california news

The Trump administration has reportedly removed at least 500 migrant children from their homes across the United States, placing them in government custody following "welfare checks" conducted by ICE and other federal agencies. These operations are part of a broader campaign coordinated through a "war room" inside the Department of Health and Human Services, where officials review data on children who entered the country alone and were later released to sponsors. While the administration claims this effort aims to protect children from unsafe conditions or unqualified sponsors, critics note that new vetting requirements—including income verification, government IDs, and DNA tests—have made it significantly more difficult for parents and guardians, especially undocumented ones, to reclaim their children. The average stay in Office of Refugee Resettlement custody has increased dramatically from 67 days in December 2024 to 170 days by April 2025, with over 2,500 children currently in custody.

Donald Trump's recent comments thanking Elon Musk for his help with "vote-counting computers" in Pennsylvania have raised concerns about election integrity. Following these remarks, a Wisconsin nonprofit has filed a legal complaint against Musk, his America PAC, and United States of America Inc., alleging they violated state election laws by offering monetary incentives to voters. The complaint claims Musk distributed $1 million checks and his PAC paid $100 to registered voters who signed petitions and provided contact information, potentially violating Wisconsin's prohibition against offering anything valued over $1 to encourage voting. This lawsuit follows a previous unsuccessful attempt by Wisconsin's Attorney General to block Musk's activities before the April state Supreme Court election.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York's latest Quarterly Report reveals household debt reached $18.20 trillion in Q1 2025, with student loan delinquencies surging dramatically following the end of federal payment protections. Nearly six million student loan borrowers, about 14 percent, were 90+ days delinquent or in default between January and March 2025, compared to below 1 percent during the pandemic payment freeze. The consequences have been severe, with over 2.2 million newly delinquent borrowers experiencing credit score drops exceeding 100 points, limiting their access to affordable financing across various financial products. While non-housing debt categories like credit cards and auto loans saw modest declines, housing-related balances increased significantly, with mortgage balances growing by $199 billion to $12.80 trillion.

of News Articles The news compilation covers several significant political developments in California and national politics. Senator Monique Limón has been unanimously selected as the first woman of color to become Pro Tem Designee of the California State Senate, with the leadership transition scheduled for early 2026. The California Black Women's Collective Empowerment Institute hosted its annual event celebrating Black women leaders across various sectors. Other articles detail U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters attending former Congressman Charles Rangel's funeral, Senator Alex Padilla being forcibly detained at a Homeland Security press conference, Mayor Karen Bass leading opposition to federal immigration raids, and a Legislative Analyst's Office report showing an 11% increase in retail theft over the past decade in California.