Jill Replogle
covers public corruption, debates over our voting system, culture war battles — and more.
Published November 17, 2024 5:00 AM
The Wheeler Ridge herd of bighorn is one the larger of the 14 herds monitored by wildlife officials in the Sierra Nevada.
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Topline:
Scientists say the population of endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep appears to have stabilized after suffering devastating losses during the record-breaking winter of 2022- 2023.
Why it matters: Half of the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep tracked by scientists died during that above-average snow year in California, seriously hampering the state’s recovery program for the endangered species. But this past summer’s bighorn count provided some hope.
This summer’s bighorn count: Scientists count the sheep each summer, and this year they found about the same number of ewes, or female bighorn, as last year, plus a healthy crop of new lambs.
Future of Sierra Nevada Bighorns is still tenuous: Tom Stephenson, who leads the Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program, estimates the current population at between 380 and 400 animals. Bighorn sheep once numbered in the thousands in the southern Sierra Nevada.
Scientists say the population of endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep appears to have stabilized after suffering devastating losses during the record-breaking winter of 2022-2023.
Tom Stephenson, who leads the Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program, said the number of ewes, or female sheep, counted this summer is about the same as the previous summer.
Plus, he said, the abundant summer forage helped produce a “good crop” of new lambs — almost 100. And at least some ewes, which are critical for population growth, were spotted in herds that researchers previously feared might have been wiped out.
“Very small numbers,” Stephenson said of those herds. “Nevertheless, even if these populations hang on with a small number of animals, there’s a chance they can rebuild.”
Stephenson estimates the current total population of Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep at between 380 and 400 animals.
Tom Stephenson heads the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program.
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An average winter is good for bighorn
Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep are well-adapted to snowy winters at high altitudes, Stephenson said. But several above-average snow years over the past decade have seriously hampered the species’ recovery.
In the summer of 2023, researchers found that half of the bighorn sheep that were being tracked had died in the previous winter. Most were victims of avalanches, starvation, or mountain lions.
Even with new lambs born that summer, the population dropped by 40%.
But this past winter, the snowpack was average, which “for bighorn sheep isn’t bad,” Stephenson said. “They're well adapted to a good amount of snow.”
Still, overall the population of Sierra Nevada bighorn is about half what it was at the peak of the recovery program, in 2016.
How did Sierra Nevada bighorn become endangered?
Before European settlers arrived in the 1700s and 1800s, thousands of bighorn sheep are thought to have occupied the Sierra Nevada, from the Yosemite region south to Mount Whitney and the high slopes of Sequoia National Park.
Domestic sheep brought by Europeans passed on disease to the native bighorns, which had no immunity. By the mid-1990s, there were only about 100 Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep left.
Conservationists ramped up efforts to save the species, and they were listed as endangered by the state and federal government in 1999.
A ewe from the Wheeler Ridge herd southwest of Bishop.
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How the bighorn could recover
Two major factors affecting the Sierra Nevada bighorn recovery are climate and predation by mountain lions. As the climate changes, the Sierra Nevada is expected to experience less snow, on average, but also more intense storms.
Both extremes are problematic for the sheep: too much snow means it’s harder for the animals to find food and more likely they’ll get trapped in avalanches, or move to lower elevations where they’re more vulnerable to becoming a mountain lion’s meal.
Too little snow produces less fodder in the summer to feed new lambs and fatten up their parents to withstand the next winter.
Rather than fret about the unpredictable weather, Stephenson said he’s more focused on the other threat — mountain lions. “When it comes to lion management, we do have an ability to influence that,” he said.
In the early years of the recovery program, mountain lions known to target bighorn sheep were regularly euthanized. That approach became politically unpopular — mountain lions are beloved in California — and the program has since shifted toward relocating lions that prey on bighorns to areas outside of the recovery zones.
But the process of getting permission to relocate a mountain lion can be cumbersome, Stephenson said. “If we could take those actions as soon as we see a threat, that would be a huge benefit to the [bighorn] population,” he said.
La Chispa de Oro in Boyle Heights has seen fewer customers since immigration enforcement raids began in L.A.
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Boyle Heights Beat
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Topline:
Councilmember Ysabel Jurado has launched a cash assistance program for small businesses in Council District 14 to help cover up to $3,000 in expenses, including employee payroll, rent and utilities.
Who is eligible? To qualify for Jurado’s Microenterprise Grant Program, businesses must demonstrate financial need, be located in CD14, have five or fewer employees and generate $1 million or less in annual revenue.
How will grantees be chosen? Grants will be awarded to eligible businesses that create or retain jobs in the city and priority will be given to those that have not received financial assistance through city, state, or federal programs.
Read on... for more about the grants and how to apply.
Councilmember Ysabel Jurado has launched a cash assistance program for small businesses in Council District 14 to help cover up to $3,000 in expenses, including employee payroll, rent and utilities.
Who is eligible?
To qualify for Jurado’s Microenterprise Grant Program, businesses must demonstrate financial need, be located in CD14, have five or fewer employees and generate $1 million or less in annual revenue.
Business owners with multiple eligible businesses may only apply once. A full list of ineligible businesses can be found here.
According to Jurado’s office, businesses are encouraged to apply even if they are unclear whether they qualify.
How will grantees be chosen?
Grants will be awarded to eligible businesses that create or retain jobs in the city and priority will be given to those that have not received financial assistance through city, state, or federal programs. The program will also prioritize businesses located in low-to-moderate income (LMI) census tracts, those with W-2 employees and those located in commercial “brick and mortar” locations.
Finalists will be notified 30 days after the application closes.
How is the program funded?
The program is funded by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The program provides grants to states, cities, and counties to “develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons,” according to the HUD website.
How to apply:
The application is available online here. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31.
Application assistance is available in-person at the local BusinessSource Centers listed below:
East Los Angeles (New Economics for Women)
Address: 1780 E First St., Los Angeles
Email: ELABSC@neworg.us
Phone: (323) 568-1520
Pico Union/Westlake (PACE)
Address: 1055 Wilshire Blvd., Ste 900-B, Los Angeles
On the diplomatic front, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country has been facilitating "indirect talks" between the U.S. and Iran by relaying messages between them.
Some background: Iran's foreign minister has denied the country is engaging in negotiations with the U.S., beyond the message exchanges. Iranian state media said Wednesday a senior security official rejected the U.S. proposal and submitted conditions in return. Trump said Iran is "begging" to make a deal.
More details: Pakistan, Trump and Iran have not mentioned if Israel is involved in the process. Israeli officials have told NPR their military seeks several more weeks of war to achieve its objectives in Iran.
Read on... for more updates on day 27 of the Iran war.
The war in the Middle East ramped up on Thursday as Israel launched a wave of strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure in the central city of Isfahan, and said it killed the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's navy.
Iran hit back, firing two rounds of missiles at central Israel causing destruction and injuries. Israel was also under attack from a wave of rockets from Iran-backed fighters in Lebanon, and an Israeli soldier in Lebanon was killed.
On the diplomatic front, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country has been facilitating "indirect talks" between the U.S. and Iran by relaying messages between them. "In this context, the United States has shared 15 points, being deliberated upon by Iran," Dar wrote on social media.
Iran's foreign minister has denied the country is engaging in negotiations with the U.S., beyond the message exchanges. Iranian state media said Wednesday a senior security official rejected the U.S. proposal and submitted conditions in return.
President Donald Trump said Iran is "begging" to make a deal.
Pakistan, Trump and Iran have not mentioned if Israel is involved in the process. Israeli officials have told NPR their military seeks several more weeks of war to achieve its objectives in Iran.
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Here are more updates on Day 27 of the Iran war.
To jump to specific areas of coverage, use the links below:
Arab-Israeli residents survey the damage following a projectile strike in the Arab-Israeli city of Kfar Qasim on Thursday.
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NPR's Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv spoke to two military officials who said Israel wants to keep fighting and is hoping for several more weeks of war in Iran.
A person briefed on the operation told NPR the Israeli military is speeding up its targeting in Iran over the next 48 hours, focusing on trying to hit Iran's arms factories as much as possible — in case a ceasefire is declared.
The Israeli military said on social media it had completed a "wave of extensive strikes in Isfahan … targeting infrastructure."
Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, said his country had killed Alireza Tangsiri, the head of Iranian Revolutionary Guard's navy, in an overnight strike. An official in Islamabad following the negotiations also said that Tangsiri was killed. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about it. Iran has not publicly commented.
Displaced Lebanese children play in the playground of a public school that has been converted into a shelter in the town of Dekwaneh, north of Beirut, on Wednesday.
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Israel also came under attack Thursday, with air sirens sounding in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and the Israeli military saying rescue crews were en route to the location of a strike at the center of the country.
The military reported a soldier on the ground in Lebanon had been killed, naming him as 21-year-old Sgt. Ori Greenberg.
Israel says its airstrikes continue in southern Lebanon, in advance of what Israeli officials say will be a "prolonged" ground invasion targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.
Hezbollah began firing rockets at northern Israel this month in support of Iran and after months of Israel's attacks in Lebanon despite a ceasefire. Israeli officials say a civilian woman was killed by their rocket fire this week. More than a dozen people in Israel have also been killed by Iranian attacks since the start of the war.
Israeli officials say they plan to take Lebanese territory up to the Litani River, which runs 10 to 20 miles north of the border with Israel. Hezbollah says it targeted a group of Israeli soldiers inside that area with a drone.
Trump repeats negotiation claims
In remarks at a Republican fundraising dinner on Wednesday night, the president insisted Iran was looking to do a deal but didn't want to admit it because they were afraid their citizens would turn on them.
"We're winning so big. Nobody's ever seen anything like we're doing in the Middle East with Iran. And they are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they're afraid to say it because they figure they'll be killed by their own people," he said. "They're also afraid they'll be killed by us. There's never been a head of a country that wanted that job less than being the head of Iran."
Under a proposed U.S. plan Iran would end its nuclear program, stop supporting proxy militias in the Middle East, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and limit its missile program. In exchange Iran would get relief from sanctions.
People wave national flags and hold portraits of Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei as they march in support of the Iranian armed forces in central Tehran on March 25, 2026.
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But Iran rejected the proposal, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the country wants to end the war only on "our own terms." Iran has given five conditions: "end to aggression by the enemy, concrete guarantees preventing the recurrence of war, clear determination, guaranteed payment of war damages and compensation, comprehensive end to the war across all fronts, incl. against all resistance groups, recognition of Iran's sovereignty over Strait of Hormuz."
Iranian officials have insisted they are not negotiating with the U.S., saying the countries have only exchanged messages via regional intermediaries.
Pakistan has emerged as a potential mediator for negotiations. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday would not confirm news reports that there could be U.S.-Iran talks in the coming days. "Nothing should be deemed official until it is announced formally by the White House, I would not get ahead of our skis on reporting about any talks this weekend, until you hear directly from us," she said.
An official in Islamabad told NPR, on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly, that the Pakistani interior minister held a secret meeting with the Iranian ambassador in Pakistan Thursday.
And publicly, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar wrote on social media: "US-Iran indirect talks are taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan," adding that Turkey and Egypt were also "extending their support to this initiative." He said Iran is deliberating upon a U.S. 15-point proposal.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has also spoken to his Iranian counterpart, stressing the war "should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation, not by force."
Will U.S. forces seize Kharg Island?
A picture taken on March 12, 2017, shows an oil facility in the Khark Island, on the shore of the Gulf.
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The Pentagon is set to deploy up to 3,000 paratroopers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, and thousands of Marines are also on their way to the region.
NPR's international affairs correspondent Jackie Northam reports it comes as President Trump weighs whether to seize Kharg Island, the home of Iran's main oil processing facility.
Analysts say such an operation would be risky for U.S. service personnel.
It could also spark fallout if Iran steps up strikes on Gulf countries in retaliation.
Iran's Parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, wrote on social media Wednesday that Iran's enemies were "preparing to occupy one of the Iranian islands," with the support of a country in the region. "If they step out of line, all the vital infrastructure of that regional country will, without restriction, become the target of relentless attacks," he warned.
Germany's defense minister slams the U.S.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius gave a frank assessment of the war in remarks on a trip to Australia.
"To make it crystal clear, this war is a catastrophe for the world's economies," he told reporters.
"What really concerns me the most about that war is there was no consultation, there is no strategy, there is no clear objective and the worst thing from my perspective is that there is no exit strategy," he said.
He also criticized Washington's changing demands of Europe, noting the U.S. had asked Europe to ramp up its defense spending and told it to focus on its own backyard.
"That was before the war started against Iran. Now, the arguments are different. Now they are saying: 'Where are you, you are cowards, you don't help us,'" Pistorius said.
He was referring to Trump calling NATO allies cowards after they declined his request to help the U.S. reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Pistorius said while Germany would not be getting involved in the war, they could help secure the vital economic waterway once a ceasefire is agreed.
Oil prices higher amid Strait of Hormuz standoff
Two Iranian state-affiliated news agencies, Tasnim and Fars, reported Iran's Parliament is planning to formalize fees for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
About one-fifth of the world's oil passes through the Strait, but Iran has essentially blocked most traffic since the start of the war.
A oil tanker is docked unloading crude oil at the port in Qingdao, in China's eastern Shandong province, on March 25, 2026.
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The strait, a narrow passage at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, is considered an international waterway for ships to access freely.
But an Iranian Embassy social media post said the country has laid out as one of its conditions for ending the war with the U.S. and Israel the "recognition of Iran's sovereignty over Strait of Hormuz."
Iranian media quoted lawmaker Mohammadreza Rezaei Kouchi as saying that Iran's "Parliament is pursuing a plan to formally codify Iran's sovereignty, control and oversight over the Strait of Hormuz, while also creating a source of revenue through the collection of fees."
Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a bloc of Arab nations, said in a briefing that Iran is already charging fees for safe passage — in violation of international law.
Oil prices edged higher in Asia trading, with Brent crude trading around $100 a barrel. Asian and European stock markets also opened lower on Thursday.
UAE's stable reputation at risk
On Thursday morning alerts sounded in the United Arab Emirates. Two people were killed in Abu Dhabi by falling debris after a successful missile interception, officials said.
Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry announced the interception of a drone in the Eastern Province, while Kuwait and Bahrain also reported attacks.
Airlines in what used to be one of the globe's busiest regions for air travel continue to suffer. Oman Air announced flight cancellations to numerous regional countries as well as parts of Europe until April 15.
Sultan al-Jaber, who heads the huge state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., accused Iran of "economic terrorism" for its stranglehold over the Strait of Hormuz.
In comments at Washington's Middle East Institute he said: "When Iran holds Hormuz hostage, every nation pays the ransom, at the gas pump, at the grocery store and at the pharmacy. No country can be allowed to destabilize the global economy in this way."
Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv, Israel, Diaa Hadid in Mumbai, India, Lauren Frayer in Beirut, Emily Feng in Van, Turkey, Jackie Northam in Maine, Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg and Alex Leff in Washington contributed to this report. Copyright 2026 NPR
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Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers begin their title defense this weekend against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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In this edition:
The Dodgers host opening weekend, the native plant festival comes to Clarement, a kids’ sci-fi fest is in Pasadena and more of the best things to do this weekend.
Highlights:
We made it to another baseball season! Head out to see Shohei Ohtani and theDodgers take on the Diamondbacks in their first home games of the year, or watch the games on the big screen at one of the many baseball bars around town.
Say it ain’t so! While downtown icon Cole’s French Diphas been threatening to close for a while now, this weekend is the last weekend the 118-year-old establishment will be open. Get your last orders in and celebrate the end of an era with other local chefs inspired by Cole’s, including special “dips” from Jitlada, Found Oyster, Little Fatty’s, Bay Cities and more.
Get to know our native flora at the second annual California Native Plant Festival at the California Botanic Garden in Claremont. It features workshops on native plant gardening, talks and tours on ecology and plant restoration, family-friendly crafting, and live music!
Ahem. Please indulge this minor rant: I’m over this whole “location upon RSVP” trend with L.A. events. I’m not paying to go to something, only to find out it’s all the way on the other side of town at 7 p.m. on a Thursday — and I wouldn’t want you to have to do that either! Event organizers, I want to hear from you. Are things really getting that popular that you’re hesitant to share a location? Can we at least designate “Westside” or “Eastside” or “Orange County”? Is there an underground scene I’m not cool enough to know about that folks are afraid of outing? OK, rant over.
In more important issues, Saturday is the next No Kings Day protest, so please be safe if you’re heading out to any of the many rallies being organized all across L.A. and Orange County.
Music-wise, if you were lucky enough to snag a ticket to Sir Paul McCartney himself at the Fonda on Friday or Saturday, count me as jealous. Beyond that, Lyndsey Parker at Licorice Pizza recommends former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr at the Lodge Room and Nick Lowe at the Bellwether on Friday. Saturday, the Freestyle Explosion is at YouTube Theater, with Exposé, Lisa Lisa, Pretty Poison and more. Also on Saturday, the first-ever darkwave festival, Los Darks, has an amazing lineup at Santa Ana Stadium with Caifanes, Johnny Marr, Twin Tribes, The Adicts, London After Midnight and Mareux. Finally, Mariah the Scientist plays Saturday and Sunday at the Palladium.
Thursday, March 26 to Saturday, March 28 Dodger Stadium 1000 Vin Scully Ave., Elysian Park COST: FROM $85; MORE INFO
Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers are looking for a three-peat.
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We made it to another baseball season! The Dodgers are at it again for what will maybe be a three-peat World Series season (we can dream). Head out to see Shohei Ohtani and the rest of the squad take on the Arizona Diamondbacks in their first home games of the year, or watch the games on the big screen at one of the many baseball bars around town.
Cole’s French Dip Closing Weekend Extravaganza
Saturday and Sunday, March 28 to 29 Cole’s French Dip 118 E. 6th St., Downtown L.A. COST: VARIES; MORE INFO
Say it ain’t so! While downtown icon Cole’s French Dip has been threatening to close for a while now, this weekend is the last weekend that the 118-year-old establishment will be open. For real. Get your last orders in and celebrate the end of an era with other local chefs inspired by Cole’s, including special “dips” from Jitlada, Found Oyster, Little Fatty’s, Bay Cities and more. Proceeds will go to the Independent Hospitality Coalition in support of their efforts to save L.A.'s independent operators.
Women Who Create
Saturday, March 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Runway Playa Vista 12775 W. Millennium Drive, Playa Vista COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Wrap up Women’s History Month by supporting local women makers, creatives and small businesses. Runway Playa Vista is hosting this artisan market, which also includes mahjong lessons, live music and an “interactive junk journaling table.”
California Native Plant Festival
Saturday, March 28, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. California Botanic Garden 1500 N. College Ave., Claremont COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Get to know our native flora at the second annual California Native Plant Festival at the California Botanic Garden in Claremont. Featuring workshops on native plant gardening, talks and tours on ecology and plant restoration, family-friendly crafting, and live music, the day is a great way to explore the garden (for free!) and learn more about improving your corner of the ecosystem.
Green-House record release concert
Sunday, March 29, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Geoponika Greenhouse 3209 Fletcher Drive, Glassell Park COST: FROM $22; MORE INFO
Continue your plant-focused weekend with a visit to the Geoponika Greenhouse, where the (aptly named) band Green-House will be playing a record-release concert for their new album, Hinterlands. Their ethereal sounds follow a walk through “a labyrinth of rare and exotic cacti” alongside “visuals made by Michael Flanagan and the office axolotl.”
Mail-Art Making inspired by Raymond Saunders
Saturday, March 28, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. David Zwirner Gallery 616 N. Western Ave., Melrose Hill COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Oakland-based artist Raymond Saunders marked his time in Los Angeles by collecting mementos and found objects. David Zwirner Gallery is currently showing his work (Notes from L.A. is on view through April 25) and hosting a special crafting activity in the gallery’s gorgeous garden. You can make your own “mail-art” with collage items and send postcards to friends and family. Plus, there will be matcha from neighborhood favorite Rocky's Matcha.
Cento Pasta Bar x Bravo Toast
Friday and Saturday, March 27 to 28, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Bravo Toast 632 1/2 N. Doheny Drive, West Hollywood COST: VARIES; MORE INFO
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West Adams favorite Cento Pasta Bar is popping up at Bravo Toast on Doheny, bringing cult-favorite pastas to West Hollywood. Try the acclaimed beet pasta or spicy pomodoro with basil oil.
Octavia Butler Science Fiction Festival
Friday, March 27, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. OEB Magnet Academy 1505 N. Marengo Ave., Pasadena COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Go on interplanetary adventures at the Octavia Butler Science Fiction Festival — from stargazing in an inflatable planetarium to upcycling a space-themed costume for the costume contest to earning free books by completing “missions.” This kid-focused event honors local Pasadena author Octavia Butler and aims to inspire the next generation of explorers.
ICE agents stand next to the security line at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on March 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Topline:
What should you know about ICE in U.S. airports right now? Keep reading for what we know about immigration officers, air travel and your rights around ICE officers.
The backstory: Since Feb. 14, Transportation Security Administration staff have worked without pay due to the ongoing partial government shutdown — and with many calling out of work, passengers across the United States have experienced hourslong security screening lines. This weekend, President Donald Trump announced that as of Monday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would be deployed to airports to support TSA operations.
What airports have ICE been deployed to? According to reporting by The New York Times, 14 airports around the country will host ICE agents. CNN reported that these locations include Chicago-O’Hare International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports in New York and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. No California airports appear on CNN’s current list.
Can ICE make arrests at airports?: There have been instances of ICE arresting people at airports . But according to CNN on Tuesday morning, Trump said that agents will continue arresting undocumented people, but said of ICE agents in airports: “That’s not why they’re there; they’re really there to help.” Most TSA officers are not commissioned law enforcement officers.
Read on . . . for more about what you can do if you encounter ICE agents at an airport.
This weekend, President Donald Trump announced that as of Monday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would be deployed to airports to support TSA operations.
San Francisco International Airport, the Bay Area’s biggest airport, has been spared long wait lines by the fact that its security screening is contracted by a private company rather than TSA.
While standing in line, open up the airline app and rebook yourself, says travel reporter Chris Dong.
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So what should you know about ICE in U.S. airports right now? Keep reading for what we know about immigration officers, air travel and your rights around ICE officers.
Bear in mind that the following information doesn’t constitute legal advice, and you should direct any specific questions about your individual situation to a lawyer.
CNN reported that these locations include Chicago-O’Hare International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports in New York and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
No California airports appear on CNN’s current list.
On Tuesday, a TSA spokesperson confirmed to KQED that ICE would be deployed to “airports being adversely impacted” by TSA callouts and resignations — and that none of these were in the Bay Area.
Why was ICE at SFO on Sunday?
In footage from around 10 p.m. Sunday that was posted to social media, men wearing dark clothing were filmed at SFO pulling a crying woman from an airport terminal bench and then pushing her into a wheelchair — as a girl of around 10 is heard crying nearby. San Francisco police officers were seen standing by as the arrest occurred.
The men are not wearing visible badges or agency markings, but the Department of Homeland Security said on the social media platform X Monday that they were, in fact, ICE officers.
According to a DHS spokesperson, the woman and her daughter were arrested at the airport and were being “escorted to the international terminal for processing” when the woman tried to flee. Read more about Sunday night’s incident at SFO. As reported by The New York Times on Tuesday evening, ICE had originally been alerted to the pair’s presence at SFO by TSA.
According to a statement released by SFO, the airport was “not involved in or notified in advance of this incident.”
“We understand federal officers were transporting two individuals on an outbound flight when this incident occurred,” the statement reads. “We believe this is an isolated incident and have no reason to suspect broader enforcement action at SFO.”
As of Monday afternoon, local immigration advocates said they were still assessing the situation and working to “confirm all the facts related to this incident.”
“After killing people in our streets and detaining U.S. citizens, ICE has lost all credibility and trust with the public,” Bay Area Rep. Kevin Mullin and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said in a joint statement. “We demand immediate answers as to the mother’s and her child’s condition and the grounds for their detainment.”
Jonathan Blazer, director of border strategies and senior advisor at the American Civil Liberties Union, said that there is “nothing that categorically prohibits ICE from going into an airport as an immigration enforcement agent.”
For example, Blazer said, ICE agents have used commercial flights in the past to transport individuals on deportation flights — or to transfer arrested people to immigration detention centers.
Travelers and their luggage in a terminal at Los Angeles International Airport.
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Additionally, as first reported by The New York Times in December 2025, TSA has shared information about air travelers who are believed to be under deportation orders with ICE, enabling immigration agents to make arrests at the airport.
But Blazer said that this week’s deployment of ICE to airports — the “mere presence for this purpose, in an untargeted fashion, in large numbers” — was “unprecedented.”
According to CNN on Tuesday morning, Trump said that agents will continue arresting undocumented people, but said of ICE agents in airports: “That’s not why they’re there; they’re really there to help.” (Most TSA officers are not commissioned law enforcement officers.)
“Part of what’s so challenging here is that the Trump administration hasn’t really made clear what authorities they are vesting with ICE as part of this mission,” Blazer said.
In its roundup of risks of air travel, the National Immigration Law Center said that for people who are undocumented, have temporary immigration status or who are under a deportation order, there is “a significant risk of arrest at a U.S. airport.”
However, NILC also said that “all non-citizens face some risk” while traveling through U.S. airports, including those with green cards, if they have certain criminal convictions or who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status.
Customs and Border Protection already regularly works in airports. What’s the difference between their powers and ICE’s?
ICE and CBP are both immigration enforcement agencies within DHS.
While ICE conducts enforcement within the U.S. and manages detention and deportation operations, CBP conducts inspections at all U.S. “ports of entry” — at land borders, seaports and airports.
ACLU’s Blazer said that while CBP has a lot of “power when they’re screening people coming in on an international flight,” that doesn’t apply to domestic flights. For example, CBP — and ICE — should not be able to check your electronic devices without a warrant for a domestic flight.
Nicole Hallett, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic and a clinical professor of law at the University of Chicago, told the Washington Post that ICE cannot search a passenger’s personal belongings without a warrant — and can only do this if they are working on behalf of an agency that can, like CBP.
“If they’re acting as a TSA agent, they have to follow TSA rules. If they’re acting as a CBP agent and doing Border Patrol work, then they have the authority that Border Patrol has,” Hallett said.
“And if they are just merely standing in the airport as ICE officers, then they have the same legal authority that any ICE officer standing in a public location has,” she said. (Regardless, she said that ICE can approach passengers anywhere in the airport, including after security.)
What should I do if ICE approaches me in the airport?
At border checkpoints — including airports — officers can ask questions, carry out personal searches and detain people with wide latitude, Ahilan Arulanantham, co-director of the UCLA School of Law’s Center for Immigration Law & Policy, told NPR.
But Blazer said that in order for ICE to arrest someone for an immigration violation without a warrant, they would need to establish probable cause that the person is in the U.S. in violation of U.S. immigration laws — and that the person is likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained for the arrest. There has been recent litigation across the country challenging some of ICE’s warrantless arrests, he said.
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ICE officers “have no additional authority in an airport,” Blazer said. But in reality, he said, the constitutional protections and rights people have can be “a lot trickier to make the choice to exercise them” in an airport setting for most people — who are dealing not only with the added pressures of catching expensive flights but also the impatience of other passengers in the security line.
For example, people — whether citizens or immigrants — have the right to ask an immigration officer, “Am I free to go?” If they don’t have a specific, individualized, reasonable suspicion that you’ve committed a crime, they can’t question you further and you can go, Blazer said.
“But let’s think about how that works in the airport context,” he said. “‘Am I free to go?’ and leaving means that I’m probably leaving the airport to get myself out of a situation, and I may miss my flight at that point.”
Do I have to answer ICE’s questions at the airport?
If an ICE agent asks you questions in the airport, you “have the same right to remain silent as you do on the street,” Blazer said. “Nothing changes just because you’re in an airport.”
But this is another example of how the pressures of the airport setting can affect your situation, Blazer said. If you choose to exercise your right to remain silent, the officer may pull you out of the security line and try to ask more questions.
“We have the same rights, but in that environment, there are additional costs associated with exercising those rights,” Blazer said. “Many people in that situation, out of their own self-interest … ‘go along to get along’ as much as possible.”
What if ICE asks me for ID?
According to reporting from USA Today, travelers do need to provide identification and comply with TSA screening to board a flight. But generally, citizens and immigrants have the right to remain silent when talking to law enforcement, including ICE.
Blazer said that federal law said people with lawful permanent residency or other visas that grant them lawful status must carry proof of their status with them — like their green card. “And it may be in their interest, in terms of avoiding further improper questioning or improper unlawful arrests, to answer those questions and to show that proof of status,” Blazer said.
“So even though you have a right not to, I want to make clear that people are going to need to make an individualized decision as to whether it’s in their interest to exercise that right,” he said. “Especially if they are an adult green cardholder or somebody else who is subject to a federal law requiring them to carry proof of their status at all times.”
Is it legal to film ICE?
“Taking photographs and video of things that are plainly visible in public spaces is a constitutional right — and that includes police and other government officials carrying out their duties,” the ACLU’s guidance reads.
And while there’s no Supreme Court ruling on an unambiguous First Amendment right to film law enforcement officers, “all of the seven U.S. Federal Circuit Courts that have considered the issue have pretty much said there is a First Amendment right to record the police and observe the police,” criminal justice reporter C.J. Ciaramella at Reason told KQED’s Close All Tabs podcast earlier this year.
Atlanta Police Department officers look on as travelers stand in long lines at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on March 23, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.
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But airports could be a potentially harder environment to film, Blazer said.
“It’s not as though the First Amendment doesn’t exist at airports, but airports are not traditional public domain in a way that parks [are],” Blazer said. For example, some TSA security lines have a sign nearby that says “no photos.”
“They rarely enforce that, but it just shows you that it’s already a more regulated environment in which they can impose certain restrictions,” Blazer said.
It is lawful to film law enforcement in “any open, visible place when they’re performing their duties,” Blazer said, echoing the guidance laid out in this thorough guide by the ACLU.
“But at the same time, it can be permissible for airport operators to impose certain reasonable rules, and those rules might include restricting photographing in particular areas of the airport,” Blazer said.
Practically, it could be hard to argue against an airport official who is telling you not to take photos in an area, Blazer said. And there may be a legal fight after the fact, “if a person doesn’t comply with that order and is arrested or is taken out of the line,” he said.
“But, I think, the practical reality is that” in an airport “environment, it gets harder to exercise that right,” he said.
Bystander videos also provide important counternarratives to official law enforcement accounts. After the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by ICE officers in Minnesota earlier this year, Trump administration officials immediately claimed Pretti was a “domestic terrorist” intending to “massacre” officers — claims contradicted by the multiple eyewitness videos taken of the killing.
What do immigrant advocates say about traveling during this time?
San Francisco advocacy group Mission Action warns that noncitizens who do not currently have legal status “should carefully consider the risks of air travel, including domestic flights within the U.S.”
“Recent reporting suggests increased risks, including that TSA may be sharing traveler information with ICE, which could expose individuals to enforcement,” their social media post reads.
However, the organization cautions that “refusing to answer routine questions about the nature and purpose of your travel could result in delay and/or further inspection.”
Noncitizen visa holders and visitors who refuse to answer questions could face a delay or be denied entry. Lawful permanent residents, like green card holders, only have to answer questions about their identity and permanent residency, according to ACLU NorCal.
“Refusal to answer other questions will likely cause delay, but officials may not deny you entry into the U.S. for failure to answer other questions,” ACLU NorCal advised legal permanent residents — noting that green card status “may be revoked only by an immigration judge,” and warning, “Do not give up your green card voluntarily!”
The Asian Law Caucus also has a helpful chart on what people of differing statuses can expect in airports when it comes to their baggage, device searches and length of potential detainment.
What should I do if I think I see ICE in an airport?
Instead of posting possible ICE sightings to social media, immigration advocates highly encourage people to call them first instead. With these hotlines, advocates can fact-check these sightings, with the goal of preventing the spread of misinformation online.
You can also follow these organizations on their social media accounts to see if these are confirmed sightings or just rumors.
Immigration agents detained someone I know. How do I find them?
Typically, a person of any status can be detained up to 72 hours at a port of entry, according to the Asian Law Caucus. They can also be transferred to criminal or ICE custody.
According to the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, it may take a few days for a person to appear in the ICE database. If the name you’re searching for isn’t showing up in the ICE system — or if you’re concerned about their safety and possible deportation — you can seek out assistance from advocacy organizations such as Freedom for Immigrants.
This story contains reporting from KQED’s Katie DeBenedetti, Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí, Tyche Hendricks and Carly Severn.
