Sara Jacobs

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 The news conference followed the arrest last month of two parents, whose Temporary Protected Status had reportedly been revoked, shortly after drop-off near John Marshall Elementary School.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.

California voters head to the polls in November to decide statewide and local races alongside 14 ballot propositions, including a closely watched "billionaires tax" measure and a recall-process reform. San Diego County's voter guide outlines a packed slate of contests, with voter pamphlets mailed in late September and ballots beginning to arrive October 5.

Key federal races include five competitive U.S. House districts (48–52), pitting incumbents and challengers from both parties after redistricting reshaped several seats. State Senate and Assembly races feature multiple incumbents defending seats, while the California State Board of Equalization's District 4 race pits a local water official against a sitting state senator.

Locally, San Diego County voters will also choose county supervisors, school board members, and city officials across numerous municipalities including San Diego, Chula Vista, Carlsbad, Escondido, Oceanside, and others, alongside mayoral races and special district seats covering healthcare, water, and community college boards. The wide-ranging ballot reflects a highly competitive election cycle across Southern California.

San Diego's congressional delegation—Reps. Mike Levin, Scott Peters, Sara Jacobs and Juan Vargas—sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao demanding answers over reported poor conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The carrier and its roughly 5,000 sailors have been deployed since Thanksgiving supporting operations related to the war in Iran, exceeding 240 consecutive days at sea without a port stop and well past an initial May return date. Reports describe moldy showers, broken toilets, lack of hot water, food and supply shortages, and sailors attempting to jump overboard amid fatigue concerns.

Arizona Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego have also demanded Pentagon accountability, with Kelly citing sailors' mental health struggles. Hegseth has publicly denied the reports, accusing media of misrepresenting the strike group's mission. Lawmakers posed detailed questions about supply delays, safety reporting channels, meal access, and disease prevention. President Trump said the Lincoln will soon be relieved by the USS George Washington, though officials say that ship's arrival could still take several weeks, and he maintains the deployment has not been excessively long.
Lawmakers from San Diego and Arizona press the Pentagon over hardship conditions during the USS Abraham Lincoln's extended deployment.