The Immigrant Rights Consortium cites lack of communication and transparency from San Diego Mayor’s office
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Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson….it’s TUESDAY, MAY FIFTH>>>> IS THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO DOING ENOUGH TO PREPARE FOR LARGE SCALE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT?More on that next. But first... the headlines….#######
THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO’S UNSAFE CAMPING ORDINANCE HAS DECREASED ITS UNSHELTERED POPULATION
THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE FIRST REPORT DONE BY THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO'S AUDITOR THAT LOOKS AT THE IMPACT OF THE ORDINANCE
THE UNION-TRIBUNE SAYS IT WAS THE FIRST ORDINANCE TO SET EXACT GUIDELINES ON HOW THE CITY COULD ENFORCE ENCAMPMENT VIOLATIONS
THE ORDINANCE WENT INTO EFFECT IN JULY OF 20-23
THE REPORT COMPARES ENCAMPMENT RESPONSES TWO YEARS BEFORE THE ORDINANCE TO TWO YEARS AFTER
THE U-T SAYS THAT CRITICS OF THE ORDINANCE FEEL THAT ENCAMPMENT SWEEPS ONLY FURTHER DISPLACE PEOPLE AND DON'T ACTUALLY SOLVE HOMELESSNESS
CITY LEADERS SAY THE DECLINE IN NUMBERS IS EVIDENCE THAT HOMELESS STRATEGIES ARE WORKING
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COOLER CONDITIONS AND OVERALL BREEZY WEATHER ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TODAY
FORECASTERS SAY THAT HIGHS SHOULD LAND IN THE 40'S TO LOW 50'S IN OUR MOUNTAIN AREAS..
AND IN THE 60'S FOR AREAS WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS
WEDNESDAY IS EXPECTED TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A TRANSITIONAL-DAY WITH TEMPERATURES LANDING NEAR THEIR SEASONAL AVERAGE
BY THURSDAY, WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO WARM UP SIGNIFICANTLY AND LAST
THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK
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THE SAN DIEGO SAFARI PARK WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT THE VIEWING CAMERAS FOR THEIR NEW DENNY SANFORD ELEPHANT VALLEY EXHIBIT ARE NOW LIVE
YOU CAN NOW POP IN TO SEE WHAT THE 8 ELEPHANTS THAT CURRENTLY MAKE UP THE SAFARI PARK’S HERD ARE UP TO
THE SAFARI PARK SAYS THAT THE CAMERAS ALSO GIVE SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY A CHANCE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF THE HERD'S SOCIAL STRUCTURES
YOU CAN WATCH THE LIVE STREAM BY GOING TO S-D SAFARI PARK DOT ORG
AND ENTERING IN YOUR EMAIL
THE NEW ELEPHANT EXHIBIT OPENED IN MARCH
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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IS THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO PREPARED FOR A LARGE-SCALE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OPERATION? THAT IS SOMETHING MAYOR TODD GLORIA STARTED TO ADDRESS WHEN HE SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER LAST JULY. BUT NOW SEVERAL IMMIGRATION SERVICE PROVIDERS TELL REPORTER GUSTAVO SOLIS THE MAYOR IS NOT COMMUNICATING THAT PLAN WITH THEM.
CITYICE (gs) 4:47 SOQ
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Immigrant advocacy groups were hopeful when Gloria laid out a vision last summer.
The Mayor’s Executive Order called for the city to establish a joint safety plan for how to respond to federal immigration enforcement. It required the police to report any time they respond to calls involving ICE agents. And it promised the city would meet with stakeholders to evaluate new policies.
But 10 months later, some of those service providers are still waiting for the promises to materialize.
The executive order called for stakeholder meetings to QUOTE“evaluate city protocols, monitor community impact and recommend future action,”UN-QUOTE But some advocates say they’re not being included.
Ian Seruelo – chair of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium – says the group has not met with the Mayor’s Office.
IAN 00:06:40:05“The coalition is ready whenever the mayor says so, so that we could collaborate and plan together.”
The Immigrant Rights Consortium is made up of 50 organizations. Its members include groups that provide free legal aid, raise money to pay for immigration bail bonds, accompany people to immigration court hearings, and visit detainees.
Seruelo says their experience could really help the city officials prepare for a disruptive ICE operation.
IAN 00:05:19:08“We’ve been waiting for some concrete plans from our local government specially from the city in light of that executive order that was issued by the mayor. We are very concerned that there’s no plans that are being discussed in the open or in the public or shared at least with the different groups so that we can provide some inputs to how we could collaborate.”
KPBS asked the Mayor’s Office for a list of who they have met to evaluate the city’s protocols and recommend future action. A spokesman declined to share a list, naming only one organization – Jewish Family Service. Which declined an interview request. But, in a statement, confirmed the organization provided guidance regarding future ICE activity.
Gloria declined an interview request. And his office declined to share specifics about the city’s plan for how it would respond to a Minneapolis-style ICE operation here in San Diego.
Instead, his Office told KPBS they have a real plan in place that is intentionally adaptive – it’s not a single static document but a set of coordinated protocols, roles and response actions.
Pedro Rios is the director of the American Friends Service Committee. He says it’s good to have an adaptive plan. But they should really be more transparent about it.
RIOS 00:12:35:11“So there’s a perception that the Mayor’s Office hasn’t done enough and isn’t as interested on these issues – even though his office might say that they are working on this issue. It’s not as clearly transparent – it hasn’t been clearly communicated to the wider public.”
This tension highlights an important shift between the first and second Trump administration.
During the first term, immigration service providers mainly focused on providing legal and social services for people going through immigration proceedings, not necessarily shielding them from enforcement.
For example, the 2017 California Values Act limits cooperation between local police officers and federal immigration enforcement. But it doesn’t account for how to deal with masked ICE agents conducting roving patrols or entering sensitive locations like schools and hospitals.
Erin Tsurumoto-Grassi is the associate director of Alliance San Diego.
IMG_7366 00:19:07:19“The California Values Act was groundbreaking. And it still is. There are states that don’t have what we have here and they are rushing to be able to have what we’ve had since 2017.”
IMG_7366 00:19:33:42“It has limitations because what we’re seeing now is different than what we were seeing in 2017.”
She views the state law as the starting point.
IMG_7366 00:04:34:53“It sets a floor, not a ceiling. That’s the way we’ve typically refer to it. And then our local jurisdictions can go farther, which is what we've seen happen with a number of counties across the state, some cities.”
For example, the state law does not require local police departments to document every 911 call they get regarding ICE activity.
But the executive order does. It requires the police to tell the mayor every time they respond to an ICE-related call. And a new city ordinance takes it one step further. Starting this month the police chief will report ICE responses to the City Council within three days.
IMG_7366 00:13:12:26“And so that provides a level of transparency that didn’t exist before.”
Despite the lack of transparency coming from the Mayor’s Office, service providers tell KPBS they will continue to offer legal, social and emotional services to San Diegans impacted by mass deportations.
Gustavo Solis, KPBS News
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MAIL BALLOTS IN CALIFORNIA’S PRIMARY ELECTION STARTED GOING OUT YESTERDAY (MONDAY). SAN DIEGO’S DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE USING THE OCCASION TO WARN AGAINST THREATS TO VOTING RIGHTS. METRO REPORTER ANDREW BOWEN HAS MORE.
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SAVEACT 1 (ab) 0:46 soq
AB: The Republican-sponsored SAVE Act would impose new requirements for proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. It passed the House of Representatives in February. Supporters argue it's necessary to prevent voter fraud, which is exceptionally rare. Congressman Scott Peters said the bill's true intent is to help Republicans by making it harder to vote.
SP: Only half of Americans have a passport. Millions of Americans don't have easy access to birth certificates. The cost and time of obtaining documents and traveling to various offices would deter millions of working class Americans from voting.
AB: The SAVE Act is unlikely to pass the Senate, where it needs Democratic support to overcome a filibuster. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.
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SPEAKING OF ELECTIONS…
COUNTY VOTERS COULD DECIDE TO RAISE THE SALES TAX BY HALF A CENT THIS NOVEMBER. ENVIRONMENT REPORTER TAMMY MURGA SAYS THE FUNDS WOULD GO TOWARD ADDRESSING HISTORIC PROBLEMS, LIKE THE DECADES-LONG TIJUANA RIVER SEWAGE CRISIS.
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For years, Waylon Matson has advocated for fixes to the Tijuana River sewage crisis with his nonprofit 4 Walls International.
“The impacts don't stop at the border. They move through our communities, into our neighborhoods"
He’s now pushing for solutions through a proposed half-cent sales tax.
Matson helped submit more than 160,000 signatures to the county on Monday. He says collecting that many is …
HEALTHMEASURE 1 00:13
“A signal that communities across San Diego County are no longer willing to accept chronic pollution, beach closures, and the ongoing exposure to contaminated air and water.”
The San Diego County Health and Safety Act would pay for infrastructure projects related to cross-border pollution.
The tax is expected to raise $360 million annually. And about 20 percent would be set aside to address the sewage crisis.
Courtesy Baltiyskky has been at the forefront of the citizen-led initiative. She says a steady stream of funding for the crisis has been missing.
HEALTHMEASURE 1 00:08
“We haven't seen sustainable funding from Washington or Sacramento. It's time for us to develop this local fund.”
Funds would also go toward improving wildfire prevention and making child care and health care more affordable. Tammy Murga, KPBS News
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IT’S OFFICIAL, THE PADRES ARE GETTING NEW OWNERS. A NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP LED BY BILLIONAIRE PARTNERS KWANZA JONES AND JOSE FELICIANO WILL TAKE CONTROL OF THE TEAM PENDING APPROVAL BY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.
REPORTER ANDREW DYER SAYS THERE’S CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM FOR PADRES FANS.
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The deal announced over the weekend is the highest price ever for a Major League Baseball team — reportedly three point nine billion dollars.
San Diego sportscaster Craig Elsten has covered the Padres for almost 30 years, most recently as host of the Padres Hot Tub podcast. He says it wouldn’t make sense for anyone to invest money like that in the team just to sell it for parts.
CE: you don't buy in to a situation like this with a team that has a lot of debt, a lot of payroll, huge attendance, a beautiful ballpark. You don't buy this to strip it and flip it.
Elsten says there are economic factors on the horizon that could benefit the team. The current M-L-B collective bargaining agreement expires after this season and a new broadcast deal could be on the horizon in 20-28.
CE: there's a pathway for things to even out in terms of the Padres perennial underdog status compared to LA.
Andrew Dyer, KPBS News
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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 really want to thank you for that. Have a great day!
