By Los Angeles County Politics (LACP)
Padilla’s legislation cracks down on ICE detention facilities and practices
U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) yesterday announced the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act to end the use of private, for-profit detention facilities, prohibit the practice of detaining families, and ensure due process for detained individuals.
It would also end mandatory detention and increase federal oversight, accountability, and transparency of the immigration detention system.
The bill announcement comes after Padilla and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) conducted an oversight visit last week to the largest detention center in California, located in California City, to learn firsthand of the concerns surrounding the inhumane conditions detained individuals are facing at the private, for-profit facility.
During the visit, the Senators met with dozens of Californians and other detained individuals, many with no criminal record, whom ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have swept up indiscriminately amid the Trump Administration’s mass detention and deportation campaign. Over 70,000 immigrants are currently detained by ICE, reaching historically high numbers. After 32 people died in ICE custody in 2025, the deadliest year since 2005, at least six individuals have already died in their custody this year.
“Last week, I saw firsthand in California City the appalling, inhumane conditions that detained individuals are facing at for-profit facilities as detentions reach record levels. I met with countless people who were injured while being detained or whose basic medical needs are not being met — including a mother who was denied access to her medication to manage her diabetes and received no treatment after ICE grabbed her by the neck,” said Padilla.
“As Republicans funnel tens of billions to ICE and CBP, we need to bring back oversight and accountability to the federal detention system, while restoring the right to legal counsel and due process, ending family detention, and raising detention standards. Our bill would finally stop private, for-profit detention centers from lining their pockets by advancing Donald Trump’s cruel mass deportation campaign at the expense of our communities and economy.”
The measure also comes as Congress set to consider legislation to further increase Department of Homeland Security funding, with many Democratic senators saying they will shut down government if the funding becomes part of a larger appropriation bill.
Hahn urges state to reject eradication of Deer
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn (D-Southeastern LA County including Long Beach, San Pedro, Diamond Bar, Whittier, Cerritos, Downey, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hacienda Heights) yesterday fired off a letter to Valerie Termini, the new Interim Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), urging the Department to reject a permit application by the Catalina Island Conservancy that would authorize the eradication of the island’s mule deer population.
Central to Hahn’s letter is a new memo from Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, which warns that eliminating Catalina Island’s entire deer population would increase wildfire risk.
“According to our Fire Chief, wiping out the deer would remove one of the island’s most effective forms of vegetation management,” said Hahn. “Without deer grazing, fuel loads would grow significantly, making wildfires more likely and more dangerous.”
In his memo, Chief Marrone raises concerns that eliminating all deer would allow vegetation to accumulate unchecked, increasing fire intensity and threatening the city of Avalon. He instead recommends maintaining a smaller, managed deer population to help naturally reduce vegetation and fuel loads across the island.
Santa Catalina Island—outside the City of Avalon—is unincorporated Los Angeles County and lies within Hahn’s district. In 2024, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to oppose the Conservancy’s previous permit application.
While the Conservancy has abandoned its earlier proposal to use aerial sharpshooting, the revised plan would still eradicate the island’s entire deer population over a five-year period using professional hunters. Hahn called the approach drastic and unnecessary.
“Mule deer have been part of Catalina’s landscape for nearly a century, and they are deeply valued by the people who live on and visit the island. I continue to hear from long-time residents who cherish these animals and want a more balanced, humane solution, said Hahn.
“There is a clear path forward that preserves a smaller deer population, reduces wildfire danger, and treats wildlife humanely. I am asking the state to listen to our fire experts and choose a smarter, safer approach for Catalina Island,” she added.
Calabasas Mayor Bozajian slams court landfill decision
Calabasas Mayor James R. Bozajian, in his weekly letter to the community, slammed the Los Angeles County Superior Court’s Jan. 20 final ruling on the Calabasas Landfill litigation (City of Calabasas v. County of Los Angeles) in favor of the County, denying the City’s writ petition to prevent toxic fire debris from being deposited at the Landfill.
The court ruled that Los Angeles County and the County Sanitation District are not in violation of the requirements of their Landfill operating permit. The court found that the actions taken by the County and Sanitation District — namely, mere visual inspections of incoming truckloads of fire debris and the acceptance of certification forms from waste haulers without additional testing or other safeguards — are in compliance with the permit.
“We are very disappointed with the court’s decision in this matter, and we strenuously disagree with it. For the better part of a year, the County assured the court, without factual basis, that there was no hazardous waste being deposited into the Landfill,” wrote Bozajian.
“At the same time, the County fought the City’s attempts to verify this unsubstantiated assertion through forensic testing. For its part, the court refused injunctive relief, dragged out the process, and ultimately allowed only very limited testing of the fire debris entering the Landfill. Meanwhile, most of the debris had already been placed there. When the testing confirmed the presence of elevated levels of toxic substances (such as copper and zinc), both the County and the court sought to downplay the significance of the very serious public health consequences. The City Council will be reviewing this ill-considered ruling at its next meeting.”
For additional information, you can read the full update here.
La Cañada Flintridge holds wildlife safety presentations
The City of La Cañada Flintridge is inviting residents to attend upcoming presentations by Pasadena Humane, focusing on wildlife safety and coyote awareness.
The sessions, scheduled for February, aim to provide residents with information and practical guidance on coexisting safely with local wildlife.Pasadena Humane will present twice at City Hall’s Council Chambers.
The first session, scheduled for February 17, will be part of the regularly scheduled City Council meeting and will cover coyote behavior, coexistence strategies, and common misconceptions about local wildlife. This presentation will be recorded and posted on the City’s website for those who are unable to attend in person.
A follow-up interactive workshop will be held on February 23 during the Public Safety Commission meeting. Building on the earlier presentation, this one-hour session will focus on practical tools for preventing wildlife conflicts and responding safely to encounters. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and participate in discussion.
“We encourage residents to take advantage of these opportunities to learn directly from wildlife experts,” said La Cañada Flintridge Mayor Kim Bowman. “Understanding coyote behavior and how to respond appropriately helps keep our community, pets, and wildlife safer.”
Both meetings are open to the public, free of charge, and do not require registration. While the City Council and Public Safety Commission meetings begin at 6 p.m., these presentations are scheduled as agenda items and may start at different times.
To learn more about these events or to access additional wildlife safety resources, please visit the City’s Animal Control webpage at LCF.ca.gov/Animal-Control.
