Pretty weird for me how the guy I spent two years investigating at my first local newspaper job was just arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife, and it’s a national tabloid story… Appreciate everyone linking to my 2018 investigation, which you can read here: www.desertsun.com/in-depth/tec...

Btw, follow my newsletter for new reporting on Mike Abatti, and events preceding his wife’s death. I suspect I’m going to have stuff you won’t find elsewhere. Part 1 last week: www.climatecoloredgoggles.com/p/mike-abatt...

The Imperial Valley grows your winter vegetables, drains the Colorado River and generates tons of solar. Also public corruption runs rampant and a farm baron's wife just got killed under mysterious circumstances. Did someone say climate murder mystery? www.climatecoloredgoggles.com/p/mike-abatt...

"ICE officers had begun stopping staff members, all of whom have legal status, and school officials worried about drawing more unwelcome attention. In California...child-care facilities have experienced months of increased absences among students and staff." www.latimes.com/world-nation...

“If you want to gauge the health of California's economy, start with its community colleges.” calmatters.org/education/hi...

Prompted by ProPublica’s reporting, an investigation by Senate Democrats documented the experiences of nearly two dozen citizens wrongly detained by immigration agents, contradicting the Trump administration’s claims that it only detains immigrants. @nicolefoy.bsky.social

NEW: Trump’s chief immigration enforcer honed his controversial tactics in California -- w/ @saralibby.bsky.social www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...

NEW: ‘I’m terrified’: Hunger looms as millions prepare to lose food aid amid shutdown California and other states are suing to free funds as local officials, advocates brace for deluge of need (w/ @jennyagold.bsky.social Ana Ceballos @rebeccaplevin.bsky.social): www.latimes.com/politics/sto...

In Altadena, a grassroots dining club to help restaurants has grown to more than 1,300 online followers, helping local businesses while giving neighbors a chance to meet and discuss recovery from the Eaton fire. my latest --> www.latimes.com/california/s...

“This area is important for the long-term survival of the Joshua trees,” Rockwell said. “It’s that last refuge.”

The government’s own data, which was obtained by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and a team of journalists from Venezuela, showed that officials knew that only 32 of the deportees had been convicted of U.S. crimes and that most were nonviolent offenses, such as retail theft or traffic violations.

President Trump may seek to deport hundreds of thousands of immigrants who recently entered the United States under a two-year grant of parole, the Supreme Court decided Friday.

It's true -- we are having another round of layoffs at the L.A. Times, the second this month. The vast majority of this cash is already in the pipeline to folks who lost their jobs in early May. I'm hoping we can all dig a bit deeper to support the community journalists laid off this morning.

Column: Are plans for the Joshua Tree Art Museum a desert mirage?

In 2023, a Mexican girl with a life-threatening medical condition was allowed to enter the U.S. on humanitarian grounds. The Trump administration has now ordered her and her parents to leave the country. Her says that if her treatment is interrupted, “this could be fatal within a matter of days.”

Earlier this year, St. John's Community Healthy began surveying patients and found that hundreds were canceling appointments “solely due to fear of being apprehended by ICE.” It launched a home visitation program in March. @melissagomez.bsky.social

The courthouse arrests escalate the administration’s efforts to speed up deportations. @melissagomez.bsky.social and @racheluranga.bsky.social

Federal workers describe struggling with panic attacks, depression, suicidal thoughts. “Why doesn’t anyone care?”

Great reporting from @rebeccaplevin.bsky.social on how the Coachella Valley is actually succeeding at building affordable housing in CA: www.latimes.com/california/s...

A strikingly classical, perfectly composed photograph by Genaro Molina in this story. 📸 (Everyone in California should be conversant in agricultural news, ps!) #journalism www.latimes.com/california/s...

Commentary from @calmatters.org: Rejection of Inland Empire warehouse project signals a retreat from California’s decadeslong boom

The governor’s spending plan, which will be released late Wednesday morning, calls for requiring all undocumented adults to pay $100 monthly premiums to receive Medi-Cal coverage and for blocking all new adult applications to the program as of Jan. 1.

In Monterey County, local growers have invested their own capital and often their own land to build at least eight housing complexes for thousands of guest workers. with @melissagomez.bsky.social

Trump administration investigates L.A. County over federal benefits for unauthorized immigrants www.latimes.com/world-nation...

Amalia Francisco, a 32-year-old immigrant from southern Mexico, shares a three-bedroom house in Salinas with her three brothers and other roommates. It often takes at least three or four families to cover the monthly rent of $5,000, she said. @melissagomez.bsky.social @rebeccaplevin.bsky.social

While Bianco has said he would repeal SB 54 if elected governor, the suit shows he's not waiting to do so from Sacramento. In joining Huntington Beach's suit, Bianco is going it alone as the sole Riverside County elected official or law enforcement member named as a plaintiff.

Prosecutors subpoenaed a former Desert Sun reporter to testify in the bribery trial of the former Palm Springs mayor and a developer. The newspaper challenged the subpoena, saying forcing the reporter to testify would violate press freedoms.

DHS officials said welfare checks ensure that unaccompanied minors “are safe and not being exploited." But advocates say some visits have led to children being forced to leave the country with deported parents or being removed from sponsors. with Andrea Castillo www.latimes.com/politics/sto...

Thank you for featuring our @latimes.com story!

More layoffs at the LA Times. Statement from our Guild: latguild.com/news/2025/5/...

My final story for the LAT ⬇️ Life after California’s death row: what happens when condemned inmates get a second chance www.latimes.com/california/s...

California Attorney General Rob Bonta warns ICE: Immigration detention centers across state need 'significant improvements' www.latimes.com/california/s...

NEW: “Something went wrong,” a federal judge said Monday about Border Patrol's January operation in Kern County known as "Return to Sender." More in @fresnobee.com www.fresnobee.com/news/local/a...

Last year, LA Community College District launched a privately funded guaranteed income program for low-income students pursuing health careers. I followed one student in the initiative to learn how a basic income might influence the lives and choices of L.A. community college students.

Imperial County, which has long struggled with the highest unemployment rate in California, now faces the loss of one of its most valuable crops.

In recent months, a number of Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese immigrants have been told that deportation orders that had been stayed — in some cases for decades — are now being enforced as the Trump administration seeks to increase the number of deportations. By @melissagomez.bsky.social:

“What comes up a lot in the sessions is, ‘Prefiero irme con algo, que irme sin nada,’” Luz Gallegos said. “I’d rather leave with something than leave with nothing.” @rebeccaplevin.bsky.social reports on more immigrants who are opting to self-deport www.latimes.com/california/s...

The Trump administration’s campaign to remove millions of people from the United States could soon be supercharged by Congress. “Once the funding is there, it’ll be a question of execution.’’ via @nickmiroff.bsky.social

🚨A U.S. born citizen was arrested in Florida for entering the state as an “unauthorized alien.” His mother and a community advocate showed his birth certificate during a hearing in Leon County. The judge said she had no authority to release him.

Last week, DHS tried to enter 2 L.A. schools -- the dept said to conduct welfare checks on unaccompanied minors. But according to Rep. Garcia’s letter, LAUSD staff informed lawmakers that 4 of 5 students “were not, in fact, unaccompanied minors.” by Andrea Castillo www.latimes.com/california/s...

California is the nation's top agricultural exporter, shipping almonds, pistachios, oranges, dairy products and other commodities around the world. Now, farmers fear that Trump’s tariffs could hit the state’s agriculture industry hard. www.latimes.com/environment/... #tariffs

Immigration agents do not have to be granted access to a K-12 campus without a warrant. The state has prepared guidance to help school districts comply with state law limiting state and local participation in immigration enforcement activities. via @melissagomez.bsky.social and Howard Blume

I wrote about Father Richard Estrada, a defender of immigrants and the downtrodden. He mortgaged his house to help start Jovenes, Inc., was arrested about a dozen times for civil disobedience at protests and left the Catholic Church to stand by his beliefs. www.latimes.com/california/s...

“There is no other archive like this in existence." Albert Jones, a condemned man who lived for nearly 30 years on San Quentin's death row, wrote books and kept detailed journals, art and other prison memorabilia that are now up for auction for $80,000. www.latimes.com/california/s...

Death row inmate auctions his San Quentin journals, art for $80,000 “I want to be remembered as, first of all, a human being that made mistakes,” Jones said. @hannahcwiley.bsky.social

This is kinda wild: The first major development in Imperial County's vaunted but stalled Lithium Valley may have nothing to do with lithium. Instead, a massive data server farm could replace hay fields in the Southern California desert.

85% of the administration’s “removal” flights have been on charter planes. Military flights have now all but ceased. While there are ICE officers and security guards onboard, the crew members on board are civilians, ordinary people swept up in something most didn’t knowingly sign up for.

The Trump administration acknowledged in a court filing that it had grabbed a Maryland father with protected legal status and mistakenly deported him to El Salvador, but that U.S. courts lack jurisdiction to order his return from the megaprison where he’s now locked up. @nickmiroff.bsky.social

In an attempt to combat chronic absenteeism, Fresno Unified School District will provide rental subsidies to 10 unhoused families of Fresno Unified students — becoming the first known school district in Central California to directly pay for students’ housing.

Kids in deportation proceedings — some still infants — do n't have the right to a court-appointed attorney, though the U.S. recognizes the right to a lawyer. Securing one can mean the difference between staying in the country and deportation. @racheluranga.bsky.social