Homeland Security looks to veterans to fill ICE hiring gap
Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson….it’s TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD
>>>> DHS IS LOOKING TO VETERANS TO JOIN THE ADMINISTRATION’S CRACKDOWN ON IMMIGRANTS.
More on that next. But first... the headlines….#######
SAN DIEGO UNIFIED HAS OPENED PRIORITY CHOICE ENROLLMENT FOR THE 20-26, 20-27 SCHOOL YEAR. THAT’S ACCORDING TO REPORTING BY TIMES OF SAN DIEGO
IT WILL BE OPEN UNTIL NOVEMBER 3RD
IT ALLOWS FAMILIES RANGING FROM T-K THROUGH 12TH GRADE TO APPLY FOR SCHOOLS OUTSIDE OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD’S BOUNDARIES
THIS INCLUDES SCHOOLS SPECIALIZING IN THEMES SUCH AS WORLD LANGUAGES, VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS, STEM AND STEAM…WHICH INCLUDES ART AS A FIFTH CORE-DISCLIPINE
APPLICATIONS ARE ENTERED INTO A LOTTERY SYSTEM THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT DISTRICT PRIORITIES LIKE SIBLING ENROLLMENT AND
ACTIVE MILITARY STATUS
TO HELP FAMILIES NAVIGATE THE PROCESS, SD UNIFIED WILL HOST TWO INFORMATIONAL WORKSHOPS VIA ZOOM NEXT MONTH
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THE I-5 CAMINO DE LA PLAZA OFF-RAMP A-K-A THE LAST U-S EXIT BEFORE MEXICO WAS CLOSED LAST NIGHT AND WILL BE AGAIN FOR THE NEXT TWO EVENINGS
THE CLOSURE STARTS AT 9 PM AND GOES UNTIL 5 AM TODAY AND TOMORROW
HEADS UP FOR ANYONE APPROACHING THE CAMINO DE LA PLAZA OFF-RAMP AS THERE WILL BE A DETOUR JUST BEFORE BORDER
CHECKPOINTS
IF NOT CAREFUL LIKE ME WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, YOU COULD END UP GOING THROUGH BORDER CHECKPOINTS AND END UP EN ROUTE TO MEXICO
NEW PIPING AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING LISTED AS THE MAIN REASONS FOR THE ROADWORK AND CONSTRUCTION
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YESTERDAY WAS THE FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF FALL !
I LOVE THE FALL EVEN WHEN THE WEATHER ISN’T ALL THAT FALL-LIKE
TODAY IS EXPECTED TO BE MOSTLY SUNNY WITH HIGHS NEAR 80 IN THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO.
LAST WEEK, A SUBTROPICAL SYSTEM OFF THE COAST OF MEXICO BROUGHT WITH IT HIGH HUMIDITY AND SOME MUCH NEEDED RAIN
NEVERTHELESS THE U-T REPORTS THAT SAN DIEGO IS STILL NEARLY 5 INCHES BELOW AVERAGE RIGHT NOW WHEN IT COMES TO YEARLY RAINFALL.
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
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THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HAS ONE IMPORTANT PARTNER IN ITS EFFORT TO FILL NEW IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT JOBS — THE PENTAGON.
MILITARY AND VETERANS REPORTER ANDREW DYER SAYS ONE MARQUEE PROGRAM IS OFF TO A SLOW START.
ICERECRUIT 2 (4:58) SOQ
DHS’ VIDEOS POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA PAINT A PICTURE: IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IS ACTION-PACKED.
[AUDIO/VIDE O FROM HYPE VID PLAYS UNDERNEATH]
MASKED AGENTS CARRYING RIFLES, DRESSED IN FATIGUES AND COMBAT HELMETS ARRIVE AT A HOME IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT.
QUICK CUTS….FLASHING LIGHTS….INFRARED DRONE FOOTAGE. THEN THE BEAT DROPS AS THE AGENTS MARCH MIDDLE-AGED MEN AWAY IN HANDCUFFS.
THE SCENES ARE REMINISCENT OF THOSE FROM 20 YEARS AGO DURING THE INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF IRAQ WHEN U.S. TROOPS WERE ENGAGED IN THE “WAR ON TERROR.”
DHS SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM HASN’T SHIED AWAY FROM THE WAR ANALOGY. SHE MAKES THE STAKES CLEAR IN COMMENTS THIS SPRING.
“WHEN I TOOK THE OATH AS SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY I PLEDGED THAT I WOULD WORK TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FROM ALL ENEMIES FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC AND LET ME BE CLEAR — WE HAVE ENEMIES LIVING AMONG US.”
THIS SUMMER CONGRESS PASSED PRESIDENT TRUMP’S “BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL” FUNDING IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT TO THE TUNE OF $170 BILLION.
“IT ALLOWS ICE TO HIRE 10,000 NEW OFFICERS”
NOEM TALKED ABOUT THE INFUSION OF CASH JUST BEFORE THE BILL PASSED.
“IT ALSO WILL PROVIDE 4.1 BILLION SO THAT WE CAN HIRE 5000 NEW CBP OFFICERS AS WELL, AS WELL AS 3000 NEW CBP BORDER AGENTS.”
ALMOST 20,000 PEOPLE LEAVE THE MILITARY EACH MONTH — AND DHS IS LOOKING TO THEM TO JOIN THE ADMINISTRATION’S CRACKDOWN ON IMMIGRANTS.
IN A MEMO THIS SUMMER DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH ORDERED THE MILITARY SERVICES TO PUSH SEPARATING MEMBERS OVER TO DHS JOBS. IT EMPHASIZES THE SKILLBRIDGE PROGRAM. — AN INTERNSHIP WHERE SERVICE MEMBERS CAN WORK AT CIVILIAN COMPANIES FULL-TIME DURING THEIR LAST MONTHS OF SERVICE — ALL WHILE COLLECTING THEIR MILITARY PAY AND BENEFITS.
THE PROGRAM'S WEBSITE IS NOW DOMINATED BY MULTIPLE BANNERS ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES AT CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AND ICE.
“BASICALLY RIGHT NOW WHERE THE PUSH THAT WE'RE DOING WE'RE SEEING IS LAW ENFORCEMENT. “
MARTIN RIVERA IS A VETERAN STAFFING CONSULTANT AT WORK FOR WARRIORS. WE MET UP WITH HIM AT A MILITARY AND VETERANS JOB FAIR IN SAN DIEGO THIS MONTH.
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THERE'S BEEN A NEW, AWAKENING FOR THE FIELD OF PUBLIC SAFETY, SIDE OF FROM POLITICS OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SEE.
BUT WE SEE THE NEW GROWTH, WHICH IS WHY YOU SEE AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HERE TODAY
POLICE FROM SAN DIEGO, PASADENA AND THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES WERE RECRUITING. AS WAS THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS.
BUT THE ONLY BOOTH WITH A LINE WHILE KPBS WAS THERE WAS C-B-P.
LEYREM BRAY IS A CBP OFFICER. SHE SAYS, FROM HER PERSPECTIVE DOING RECRUITING, NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED.
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LEYREM BRAY, CBP OFFICERI THINK CUSTOMS IS ALWAYS HIRING, ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE SAN DIEGO AREA, BECAUSE WE HAVE A SAN YSIDRO PORT OF ENTRY, WHICH IS THE LARGEST LAND BORDER, PORT IN THE WORLD. SO WE ALWAYS NEED PEOPLE.
CARLTON MAYE IS AN ARMY NATIONAL GUARD VETERAN WHO’S BEEN OUT FIVE YEARS NOW. HE SAYS THE TRANSITION HASN’T BEEN EASY.
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CARLTON MAYE, ARMY NATIONAL GUARD VETERAN
IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN ROUGH. I WASN'T, PROPERLY TRANSITIONED ON LIFE AFTER THE MILITARY, SO I'VE JUST BEEN KIND OF SCUFFLING HERE AND THERE.
IN THE GUARD, HE WORKED IN INTELLIGENCE. BUT NOW, HE’S LOOKING FOR A MORE CORPORATE WORK ENVIRONMENT THAN TO PUT ON ANOTHER UNIFORM.
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CARLTON MAYE, ARMY NATIONAL GUARD VETERAN
SO LAW ENFORCEMENT? NOT NECESSARILY MY THING — BUT PRETTY CLOSE.
RIVERA SAYS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE WORK FOR WARRIORS ARE HERE TO HELP SERVICE MEMBERS NAVIGATE WHAT CAN BE A CHALLENGING TIME.
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SPEAKER 4
OR YOU'RE TRYING TO GET A JOB, OR ARE YOU TRYING TO GET A CAREER, RIGHT? WE CAN DO BOTH. LET'S GET YOU MAKING SOME MONEY. RIGHT. WHILE WE PROCESS YOU ON A CAREER.
DHS HAS REMOVED AGE RESTRICTIONS ON ITS DEPORTATION OFFICER POSITIONS AND IS OFFERING SIGNING BONUSES UP TO $50,000. IT’S ALSO PROMOTING THE FACT THAT CANDIDATES DON’T NEED A COLLEGE DEGREE.ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THE AGENCY AND ITS SPOKESPERSON SHARE CLIPS OF ICE AGENTS MANHANDLING PROTESTERS, REVELING IN THE CONFLICT.“WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN,” THE AGENCY SAYS IN ONE POST.
BARBARA WALTER IS THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK HOW CIVIL WARS START AND HOW TO STOP THEM. SHE’S A PROFESSOR AT UC SAN DIEGO AND AN EXPERT ON EXTREMISM.
SHE’S CONCERNED ABOUT THE GROWTH OF ICE, AND WHO WILL FILL THESE JOBS. SHE COMPARES ICE WITH SECRET POLICE FORCES IN AUTHORITARIAN STATES.SHE SAYS ICE APPEARS ACCOUNTABLE ONLY TO TRUMP.
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SPEAKER 1
AMERICA’S VERSION OF THE BROWNSHIRTS … AND OF COURSE, YOU WOULD WANT TO FILL IT WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LIKELY TO BE DEEPLY RACIST, AND SEXIST AND BRUTAL AND, BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO BE USING THEM FOR BRUTAL MEANS.
NOEM NOW SAYS ICE HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN 150,000 APPLICATIONS AND HAS ISSUED MORE THAN 18,000 JOB OFFERS.IT DID NOT RESPOND TO QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE VETERANS.WE ASKED EACH MILITARY BRANCH HOW MANY TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS HAVE APPLIED FOR DHS INTERNSHIPS. ONLY THE ARMY PROVIDED NUMBERS. SINCE HEGSETH’S MEMO IN MAY, THREE SOLDIERS HAVE APPLIED.ANDREW DYER, KPBS NEWS.
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For years, San Diego leaders have encouraged property owners to build small backyard homes, known as accessory dwelling units, or A-D-U’s (AY-dee-yooz). The incentives came with one big tradeoff, though — none of these new units can be turned into vacation rentals. An inewsource/KPBS analysis found the city allowed it to happen anyway. Cody Dulaney has the story.
ADU STR 1 01:09 TOT SOQ
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Two new ADUs just blocks from each other in Pacific Beach are glowing with five-star praise from out-of-town guests. Neighbors on the other hand, tell a different story.
CRUZ: “Personally, my wife and I are sick of it.”
That’s Charles Cruz, he lives next to both units.
CRUZ: “They’re just here for a short time, they couldn’t care if they offend people.”
Across the city, units like these are being rented illegally. An inewsource/KPBS analysis found more than one hundred and seventy properties have both an ADU and a license to rent short-term. Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera said the city needs to enforce the law.
QUOTE: “I have no interest in adding to the availability of short-term vacation rental opportunities in neighborhoods. That’s not a crisis in San Diego.”
A spokesperson said the city has removed over 200 listings from sites like Airbnb and issued thousands of dollars in fines. But officials didn’t have a way to block owners from renting ADUs short-term until last month — eight years after the ban took effect.
For KPBS, I’m inewsource investigative reporter Cody Dulaney.
ANCHOR TAG: inewsource is an independently funded, nonprofit partner of KPBS
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KPBS RAN A STORY EARLIER THIS YEAR ABOUT SAN DIEGO COMEDIANS PREPARING FOR PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S SECOND TERM. NOW, WITH CHANGES COMING TO LATE-NIGHT TELEVISION, VIDEO JOURNALIST MATTHEW BOWLER CHECKS BACK IN WITH THOSE LOCAL COMEDIANS TO SEE HOW THEY ARE RESPONDING.
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COMEDYREAX (2:30) SOQ
In January, Comedians Walter Ford, Victor Paz Jr, along with political scientist Ric Epps shared their concerns.
00;13;32;16 - 00;13;56;15
Walter Ford
I do think that there is a lot of, danger to my profession.
18;27;13;17
Victor Paz Jr
are you going to send the national attorney general after me if my joke goes viral? Do I have to be that worried?
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Ric Eppsthey can certainly cut you off financially, and you know, and that's what I call it, like in political terms we call it coercive diplomacy.
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Victor Paz Jr
We'll know, and I think in the next eight months or so.
Here we are, eight months later.
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Victor Paz Jr
Stephen Colbert. Has been told that he's gone. You're looking at Jimmy Kimmel is being told he's gone.
Jimmy Kimmel Live was pulled off the air on September 17 over the host’s comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassin’s political leanings. Kimmel is set to return Tuesday night.
Stephen Colbert’s Late Show is scheduled to end in May 2026
Late Show clip
because of financial reasons, according to the network.
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Walter ford
I just couldn't imagine what we're seeing right now We're literally watching our First Amendment getting taken over. If you're not aligned a certain way.
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Ric Epps
Never have we had a time when we've had a president push their political clout in the way we see happening now to undermine the essence of freedom of speech.
Late-night shows often react to the day's headlines, poking fun at politicians on both sides of the aisle.
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Ric Epps
Remember, they're not journalists; they are comedians, and they don't have a responsibility to have journalistic integrity
Paz says he worries about the small local shows he produces when he sees shows with major comedians being cancelled.
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Victor Paz
Are they going to have somebody come and talk to the local breweries that I do shows at, or the local bars that do shows out and say, hey, if you don't stop letting these guys, or stop producing shows with these guys, we're going to have you, looked at for your permits for cooking food
Ford says targeting Kimmel and Colbert is just the beginning for this administration.
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Walter Ford
I think that there are going to be people coming down to our level and and that's like the local comedian, local news, local media, local podcaster.
But he's trying to stay positive.
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Walter Ford
I want to be optimistic that it's not. But I think in the way things are going right now compared to how I felt in January, madness is getting it's getting a little scary out here.
Matthew Bowler, KPBS News.
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A CELEBRATION FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH KICKED OFF MONDAY IN THE SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT.
REPORTER THOMAS FUDGE TALKS ABOUT THE EVENTS AND THE ISSUES THEY’LL EXAMINE.
HERITAGE 1 (tf) :46 …soq.
Before Dodger Stadium opened in Los Angeles in 1962 a Mexican-American neighborhood in Chavez Ravine was displaced to make way for it. A documentary film about that history will be one in a series of films that’s part of Hispanic Heritage month at San Diego’s community colleges. Chantal Hernandez is the Outreach Coordinator at Miramar College. She says the film about Dodger stadium is a conversation starter.
“Something that might be eye-opening. Something that’s different, something that’s interesting that maybe you don’t think, OK, is that like a connection.
The community college series includes parties, lectures as well as films. Hispanic Heritage month begins September 15 and ends on the 15th of October. SOQ.
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That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Lawrence K. Jackson. Thanks for listening and subscribing by doing so you are supporting public media and I thank you for that. Have a great day!
