San Diego

March 21, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Issa Sues State, Saying Counting Mail-in Ballots After Election Day Violates Law (Times of San Diego)
• Supervisor pushing for notice to residents as federal funding in question (City News Service)
• Marni von Wilpert Announces Candidacy For State Senate in District 40 (Times of San Diego)
• Quiz: Where do the candidates for county supervisor in District 1 stand on the issues that matter to you? (KPBS)
• El Cajon-based raw cat food recalled after 2 pets sickened: Here's which products are affected (CBS)
• Fire destroys family-owned McDonald's restaurant in Spring Valley (KGTV)
• Imperial Beach mayor's EPA superfund request for Tijuana sewage denied (KGTV)

STATE

• California joins 19 Democratic states in suit to stop massive Education Department layoffs (Los Angeles Times)
• California’s Medi-Cal shortfall hits $6.2 billion with ‘unprecedented’ cost increases (KPBS)
• SoCal Edison investigating ‘zombie’ power line as possible start of Eaton Fire (KTLA)
• California has 30 new proposals to rein in AI. Trump could complicate them (Cal Matters)
• Gavin Newsom shocks LGBTQ allies with criticism of transgender athletes (Cal Matters)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

LOCAL

Issa Sues State, Saying Counting Mail-in Ballots After Election Day Violates Law (Times of San Diego)

Rep. Darrell Issa, the East County Republican, has sued the state of California in federal court to stop mail-in ballots from being counted after Election Day. He claims the practice provides “an unfair electoral advantage for opponents of Republican congressional incumbents.”

Supervisor pushing for notice to residents as federal funding in question (City News Service)

A total of 1.2 million people in San Diego County receive support from at least one federally-funded assistance program.

Marni von Wilpert Announces Candidacy For State Senate in District 40 (Times of San Diego)

 San Diego City Councilwoman Marni von Wilpert Monday announced her campaign for the California State Senate in District 40, currently represented by Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, a Republican from Santee. Von Wilpert, a Democrat, said her campaign will focus on fighting crime, wildfire prevention and reducing the cost of living.

Quiz: Where do the candidates for county supervisor in District 1 stand on the issues that matter to you? (KPBS)

The 2025 District 1 Supervisorial Primary Election is right around the corner. Do you know who you're voting for?

El Cajon-based raw cat food recalled after 2 pets sickened: Here's which products are affected (CBS)

Savage Pet is recalling approximately 140 boxes of its raw chicken cat food products due to potential contamination with H5N1, commonly known as bird flu. / The recall affects 66 Large Chicken Boxes (84 oz.) and 74 Small Chicken Boxes (21 oz.) with the lot code/best by date of 11152026. The affected products were distributed to retailers in California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington.

Fire destroys family-owned McDonald's restaurant in Spring Valley (KGTV)

 A fire destroyed a family-owned McDonald’s restaurant in Spring Valley early Tuesday morning, but no injuries were reported…. / Fire officials said crews noticed strong heat coming from the interior walls, making the firefighting effort a challenge.

Imperial Beach mayor's EPA superfund request for Tijuana sewage denied (KGTV)

“While EPA has been involved in some of these proposed actions and plans to continue this engagement, the report doesn’t contain new information that would warrant changing EPA’s Superfund-related decision as stated in our Jan. 3 letter,” Aguirre read from the letter she received from the EPA.

STATE

California joins 19 Democratic states in suit to stop massive Education Department layoffs (Los Angeles Times)

The states allege the cuts amount to an illegal shutdown of the Education Department’s crucial, congressionally-mandated work, including protecting civil rights.

California’s Medi-Cal shortfall hits $6.2 billion with ‘unprecedented’ cost increases (KPBS)

That’s on top of a $3.4 billion loan that the administration told lawmakers last week it needed to make “critical” payments for Medi-Cal, the state-federal health insurance program for low-income people.Combined, that’s $6.2 billion in spending above what was projected in the budget Gov. Gavin Newsom signed last summer. Almost 15 million Californians have health care coverage through Medi-Cal, also known as Medicaid.

SoCal Edison investigating ‘zombie’ power line as possible start of Eaton Fire (KTLA)

Initially claiming there was no evidence its equipment was at fault, Southern California Edison is now investigating one of its “zombie” power lines as the possible origin of the deadly Eaton Fire. / According to SCE spokesperson Kathleen Dunleavy, a “zombie” power line is a power line that is no longer energized. / However, surveillance footage from an Arco gas station recorded on the night of Jan. 7 captured what appears to be electrical arcs and sparks starting from the power line in question.

California has 30 new proposals to rein in AI. Trump could complicate them (Cal Matters)

President Trump is taking a very different approach to AI than the Biden administration, and it could affect how California regulates artificial intelligence.

Gavin Newsom shocks LGBTQ allies with criticism of transgender athletes (Cal Matters)

Gov. Gavin Newsom called it “deeply unfair” for transgender athletes to participate in girls’ sports today — a notable change in his position that thrust the Democratic governor into the center of a national maelstrom. It was unclear whether he will act on his new position as Republicans urged him to follow conservative states in banning transgender athletes from girls’ sports. The comments came on the first episode of Newsom’s new podcast, “This Is Gavin Newsom,” on which the governor has said he plans to interview political figures he disagrees with about the major issues of the day.

February 13, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• After D.C jet crash, a closer look at San Diego air traffic controller numbers (10 News)
• Investigation continues into military fighter jet crash in San Diego Bay (10 News)
• How getting rid of the Dept. of Education would impact San Diego schools (10 News)
• Jewish Family Service of San Diego announces potential layoffs of its migrant shelter workers   (NBC 7)
• Expecting budget shortfall, Lawson-Remer wants 'no stones unturned' on plans to raise revenue  (KPBS)
• How a Poway City Councilman earned the city’s first-ever censure (Voice of San Diego)
• Residents shocked to learn hundreds of ADUs proposed in Encanto (NBC)
• Friends clash in county special election (La Prensa)
• Peaceful immigrant rights protest turned 'unlawful' in National City  (10 News)

STATE

• CA Wildfire Recovery: Want To Help? These Charities Are Verified. (Patch.com)
• Feds won’t test soil after L.A. wildfire cleanup, potentially leaving contamination behind   (Los Angeles Times)
• Trump suggests getting rid of FEMA, conditioning federal aid for California (10 News)
• Massive Salton Sea lithium project gets judge’s go-ahead, ending advocates’ lawsuit (KPBS)
• The water unexpectedly released from dams on Trump's order didn't help farms or L.A. (MSN)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

LOCAL

After D.C jet crash, a closer look at San Diego air traffic controller numbers (10 News) — As questions continue about air traffic control staffing in D. C. after the tragic jet collision earlier this week, we wanted to find out what the staffing situation is in San Diego.

Investigation continues into military fighter jet crash in San Diego Bay (10 News)

Just over 24 hours after a military fighter jet crashed into the San Diego Bay, ABC 10News has learned more about the aircraft and the investigation.

How getting rid of the Dept. of Education would impact San Diego schools (10 News)

The future of education in the U.S. could look different - and soon. In a move that's expected any day, the president has indicated he may call for the U.S. Department of Education to be dismantled, sending education policy back to the states. The Department of Education, which was created by Congress, distributes billions of dollars for education nationwide.

Jewish Family Service of San Diego announces potential layoffs of its migrant shelter workers  
(NBC 7)

On Jan. 20, when the federal government shut down the CBP One App, which allowed migrants to claim asylum at the border, JFS says it stopped receiving new families at Shelter Services.

Expecting budget shortfall, Lawson-Remer wants 'no stones unturned' on plans to raise revenue  (KPBS)

Facing possible program cuts from Washington and uncertainties about how tariffs would affect the regional economy, San Diego Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer wants to explore options to raise revenue.  "We pay way more to the federal government than we get in return. But what we get back, we need," she said. "And so when what we get back is being threatened, we got to make another plan. We can't just be sitting ducks."

How a Poway City Councilman earned the city’s first-ever censure (Voice of San Diego)

Public records reveal Councilmember Tony Blain’s history of harassing and threatening elected officials and city staff.  It’s been less than two months since Blain was sworn into office. Now, he’s being accused of vote trading, harassment, intimidation and bullying, earning him the first censure, or official reprimand, in the city’s 45-year history. 

Residents shocked to learn hundreds of ADUs proposed in Encanto (NBC)

San Diego's plan to ease the housing crisis with accessory dwelling units (ADUs) might be backfiring in Encanto. Neighbors are upset after finding out more than 200 ADUs are planned for 20 properties in the area. Dozens are planned for just one lot.  Multi-story buildings proposed with dozens of units is how the nickname “granny flats” evolved to “granny towers.”… “When you think about 33 on one lot that would house one house, it just seems like kind of unbelievable because most people don't think about ADUs in terms of like a massive apartment complex, essentially,” Eggleton said.

Friends clash in county special election (La Prensa)

Democrats and labor unions, which are usually united in campaigns, are facing off against each other in a contentious special election to replace San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas, who resigned unexpectedly just weeks after winning a second term. 

Peaceful immigrant rights protest turned 'unlawful' in National City  (10 News)

A peaceful protest quickly growing in size, as Highland Avenue was swarmed with people...Some spreading their message proudly... And some breaking out into a fight on Highland Avenue and East 14th street.

STATE

CA Wildfire Recovery: Want To Help? These Charities Are Verified. (Patch.com)

Options range from legacy relief organizations to a nonprofit that allows donors to transfer cash directly to people who need help the most.

Feds won’t test soil after L.A. wildfire cleanup, potentially leaving contamination behind   (Los Angeles Times)

 The decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers breaks with a long-standing safeguard to ensure no lingering contamination is left behind after wildfires. 

Trump suggests getting rid of FEMA, conditioning federal aid for California (10 News)

Trump revealed on Friday that he would be signing an executive order that would overhaul FEMA or possibly "get rid" of the agency... President Donald Trump said he would end the Federal Emergency Management Agency "right now" if it was up to him.

Massive Salton Sea lithium project gets judge’s go-ahead, ending advocates’ lawsuit (KPBS)

Social and environmental groups sued last year saying the $1.8 billion Hell’s Kitchen project could cause water and air problems not disclosed in its environmental impact report. A judge disagreed.

The water unexpectedly released from dams on Trump's order didn't help farms or L.A. (MSN)

Days after President Trump startled some of his most ardent supporters in California's San Joaquin Valley by having the Army Corps of Engineers suddenly release water from two dams, many in the region and beyond were still perplexed.

East County News Service

February 11, 2025 (San Diego) -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego is working to provide information for immigrants and their families in the wake of mass deportations and stringent immigration policies imposed by President Donald Trump. The information is available in English and Spanish, as well as translation options for other languages.

Catholic Charities has launched a webpage to provide “reliable information, such as the rights of immigrants, how to find a relative if he or she has been detained, and what legal documents may be needed, like power of attorney. Resources and training also will be available to parishes,” the diocese posted.

Click on these links to view resources including rights for immigrants:

emergencysafetyplan.org (English)

plandeemergencia.org  (Spanish)

The site also has “Know your rights” cards that can be carried in wallets, as well as articles and videos on a variety of topics to help immigrants and certain refugees whose legal status has been revoked by the Trump administration, putting them at risk of detention or deportation.

January 30, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Local businesses and nonprofits feeling the impact of federal immigration operations (KPBS)
• San Diego Fire Rescue Department tries out new fire prevention product (KPBS)
• Measuring the potential impact of mass deportations in San Diego  (KPBS)
• How San Diego's 1978 plane crash led to technology included in DC crash investigation (10 News)
• San Diego Council Bashes County Water Authority Over Costs (Voice of SD)
• Ukrainian volunteers from San Diego bring comfort and cuisine to LA fire victims (10 News)
• Despite uncertainty, Comic-Con to remain in San Diego through 2027  (KPBS)
• SDSU plans 7 new dorm towers to house nearly 4,500 more students on campus (KPBS)
• Survey of South Bay households find majority report health issues from sewage (KPBS)
• Oversupply and regulations hit San Diego cannabis revenue amid budget crisis (CBS8)
• Amtrak boosts LA-SD service on Pacific Surfliner (CBS)

STATE

• Trump's California water claim denied by state: "The military did not enter California." (MSN)
• Co-founder of life-saving Watch Duty App awarded for heroism in SoCal fires (KTLA)
• Trump says he wants voter ID laws as condition for wildfire aid for California (ABC)
• Fact check: What really happened with the Pacific Palisades water hydrants? (LAist)
• Cheat sheet: A very short guide for how to leave your house if you need to evacuate (LAist)
• Newsom orders investigation into dry fire hydrants that hampered firefighting in L.A.  (Los Angeles Times)
• Calif. Republicans weigh in on Trump allies’ calls for fire aid conditions (Washington Post)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

Local businesses and nonprofits feeling the impact of federal immigration operations (KPBS)

Recent images and videos of immigration agents knocking on doors and detaining people have instilled fear in many immigrant communities, and local businesses are feeling the impact. "Typically our store makes between $1,000 to $2,000, the three days that we're there. Lately we've been selling $200, $300 a day. It's been very, very, slow. Nobody's selling. On Friday ... the neighboring store told us that he only sold $10," said an Escondido marketplace vendor...

San Diego Fire Rescue Department tries out new fire prevention product (KPBS)

“It’s a citrus-based food-based product that can be sprayed months in advance on dry vegetation or homes and it’ll stay fire resistant that entire time," [Former San Diego Fire Chief Jeff] Bowman said.

Trump says he wants voter ID laws as condition for wildfire aid for California  (ABC)

Gov. Gavin Newsom's office responded to Trump's comments about California's provision of water and his calls to condition additional aid for disaster response. In an X post, the office said that "conditioning aid for American citizens is wrong." This comes after Trump said that he wanted to see the taps turned on and voter ID laws in the state when asked about whether he'd condition additional aid for California.

Measuring the potential impact of mass deportations in San Diego  (KPBS)

Approximately 300,000 people could be directly impacted by deportations, according to research from a UC San Diego researcher.

How San Diego's 1978 plane crash led to technology included in DC crash investigation (10 News)

Flight 182 is one of a few cases that led to the creation of the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS).

San Diego Council Bashes County Water Authority Over Costs (Voice of SD)

 San Diego City Council members spent an hour Tuesday night delivering an unprecedented public bashing of the region’s main water seller for ever-climbing costs. 

Ukrainian volunteers from San Diego bring comfort and cuisine to LA fire victims (10 News)

In response to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, a group of Ukrainian volunteers from San Diego offered support to evacuees in a unique and heartfelt way. This week, the Ukrainian volunteers from San Diego joined forces with the Ukrainian community in Los Angeles to set up tents and serve meals to evacuees.

Despite uncertainty, Comic-Con to remain in San Diego through 2027  (KPBS)

Despite the connection to San Diego, the convention staying in the city has never been a given. Rumors circulate annually about moving it to other cities.

SDSU plans 7 new dorm towers to house nearly 4,500 more students on campus (KPBS)

Bob Schulz, SDSU's associate vice president of real estate, planning and development, said the university has long outgrown its reputation as a commuter college. Each year it sees the demand for on-campus housing increase… / Building more on-campus housing is a key component of SDSU's 2017 Climate Action Plan, which commits the university to full carbon neutrality by 2050. Student commutes to campus are the university's largest source of climate pollution….

Survey of South Bay households find majority report health issues from sewage (KPBS)

 Nearly 70% of…households interviewed in a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey believed one or more members of the household had a health symptom from the Tijuana River sewage crisis… Additionally, 80% believed their quality of life was negatively impacted, 67% believed their health had gotten worse since the problem rapidly worsened in recent years and 18% had sought medical care as a result of the sewage crisis.

Oversupply and regulations hit San Diego cannabis revenue amid budget crisis (CBS8)

 As the city faces a $258 million budget deficit, cannabis tax revenue continues to drop as more competition arises and the illicit market continues to dominate.  Cannabis sales in San Diego brought in $1.5 million less revenue during the 2024 fiscal year compared to the year prior.

Amtrak boosts LA-SD service on Pacific Surfliner (CBS)

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner will add three daily round trips between Los Angeles and San Diego, funded by a $27 million grant.

STATE

Trump's California water claim denied by state: "The military did not enter California." (MSN)

...President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social this week: "The United States Military just entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER flowing abundantly from the Pacific Northwest, and beyond. The days of putting a Fake Environmental argument, over the PEOPLE, are OVER. Enjoy the water, California!!!" ...These claims by the president have since been refuted by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).  "The military did not enter California. The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days. State water supplies in Southern California remain plentiful." 

Co-founder of life-saving Watch Duty App awarded for heroism in SoCal fires (KTLA)

‘Watch Duty’ co-founder John Mills became an Unsung Hero Award recipient on Friday after his emergency alert app helped thousands of Southern California residents stay safe and navigate the recent devastating wildfires. The free app is powered by active and retired firefighters, first responders and more in over 20 states.

Fact check: What really happened with the Pacific Palisades water hydrants? (LAist)

It’s a headline no one would want to see: Fire hydrants being used to fight the Palisades Fire were running dry... LADWP’s explanation for the shortage comes down to three nearby water tanks, each with a storage capacity of about a million gallons. These tanks help maintain enough pressure for water to flow from fire hydrants in uphill areas — but the pressure had decreased due to heavy water use, and officials knew the tanks couldn’t keep up the drain forever... Indeed, fire hydrants have also run dry in the case of other wildfires that spread to urban areas, including the 2017 Tubbs Fire, 2024’s Mountain Fire and 2023’s Maui wildfires.

Cheat sheet: A very short guide for how to leave your house if you need to evacuate (LAist)

…Here’s some advice from CalFire officials for protecting your property inside and out. But you and your family’s safety is the top priority, so only take these steps if you have time and it’s safe to do so.

Newsom orders investigation into dry fire hydrants that hampered firefighting in L.A.  (Los Angeles Times)

The governor cited news reports that some fire hydrants had lost water pressure and that the reservoir in Pacific Palisades was out of commission and empty during the fires, calling the reports “deeply troubling to me and the community.” He raised his concerns in a letter on Friday to Janisse Quiñones, the L.A. Department of Water and Power’s chief executive and chief engineer.

Calif. Republicans weigh in on Trump allies’ calls for fire aid conditions (Washington Post)

The unusual debate puts California’s Republican lawmakers in a potentially perilous position stuck between suffering constituents and the president-elect’s desires. And it presents another test of congressional GOP loyalty to Trump.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: screenshot of aerial video by ECM news partner 10 News shows military troops with razor wire at a staging site in the South Bay, as troops prepare to deploy to fortify U.S. - Mexico Border and aid in Trump crackdown on border crossings.

January 26, 2025 (San Diego) – A tough crackdown on immigrants has begun, after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the Southern Border. On Thursday, 1,500 active-duty military troops have been deployed to patrol the borders in San Diego and San Antonio, Texas, with the first soldiers arriving Thursday. 10 News shot footage showing troops, including hundreds from Camp Pendleton, arriving at staging area in Imperial Beach along with concertina razor wire, tents, and military trucks.

Yet according to Associated Press, data doesn’t back up Trump’s contention of an “invasion” of immigrants.  In fact,  AP reports, “arrests for illegal border crossings plummeted more than 80% to about 47,000 in December from an all-time high of 250,000 the same period a year earlier. Arrests fell by about half when Mexican authorities increased enforcement within their own borders a year ago and by about half again when former President Joe Biden introduced severe asylum restrictions in June.”

Immigration sweeps have also begun across the nation, striking fear into immigrant communities as Border Patrol agents in some areas reportedly demanded documentation of everyone stopped, including citizens. Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, told Fox News that ICE arrested over 308 “serious criminals” in the first 24 hours after Trump took office.

One day later, Newsweek reports, Trump’s Acting Secretary of Homeland Security  Benjamine Huffman lifted a long-standing ban, now allowing ICE to target immigrants in sensitive locations including schools, churches and hospitals.

In addition to fortifying the border to block crossings by migrants, including many seeking asylum and fleeing violence or persecution, Trump's administration has disabled the app which formerly allowed asylum-seekers to apply online without crossing the border, effectively blocking all asylum efforts, NPR reports. 

That violates international law. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, "Seeking asylum is a human right and every person in the world has the right to apply for asylum if they are fleeing conflict or persecution. They must not be expelled or returned to situations where their lives or freedoms would be in danger. This is the principle of non-refoulement which is enshrined in the 1951 Refugee Convention."

The Justice Dept. under Trump has also ordered prosecutors to “investigate any government officials at the state of local effort who refuse to enforce Trump’s immigration policies,” according to Newsweek, putting local officials in the hot seat, since state law prohibits cooperating with federal immigration officials except for turning over criminals convicted of a specified list of serious crimes. 

In recent days, immigration sweeps have been occurring across the nation, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and other major cities.  Details from Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been sketchy, with names released only for a few serious criminals.

But reports across the country suggest innocent people including citizens and even Native Americans are being stopped and harassed by ICE.  Newark, New Jersey’s Mayor Ras Baraka issued this statement on Jan. 23: “Today, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided a local establishment in the City of Newark, detaining undocumented residents as well as citizens, without producing a warrant. One of the detainees is a U.S. military veteran who suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned. This egregious act is in plain violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees ‘the right of the people be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures. Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized. I will be holding a press conference in alliance with partners ready and willing to defend and protect civil and human rights.”

The Arizona Mirror reports that Native Americans have been unlawfully stopped and detained by ICE. 

““We now know that Navajo people and enrolled members of other tribes are being detained in Phoenix and other cities by ICE,” Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley said during a committee meeting on Thursday. “The reports that we have received indicate that we need to coordinate an operation or some type of response to help our enrolled tribal members here on the Navajo Nation.”

Navajo tribal leaders reported that they received calls and text messages from Navajo people living in urban areas who have been stopped, questioned or detained by ICE. Those reports sparked outrage among Navajo Nation Council members and prompted a detailed discussion of the topic during a Naabik’íyáti’ Committee meeting.

“These raids have sparked significant fear, especially among tribal members in urban areas who face challenges with documentation,” the Navajo Nation Council said in a press release.

California has 2.4 million undocumented immigrants, the most of any state, the Los Angeles Times reports. Many farmworkers are staying home, terrified of being detained or deported after recent raids, New Republic reports. ““We’re in the middle of our citrus harvesting,” Casey Creamer, president of the industry group California Citrus Mutual, told CalMatters. “This sent shockwaves through the entire community. People aren’t going to work and kids aren’t going to school. Yesterday about 25 percent of the workforce, today 75 percent didn’t show up.”

San Diego County has an estimated 170,000 undocumented immigrants. In an interview with CBS 8, Pedro Rios with the American Friends Service Committee warned of potential economic impacts if large-scale removals were to occur. "It would mean that suddenly we wouldn't have people in the service industry” he said, also voicing concerns over separation of children from parents. “We wouldn't have people in the agricultural industry. We wouldn't have people that are professionals that touch every aspect of our life,” Rios said.

Impact has left refugee aid groups locally and nationally in shock

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via Pentagon:  Troops evacuating Afghans after fall of Kabul

January 26, 2025 (San Diego) – Following an executive order issued by Donald Trump to suspend refugee resettlement,  the Trump administration has cancelled all flights for over 10,000 refugees already approved to resettle in the United States. According to Associated Press. This includes over 1,660 Afghans who helped America’s military as well as relatives of active-duty U.S. military personnel, Reuters reports.

The impacts hit hard in San Diego County, which in recent years has resettled more refugees from around the world than any other county in the U.S. including refugees from Africa, Asia, war-torn Middle-Eastern countries such as Iraq and Syria, Ukraine and other European nations, Haitian refugees fleeing natural disasters, and many more.

“This executive order is a step backwards for America,” the International Rescue Committee states on its website, urging the Trump administration to reverse the order. 

The Trump administration has taken down entirely the State Department's page on the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

The IRC, which helps to resettle vulnerable refugees, warns, “If the program is not restored, political dissidents, religious minorities, and the most vulnerable victims of war and disaster will pay the price, and so will the United States.”

The 1980 Refugee Act established the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which has been managed by the U.S. government, working with the United Nations Refugee Agency to identify, screen and vet backgrounds of refugees for resettlement in the U.S. This has historically been a bipartisan effort that has significantly boosted the economy.

Refugees have contributed a net positive $124 billion to the U.S. economy from 2005 to 2019, the IRC site states, citing a Health and Human Services webpage that the Trump administration has since taken down.

The Trump order claims,"The United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees.  This order suspends the USRAP until such time as the further entry into the United States of refugees aligns with the interests of the United States." The order cites no studies to support any of these statements.

Photo, right by Rachel Williams, East County Magazine: Syrian refugee children in El Cajon, 2016

San Diego Navy veteran Shan VanDiver is president of #AfghanEvac, a coalition of veterans and advocates who have helped Afghans obtain permission to resettle in the U.S. after the fall of Kabul at the end of the war in Afghanistan in August 2021. The organization’s policy goa states, “After 20 years of war, the United States has an obligation to help relocate and resettle those who risked all to assist our forces on the battlefield.

After the Trump order banning refugee flights, VanDiver told KPBS, “Veterans, advocates, Afghans are all freaking out, worried about the people that they love.”

He added that the Afghan refugees include “partner forces that stood alongside our U.S. forces” as well as “family, children, babies that were separated during the withdrawal and after. It means lawyers, judges, and prosecutors who put the Taliban away.”

Many have been waiting for years in Pakistan, Jordan, Turkey or other nearbyl nations before receiving permission to come to the U.S.  If returned to their homeland in Afghanistan, they could face ostracization, mistreatment or even death at the hands of the Taliban now in control. Others remain in Afghanistan.

Among those in limbo are the father, mother and two brothers of Omid Shiraz, an Uber driver who came to the U.S. on a special immigrant vias three years ago and plans to move to La Mesa this month. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that Shirzad’s father was a general in the Afghanistan army who served with American troops and had a Priority One Visa under the U.S. refugee admissions program to come here.  Shirzad said of his family members now stranded in Afghanistan, ”They are sleeping with fear every night.”

Noori Barka in El Cajon, founder of the Chaldean Community Council and an Iraqi imimigrant, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that Trump’s order could also affect Iraqis hoping to come to the U.S. A Trump supporter, he voiced hope that through negotiations, the Trump administration may be persuaded to change its order.  “I believe that we can make things happen if we approach it the right way,” Barka said.

The Alliance for African Assistance in San Diego posted on Facebook, "These harmful laws blocking refugee resettlement are a tragedy for America. Refugees have already enriched our economy and communities. Denying them the chance to contribute further undermines the values that built this nation."  The post notes that many famous people have come to the U.S. as refugees, including Albert Einstein and Madeleine Albright.

Krish O;Mara Vignarajah, head of Global Refugee, one of 10 U.S. resettlement agencies, notes that refugees are different than asylum seekers who come to the border.  Refugees must be living outside the U.S. when they apply for resettlement and are typically referred by the United Nations to the U.S. State Department.

Unlike the undocumented immigrants whom Trump has long vowed to target, Vignarajah said in a statement issued January 22, “Refugees go through one of the most rigorous vetting processes in the world, and many are now seeing their travel canceled just days, or even hours, before they were set to begin their new lives in the United States.”

Sources:

Trump cancels flights for Afghan refugees approved to come to U.S. (KPBS)

Afghans who assisted U.S. troops among those targeted in federal suspension of refugee program (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Afghans who fled Taliban rule urge Trump to lift refugee program suspension (AP)

Alliance for African Assistance post on social media

International Rescue Committee statement on social media

East County News Service

Photos courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol

January 25, 2025 (Jacumba Hot Springs, CA) – Two hikers in the Jacumba Wilderness were robbed and attacked, with one man shot by “suspected Mexican cartel terrorists,” according to a press release issued by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

According to the CPB, agents from the El Centro sector were dispatched following a 911 call reporting that a man had been shot and needed assistance. The agents found  a group of hikers about 1,000 feet north of the international border in the Jacumba Wilderness, which is near the San Diego County and Imperial County line. The hikers reportedly stated that two of the hikers, an American and a Canadian, were ordered by armed men to approach.

When the hikers refused, “the assailants fired a volley of shots toward the hikers, striking one victim in the leg. The assailants advanced on the downed hiker and his Canadian companion, robbing them of their cell phones and backpacks,” the release states.

At 12:08 p.m. Mountain Disrupt Unit, Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC), and Border Patrol Search Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) agents infiltrated to the area, locating the injured victim and stabilizing him.

Agents created a protective perimeter and extracted the victim via CBP Air and Marine Operations San Diego, according to the CPB. 

According to Scott Lord business director with Mercy Air, "The victim was transferred to Mercy Air Ambulance and flown to Sharp Medical Center in  San Diego for treatment."  He indicated that this is the first incidence of a hiker shooting along the border locally that he is aware of, adding that he has friends who have hiked the Pacific Coast Trail from Mexico to Canada and never heard of anything like this.

BORTAC and BORSTAR agents maintained a secure perimeter and tracked the assailants back to the border where they returned to Mexico.

It is unclear why the CPB believes the attackers were cartel members, though cartels have long been involved in smuggling operations along the U.S.-Mexico border.

While unprovoked attacks on hikers locally are rare (ECM has never received any previous similar eport  since our founding in 2008), cartel criminal activities have spilled over the border. including illicit drug activities and more. On January 21, San Diego Police announced arrest of dozens of individual suspected of criminal activities affiliated with Mexican Mafia, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The suspects are largely street gang members who “took orders from cartel bosses operating in state prison and preyed on business owners by forcing mafia-style taxes,” District Attorney Summer Stephan said Tuesday at a news conference.

The hiker’s shooting comes days after President Donald Trump declared a border emergency  designating Mexican drug cartels and other Latin American criminal groups as terrorist organizations. Trump's order states that these groups "threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere." He has threatened to send U.S. special forces commando into Mexico to go after cartels.

El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino states, “The wounded hiker is an ‘I told you so moment’ highlighting the importance of adequate infrastructure the Border Patrol has been championing for years now.” He predicts, “Suspected cartel terrorists, however, are fixing to learn this type of conduct will be an end game type of activity here in the Premier Sector. All threats, anywhere, or at any time throughout this sector will be addressed vigorously.”

Jacumba Hikers issued a statement on Facebook indicating that while this incident did not involve their hiking group,"Due to this incident, we have decided to cancel the upcoming hike and avoid hiking near the border at this time."

Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that the patient was transported on Reach Air Ambulance, based on a Border Patrol press release. However Mercy Air has contacted us to clarify that their company provided the transport.

January 8, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Man sentenced 35 years to life for sex offenses with teen at El Cajon motel (10 News)
• Scripps Health Now Out-of-Network for Anthem Blue Cross Policyholders (Times of San Diego)
• Judge rules Humane Society should not send domesticated cats back outside (KPBS)
• La Mesa man saves passenger of burning car crash in his front yard (10 News)
• Nathan Fletcher’s Accuser Drops Sexual Assault Claim — for Now (Voice of San Diego)
• Spring Valley man faces federal charges over El Cajon bank robbery (10 News)
• Parents sue Grossmont hospital alleging negligence in death of 4-year-old son (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• Hundreds of new laws in California take effect this year. Here's what to know for 2025. (CBS 8)
• Minimum car insurance coverage requirements are going up in California (KPBS)
• 2 dead and more than 1,000 homes, businesses, other buildings destroyed in fires (Los Angeles Times)
• California 2025: The Next Wave of New Employer Compliance Obligations Is About to Hit (National Law Review)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

LOCAL

Man sentenced 35 years to life for sex offenses with teen at El Cajon motel (10 News)

A 71-year-old registered sex offender who engaged in sex acts with a 16-year-old girl at an El Cajon motel was sentenced Wednesday to 35 years to life in state prison. Michael Inman was convicted by an El Cajon jury of four felony sex offenses, including sexual penetration of a person under 18 and possession of child pornography for the March 2023 encounter with the minor at the Motel 6 on Montrose Court.

Scripps Health Now Out-of-Network for Anthem Blue Cross Policyholders (Times of San Diego)

After months of negotiations to keep the health system in-network, the contract between Scripps Health and Anthem Blue Cross officially ended Jan. 1, it was announced Wednesday. / The termination impacts all Anthem commercial and Covered California plans, though emergency care remains in-network and Medicare supplemental plans are unaffected, according to the health system.

Judge rules Humane Society should not send domesticated cats back outside (KPBS)

A judge has ruled that the San Diego Humane Society’s policy of releasing some outdoor, domesticated cats without a caretaker is unlawful. / The Community Cats program spays or neuters outdoor cats, vaccinates them, and then releases them back to where they were found. The goal is to keep the population healthy and shrink it over time. There are more than 300,000 unowned, free-roaming cats in San Diego County, according to the Humane Society…. / [The Judge] said the court considered things like the definition of animal abandonment and the Humane Society’s contract with the county.

La Mesa man saves passenger of burning car crash in his front yard (10 News)

Downed trees, the smell of smoke, and a burned car and house are what one La Mesa homeowner saw on his front yard after a car crash in his yard earlier Thursday morning. "Just before 1 in the morning, my wife and I heard a very loud boom, and so we came running downstairs, and we looked out the window, and my wife just screamed, 'It's a car accident, and it's on fire!" said Kerry Campbell, who lives on Baltimore Drive in La Mesa.

Nathan Fletcher’s Accuser Drops Sexual Assault Claim — for Now (Voice of San Diego)

The former Metropolitan Transit System employee who accused ex-county supervisor and MTS chair Nathan Fletcher of sexual harassment and assault has dismissed her most serious allegation against him – at least for now.

Spring Valley man faces federal charges over El Cajon bank robbery (10 News)

A Spring Valley man accused of robbing an El Cajon bank at gunpoint last week is facing federal charges. Maurice Carter is accused of entering the Wells Fargo branch on Fletcher Parkway on Dec. 10, brandishing a handgun, and fleeing with just over $9,000 in cash.

Parents sue Grossmont hospital alleging negligence in death of 4-year-old son (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Suit accuses hospital of failing to properly diagnose young patient’s condition after positive COVID test. A recently filed lawsuit accuses Sharp Grossmont Hospital of negligent care that led to the death of a 4-year-old boy from Canada who visited San Diego with his parents in August 2023.

STATE

Hundreds of new laws in California take effect this year. Here's what to know for 2025. (CBS 8)

Scores of new California laws are going into effect in 2025 after Gov. Gavin Newsom took action on hundreds of bills that crossed his desk last year.  Among the legislation Newsom signed into law were bills to crack down on retail crime and property theft; to address homelessness; and new protections for consumers and patients... Here's what to know about California's most notable new laws and how they'll affect you.

Minimum car insurance coverage requirements are going up in California (KPBS)

KPBS - Starting January 1st, the minimum car insurance coverage for California drivers is doubling. / Under Senate Bill 1107, the Protect California Drivers Act, the new coverage minimums are: $30,000 for injury/death to one person. $60,000 for injury/death to more than one person. $15,000 for damage to property. / Insurance carriers may have already adjusted the coverage that goes into effect January 1st, but drivers should confirm with their insurance carrier.

2 dead and more than 1,000 homes, businesses, other buildings destroyed in fires (Los Angeles Times)

More than 1,000 homes, businesses and other buildings have burned and at least two people are dead in wildfires burning across L.A. County, making this one of the most destructive firestorms to hit the region in memory.

California 2025: The Next Wave of New Employer Compliance Obligations Is About to Hit (National Law Review)

The California Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom have again enacted a number of laws that will affect California employers. This Insight summarizes the significant changes to California employment laws taking effect in 2025. Unless otherwise indicated, the laws discussed below will take effect on January 1, 2025.

McElroy speaks out against mass deportations as "incompatible with Catholic doctrine" in first appearance as Archbishop

By Miriam Raftery

Photo of Cardinal McElroy by Chris Stone, Times of San Diego

January 8, 2025 (San Diego) – Pope Francis on Monday named San Diego’s Cardinal Robert McElroy has the new Archbishop of Washington D.C., where is expected to provide a strong moral voice opposing some policies of the incoming Trump administration.

McElroy was appointed by Pope Francis to serve as Bishop in San Diego in 2015 and in 2022 was elevated to Cardinal. He replaces retiring Cardinal Wilton Gregory,77, as Archbishop in the district that includes the nation’s capitol and is home to more than 667,000 Catholics.

Archbishop McElroy, in an online press conference Monday, acknowledged that each nation has a right to control its borders, but he denounced Trump’s call for mass deportation of immigrations.  “We are called always to have a sense of the dignity of every human person, and thus plans which have been talked about...of having a wider indiscriminate massive deportation across the country would be something that would be incompatible with Catholic doctrine.”

McElroy also spoke of climate change,  which the Trump administration refuses to acknowledge as a real threat to humanity.  “I think one of the greatest challenges for the Church in the world at this moment is that of the care for our home on this Earth, for the planet, and all of the abuse which it is suffering,” said McElroy, who supports Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical, Catholic News Agency reports.

The new Archbishop has also questioned why issues such as poverty, racism, immigration and climate change are not identified as priorities at the U.S. Bishops’ conference over social issues such as abortion. McElroy has supported providing Communion to politicians regardless of their stances on abortion. He has also denounced bullying of LGBTQ+ youths.

Support for McElroy’s appointment is not universal. Attorneys representing alleged victims of sexual abuse by priests in the San Diego Roman Catholic Diocese have criticized the appointment, NBC 7 reports.

Praise by some for McElroy’s often progressive views “ignores the fact that he has been anything but progressive when it comes to protecting victims of child sexual assault in San Diego,” attorney Morgan Stewart states. “These victims have suffered pain for a lifetime because of their horrendous sexual abuse by San Diego priests.”

Though the alleged abuse occurred before McElroy came to San Diego, Stewart faults McElroy for putting the San Diego Archdiocese into bankruptcy last year, a move McElroy said was to balance the competing needs of compensating victims vs. continuing good works of the diocese, but which the attorney says could “delay or deny compensation to over 500 victims.”