Status had reportedly been revoked, shortly after drop-off near John Marshall Elementary School. Officials said the children, ages 2 and 5, were left without their parents. Lawmakers criticized the Trump administration's immigration enforcement tactics as cruel and said federal officials have rebuffed requests for restraint near sensitive locations like schools, citing meetings described as unproductive.

The Department of Homeland Security dismissed the visit as a "political stunt," saying ICE targets criminals, not children, and denied arrests have occurred inside schools. The dispute comes amid ICE's reported statewide "Operation Safe California" enforcement push, now in its second week, with Democrats pointing to the midterm elections as a potential avenue for oversight and subpoena power.