Sen. Alex Padilla handcuffed by federal agents at immigration press conference
LAT, CHRISTOPHER BUCHANAN/RACHEL URANGA/LAURA J, NELSON: "California Sen. Alex Padilla was handcuffed by federal agents Thursday after he interrupted a press conference held by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles.
About five minutes into a press conference at the Westwood federal building, Noem told the media that the Trump administration planned to “liberate the city from the socialists and the burdensome leadership that the governor and the mayor have placed on this country.”"
READ MORE -- Outraged Democrats handcuffed in ability to do much about Padilla treatment -- The Chronicle, SOPHIA BOLLAG; ‘Outrageous’: California Democrats react to FBI agents handcuffing Sen. Alex Padilla -- CALMatters, JEANNE KUANG/NIGEL DUARA; California Sen. Alex Padilla handcuffed, forced out of news conference in LA -- Sac Bee, DAVID LIGHTMAN
Appeals court blocks U.S. judge’s order to return National Guard to California control
The Chronicle, BOB EGELKO: "President Donald Trump acted illegally when he ordered thousands of California National Guard troops onto the streets of Los Angeles to combat protests of immigration raids, a federal judge ruled Thursday.
After a 70-minute hearing in his San Francisco courthouse, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer granted a temporary restraining order sought by the state of California, which argued Trump had exceeded his authority when he sent the troops to Los Angeles to take over policing duties usually handled by local law enforcement. Two hours after Breyer’s ruling, however, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco temporarily blocked Breyer’s order, setting a June 17 hearing on the case."
READ MORE -- National Guard troops will stay under Trump’s control, for now, under 9th Circuit order --- LAT, MICHAEL WILNER/LAURA J, NELSON/QUEENIE WONG; Hegseth refuses to commit to following possible court order on Marine deployment -- LAT, SEEMA MEHTA; Appeals court allows Trump to keep National Guard in Los Angeles temporarily -- CALMatters, MIKHAIL ZINSHTEYN/BEN CHRISTOPHER; Appeals court halts ruling forcing Trump to return CA Guard to Newsom’s control -- Sac Bee, SHARON BERNSTEIN/DANIEL HUNT
Capitol Briefs: Thursday turmoil
Capitol Weekly, STAFF: "It was an intense day in California politics, starting with California’s senior U.S. Senator Alex Padilla being forcibly removed from a Department of Homeland Security press conference in the morning and then U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer agreeing to California’s request for a temporary restraining order to wrestle control of the state National Guard back from President Donald Trump in the late afternoon.
A video of Padilla’s ejection shows the senator being physically dragged from the room by several men and then forced to the ground and handcuffed after he attempted to ask Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem questions about the ongoing protests in Los Angeles, which have prompted Trump to take control control of the California National Guard from Gov. Gavin Newsom. The incident drew immediate outrage from numerous Democratic lawmakers, including seven Democratic gubernatorial candidates, who issued the following joint statement:"
‘An outright lie’: Fiery Bass delivers impassioned speech demanding ICE leave city
LAT, NOAH GOLDBERG/DAVID ZAHNISER: "Standing alongside a hundred civic leaders as police sirens blared in the background, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass delivered her most impassioned critique of the federal response to anti-ICE protests to date Thursday.
The mayor — flanked by faith leaders, business leaders, immigrant rights advocates and others — defended the city’s ability to handle the sometimes chaotic protests that have swept across downtown L.A. for the last week, while accusing the Trump administration of deliberately misrepresenting the city as overwhelmed by violence."
Fear of ICE raids spreads across California’s farmworkers
The Chronicle, MALIYA ELLIS: "The nation’s most abundant harvest is ripening in California’s Central Valley fields, but the people at the heart of these agricultural communities are living in fear.
Whispers of immigration raids — most unconfirmed — swirled from Colusa to Kern counties this week. Roughly half of all farmworkers laboring in America’s breadbasket are undocumented, putting this region in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump’s ramped-up deportation campaign."
How the flags of Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala symbolize defiance against Trump’s L.A. raids
LAT, SALVADOR HERNANDEZ: "Vendors were selling a variety of colorful national flags in downtown L.A. on Wednesday, but Axel Martinez settled on one with with Old Glory on one half and the Mexican flag on the other.
The 26-year-old was born in the U.S., raised in Mexico City and returned to the States because of the opportunity, he said. On Wednesday, he stood among hundreds of other demonstrators outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown L.A. who were facing off with National Guard troops on Alameda Street. About a dozen other flags — from Mexico, the U.S., California, Guatemala and El Salvador — fluttered over the crowd."
Trauma, upheaval, fear: Students and families caught in the crosshairs of immigration enforcement
EdSource, ZAIDEE STAVELY/BETTY MARQUEZ ROSALES: "The day before final exams started at Granada High School in Livermore, special education teacher Laura Brown got word that a student’s father had been detained by immigration officers.
Brown didn’t hesitate. She immediately called the student’s mother, Rosa Lopez, and went over to her house that night. She had known the family for 12 years, ever since the oldest son had been her student. The youngest, who just finished his sophomore year in high school, stops by her classroom regularly just to say hi."
California investigates State Farm over claims from Los Angeles fires
CALMatters, LEVI SUMAGAYSAY: "California’s Insurance Department has launched a formal investigation into State Farm over its handling of claims from the Los Angeles County fires.
The investigation, expected to take months, will allow for a more comprehensive regulatory review, the department said in a press release today. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said in the release that the review will help determine whether State Farm has complied with the state’s consumer-protection and claims-handling laws."
Popular California tax payment system is down — just as quarterly deadline nears
The Chronicle, KATHLEEN PENDER: "Californians trying to pay their second-quarter estimated taxes before Monday’s deadline through the Franchise Tax Board’s MyFTB application have been unable to access the online service since at least Tuesday night.
A warning on the FTB’s Maintenance page as of Thursday afternoon said, “We are experiencing technical issues that may impact some of our online services such as MyFTB, CalFile, and MEC (minimum essential coverage) Information Reporting. The issues also affect information we can provide over the phone.” It says taxpayers who need to make an online payment “can use our version of Web Pay that doesn’t require you to log into MyFTB. You can also use our general chat for non-confidential tax questions.”"
California sues Trump for blocking its clean-air rules for cars, trucks — and vows to set new mandates
CALMatters, STAFF: "President Donald Trump this morning signed three measures that block California’s mandates to phase out gas-powered cars and clean up diesel trucks. And California immediately struck back with a lawsuit and a vow to continue setting standards.
The move by Trump and Congress deals a substantial blow to the state’s aggressive transition to electric vehicles and could upend its decades-long authority to clean up its air pollution, which is the worst in the nation."
READ MORE -- Trump signs bill to overturn California bid to ban gasoline-powered cars -- Sac Bee, DAVID LIGHTMAN
Cap & trade reauthorization should prioritize climate safe infrastructure (OP-ED)
Capitol Weekly, CAROLYN COLEMAN/MICHAEL PIMENTEL/MICHAEL QUIGLEY: "California has long been a leader in green policy, safeguarding against the impacts of climate change, while making significant strides in green infrastructure and jobs. As a result, our state has been making steady and meaningful improvements to reduce air pollution and harmful emissions while fostering jobs and improving our quality of life.
As state lawmakers begin discussing a reauthorization of the state’s landmark Cap & Trade program, a new coalition of labor, business, local government and transportation leaders is pushing to ensure climate-safe infrastructure is given top priority."
California police are illegally sharing license plate data with ICE and Border Patrol
CALMatters, KHARI JOHNSON/MOHAMED AL ELEW: "Law enforcement agencies across Southern California violated state law more than 100 times last month by sharing information from automated license plate readers with federal agents, records show.
The Los Angeles Police Department and sheriff’s departments in San Diego, Orange and Riverside counties searched license plate readings on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, according to a database of queries obtained by anti-surveillance group Oakland Privacy and provided to CalMatters."
In Sacramento’s immigration court, ICE detention threats leave residents in limbo
Sac Bee, STEPHEN HOBBS: "Dilraj Shoker followed the rules.
He has a work permit, said he doesn’t have a criminal record, and filed an application to receive political asylum from his native India."
Someone left a Tesla in the middle of S.F.’s Alta Plaza Park
The Chronicle, ANNIE VAINSHTEIN/MEGAN CASSIDY: "The mystery of a rogue Tesla left in the middle of Alta Plaza park transfixed San Francisco residents Thursday morning.
Nobody seemed to know what to do about the shiny blue Model S that, as of 11 a.m., was parked in the middle of the pedestrian walkway at the north end of the park, facing Jackson Street."
