Immigrant advocates say San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez ran afoul of a state law that says people in jail must meet certain thresholds before being transferred to immigration agents. Plus, Grossmont Union High School District decides it no longer needs librarians. And a plan to raise the wages of tourism industry workers is finding an unexpected opponent — the San Diego Padres. Finally, we reflect on the life and legacy of the late Leon Williams, San Diego’s first Black city council member.
San Diego County Sheriff’s cooperation with ICE may violate state law
March 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM PST
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Thursday, March 6.
Advocates say San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez violated state law by transferring a jail inmate to immigration agents.
More on that next. But first... the headlines….
Vaping doesn’t help smokers quit tobacco … that’s according to a new UC San Diego study.
In an academic study published this week researchers analyzed thousands of smokers and e-cigarrette users.
While many smokers think vaping will help them quit smoking, they found the opposite is true. People who vape have lower rates of quitting, the study says.
That’s in part because vaping keeps them addicted to nicotine.
The CDC reports 20 percent of Americans use some kind of tobacco product.
L-A County and the city of Pasadena are suing Southern California Edison over January’s Eaton Fire.
The lawsuits allege there’s video evidence and eyewitnesses who saw the fire start under the power company’s transmission lines in Eaton Canyon.
So-Cal Edison faces several lawsuits from residents in the wake of the fire.
The Eaton fire destroyed more than 9,000 structures and killed at least 17 people.
THE CITY OF CARLSBAD IS EXPANDING ITS ILLEGAL CAMPING ORDINANCE TO INCLUDE PEOPLE SLEEPING IN THEIR CARS.
THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED THE CHANGE UNANIMOUSLY THIS WEEK. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR CARS DOUBLED IN CARLSBAD IN JUST ONE YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE 2024 POINT IN TIME COUNT OF THE REGION'S UNSHELTERED POPULATION.
THE CITY RECENTLY GOT A TWO-POINT-NINE MILLION DOLLAR GRANT FROM THE STATE TO HELP PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR CARS FIND PERMANENT HOUSING.
A late season winter storm brings warnings from the coast to the mountains this week.
The National Weather Service is warning of beach hazards along the San Diego coast due to high surf and dangerous rip currents through tonight (Thursday).
A winter weather advisory is in effect in the San Diego County mountains through Friday morning. Expect snow at elevations above 4,000 feet and wind gusts up to 55 miles per hour.
The rest of the county can expect heavy rain today clearing out Friday.
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.
Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
ALL OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARIANS IN THE GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT COULD LOSE THEIR JOBS AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. EDUCATION REPORTER KATIE ANASTAS SAYS THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTED TO ELIMINATE THE POSITIONS LAST WEEK.
It was standing room only at last week’s Grossmont Union High School District board meeting. Students, staff and other community members voiced opposition to the staff cuts. It was incredible. Stephanie Macceca is Valhalla High School’s librarian. I can say with all honesty that if this is the end of my library career, that I feel supported and very loved and very appreciated. The board voted 4-1 to eliminate dozens of positions. The district is facing a $2.4 million deficit next year. They’re also expecting enrollment to continue to decline. Opponents of the cuts say the district has enough money saved to continue paying those salaries. Acting Superintendent Sandra Huezo says relying on savings for ongoing expenses would mean facing the same problems next year with fewer options. Katie Anastas, KPBS News.
Cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities has been a big point of contention for years. That fight is playing out right here in San Diego where reporter Gustavo Solis says the local sheriff’s department has come under scrutiny for questionable transfer practices.
During the first Trump administration, California passed a sanctuary law that lays out when local jails can transfer people to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. SB 54 says only people with felony convictions within the past 15 years or misdemeanors within 5 years should be transferred to ICE. But now advocates say there have been a number of questionable transfers by the San Diego Sheriff’s Office.a Including a 2023 case that appears to be a violation. “The person that we’re seeing that was transferred had a felony conviction that was 21 years old. So that falls outside the parameters that allow for the sheriff’s department into ICE custody.” Felicia Gomez is with the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties. She’s talking about a man who was convicted of assault in 2002 … Then was arrested for vandalism in December 2022 …. But It’s unclear whether he was ever charged or convicted. Yet, he was transferred to ICE a month later. “The person had a 21-year-old conviction. That person’s already served their time. Why do they continue to be punished for that very same conviction that happened over 21 years ago?” How this law is followed, depends on where you live. On the one hand, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office stopped all ICE transfers in 2021 . On the other, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office transferred more people than anyone in the state. With 220 in 2023. Meanwhile, San Dieg had 25 transfers that year. At the end of January, KPBS asked San Diego Sheriff Kelly Martinez for an interview. Her team scheduled – and then cancelled – two interviews in February. Advocates have asked Sheriff Martienz about these issues during annual public forums. Here is advocate Clint Carney talking about the impact of transfers. Clint Carney with Survivors of Torture in San Diego and with SDIMR “One thing we do at survivors is we try to help them, our clients, rebuild trust with local law enforcement. And begin to develop a relationship with local police officers. But when colluding with ICE occurs, it eliminates any chance of our clients ever trusting any law enforcement officer.” At these forums, Sheriff Martinez defended her decision to continue the ICE transfers. Saying victim’s families support the practice. “Comparing our agency to other sheriff jurisdictions like Los Angeles, Contra Costa, Humbolt, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Joaquin or others is just not realistic. Other counties do not have proximity to the border which reduces the number of people in their custody who might qualify under state law for transfer.” But data show that the Los Angeles sheriff actually transferred more people to ICE than San Diego before stopping the practice. Martinez also said she views these transfers as a way to prevent recidivism – she pointed out that 10 of the 25 transfers from 2023 were in custody for similar crimes they had committed in the past. “As I mentioned last year, as a sheriff, I can legally prevent these offenders from revictimizing our communities and I will.” Besides the 2023 case – KPBS found other questionable transfers. In 2022 the San Diego Sheriff’s Office transferred a man with a drunk driving conviction from 30 years ago. In 2020, deputies transferred a man with a theft conviction from 20 years ago. Monika Langarica is a senior staff attorney at the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA. Langarica says these transfers show inequities in California’s criminal justice system, which is something the state Sanctuary Laws sought to address. “That disparity between the treatment of citizens and noncitizens in the exact same criminal legal system is what these policies aim to mitigate.” Langarica and other lawyers have asked the Sheriff’s Office for more information about that 2023 case. Two years later, they still don’t have answers. “This person was in sheriff’s custody for a vandalism charge. We actually don’t even know if that individual was ultimately convicted. He could have been arrested, taken to jail and then released with no charges files or with a dismissal or an acquittal or a conviction. We just don’t know.” County supervisors have scheduled another public forum on this issue for April 22. Gustavo Solis, KPBS News
THE SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL IS MOVING FORWARD WITH A PLAN TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE FOR TOURISM WORKERS TO 25 DOLLARS AN HOUR. IN OUR NEXT WHY IT MATTERS SEGMENT, VOICE OF SAN DIEGO CEO SCOTT LEWIS SAYS IT’S NOT JUST HOTELS THAT ARE AGAINST THE IDEA.
This minimum wage increase wouldn’t just apply to hotel workers—it would also apply to workers at Petco Park. And the Padres are fighting it. A San Diego City Council committee advanced the proposal last week. It would raise the minimum wage for hotel, event center, and other workers in the tourism sector. Hotel union leaders obviously like the idea. They say they’ve had trouble pushing for higher wages, especially in hotels outside of downtown. But tourism industry leaders say the pay increase would kill jobs. Now remember—this doesn’t just apply to hotels. The question of who exactly it covers could be the real argument. Petco Park was specifically mentioned—and the Padres are clearly uncomfortable with that. Here’s Diana Puetz with the Padres. The proposed mandate also creates an uneven playing field. If only a select few venues must comply while others remain exempt, it rewards lower paying entities with the competitive advantage. Negotiations will continue. Proponents decided to leave Sea World out of it– likely because they know SeaWorld would spend a lot of money to fight it. I’m Scott Lewis for Voice of San Diego and that’s why it matters.
SAN DIEGO’S FIRST BLACK CITY COUNCILMAN AND COUNTY SUPERVISOR DIED THIS WEEK AT 102.
REPORTER KATIE HYSON SAYS HIS LEGACY LIVES ON.
Leon Williams fled the Oklahoma Dust Bowl as a teen. He arrived in a 1941 San Diego that refused him service at restaurants and hotels. Still, he wanted to serve the city that wouldn’t serve him. Here’s Williams, speaking to KPBS in 2015. I wanted to create more equity more fairness and more justice . . . And I was watching Martin King and what was happening to those African-American and other kids in the South. And I was saying, you know, If they can do that . . . I can do something here. He won a citywide election. Becoming San Diego’s first Black councilmember in the late 60s. Then, its first Black county supervisor. Opening the door for more to follow. He was the first Black homeowner in his downtown neighborhood. Known for his signature fedora. And his knack for getting people to work together. He used that skill to revitalize downtown and create the trolley system. Williams died this week of cardiac arrest. KPBS’s Maureen Cavanaugh in 2015. If you had to do it again in today's climate, would you go into politics again? If I were young, I would. So you'd do it again? I would do it again. Katie Hyson, KPBS news
A late season winter storm brings warnings from the coast to the mountains this week.
The National Weather Service is warning of beach hazards along the San Diego coast due to high surf and dangerous rip currents through tonight (Thursday).
A winter weather advisory is in effect in the San Diego County mountains through Friday morning. Expect snow at elevations above 4,000 feet and wind gusts up to 55 miles per hour.
The rest of the county can expect heavy rain today clearing out Friday.
That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. For your next listen … Friday’s KPBS Roundtable podcast features a discussion on Trump’s new tariffs, plus a peek at an all-new soccer series from KPBS. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great day.