President Trump announcing his latest tariffs during an event in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
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This week was supposed to mark the deadline for other countries to strike trade deals with the U.S. — or face tariffs of up to 49% on the goods they sell in the United States. President Donald Trump has pushed back the effective date to Aug. 1, sowing even more uncertainty. Here's an update on where Trump's tariff policy stands.
A minimum of 10%: Starting in April, Trump imposed a minimum 10% tariff on nearly everything the U.S. imports (with a few exceptions such as cellphones and computers). Goods from China are currently taxed at a minimum of 30%, which is higher than imports from other countries — but that's still a relative bargain after Chinese products were briefly hit with tariffs as high as 145%.Mexican and Canadian goods that aren't covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement face a 25% import tax.
What's next? In ordering many of the tariffs listed above, Trump relied on a 1977 statute called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Several states and businesses have challenged those tariffs, saying IEEPA doesn't give the president power to impose sweeping import taxes in response to a long-running U.S. trade deficit. A specialty federal trade court agreed in May and struck down the tariffs. However, they've been allowed to remain in effect as the administration pursues an appeal.
Read on ... for specifics of which countries face large tariffs and which have struck deals with the administration.
This week was supposed to mark the deadline for other countries to strike trade deals with the U.S. — or face tariffs of up to 49% on the goods they sell in the United States.
President Donald Trump is still threatening sky-high import taxes, but he has pushed back the effective date to Aug. 1, sowing even more uncertainty.
Here's an update on where Trump's tariff policy stands, including which tariffs he has in place and which countries are currently affected.
A 10% tariff applies to just about everything the U.S. imports
Starting in April, Trump imposed a minimum 10% tariff on nearly everything the U.S. imports (with a few exceptions, such as cellphones and computers), although goods from China face a higher tariff rate of 30%.
The average tariff rate is now at the highest it has been since the 1930s. The government collected nearly $30 billion in tariff revenue during June, according to a daily tracker at the Bipartisan Policy Center. That's roughly three times what it collected in March, before the worldwide tariffs were announced.
While foreign companies may absorb some of the cost of those tariffs, the bulk of the expense is borne by U.S. businesses and consumers.
Higher tariffs on tap for other countries — maybe
Imports from many countries initially faced higher tariffs, including 24% on goods from Japan and 49% on goods from Cambodia.
As that 90-day window expires this week, Trump is once again calling for significantly higher tariffs on imports from more than a dozen countries — in most cases similar to the rates announced in April.
On Tuesday, for example, Trump said he would impose a 25% tariff on goods from Japan and South Korea. Wednesday he announced tariffs of up to 30% on goods from Libya and Iraq. In each case, though, he has postponed the effective date until Aug. 1, suggesting the tariffs could be adjusted again.
"Putting off the increased levy will no doubt bring some short-term relief for impacted business owners and purchasing managers, though it does little to alleviate the pervasive sense of uncertainty," wrote Wells Fargo economists Shannon Grein and Tim Quinlan in a research note.
That uncertainty has been a drag on the U.S. economy, especially the manufacturing sector.
"The erratic trade policy with on-again/off-again tariffs has led to price uncertainty for customers, who appear to be prepared to hold off large capital purchases until stability returns," said one unnamed factory manager quoted in the report.
China already has a higher tariff after tit-for-tat retaliations
Goods from China are currently taxed at a minimum of 30%, which is higher than imports from other countries — but that's still a relative bargain after Chinese products were briefly hit with tariffs as high as 145%. Some Chinese products face additional tariffs, left over from Trump's first term in the White House.
Trump is frustrated that China sells much more to the U.S. — everything from cheap toys to fireworks — than it buys from American companies. The president has also accused China of not doing enough to crack down on the fentanyl trade.
Tariffs have led to uncertainty in sectors reliant on imports, including at the Port of Los Angeles.
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The European Union could also face stiffer tariffs
In April, Trump announced taxes of 20% on goods from the European Union, before rolling that back to 10%. He has yet to announce a new tariff rate for European products, but he has suggested it could be as high as 50%.
Europe has so far not imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports, but that's likely to change if the trade war escalates.
Mexico and Canada face special scrutiny
Mexico and Canada were among the first countries, along with China, that Trump targeted with tariffs this year.
Trump initially taxed imports from Mexico and Canada at a rate of 25% (or 10% for Canadian energy), but he later exempted that tariff for goods covered under a 2020 trade deal — the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) — which Trump himself had signed during his first term as president.
The tariff relief for goods under that USMCA trade agreement was ostensibly in response to Mexico and Canada taking action to curb illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking, although the angry reaction to tariffs from investors and businesspeople also may have played a role.
Mexican and Canadian goods that aren't covered by the USMCA still face a 25% import tax.
The U.K. and Vietnam are the only two countries with deals in place.
They were the first to strike trade deals with the Trump administration, agreeing to increase U.S. access to their markets in exchange for limited tariffs on exports to the United States.
In April, Trump had threatened to impose tariffs as high as 46% on goods from Vietnam. Some exporters that used to produce goods in China have shifted operations to Vietnam to take advantage of lower tariffs on that country's exports.
Separate tariffs apply to steel, aluminum and autos
Trump has imposed additional tariffs on certain goods as he tries to protect some U.S. industries.
Imported steel and aluminum are currently being taxed at a rate of 50% (except for steel and aluminum from the U.K., which is taxed at 25%), while imported cars and car parts are being taxed at 25% (except for those covered under the USMCA agreement, which are tariff-free).
In addition to taxing raw steel and aluminum imports, the administration has added tariffs on some products made from those metals. That's designed to avoid what happened during Trump's first term as president, when U.S. metal manufacturers had to pay higher prices for raw materials, only to be outsold by imported finished goods.
Rolls of steel sit in a yard at Canadian steel company Stelco's Hamilton Works plant in Hamilton, Ontario, on June 4.
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Other tariffs on some categories may be coming
The administration is also weighing additional tariffs on specific categories of imports, including copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and lumber.
But tariffs also face a legal challenge
In ordering many of the tariffs listed above, Trump relied on a 1977 statute called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Several states and businesses have challenged those tariffs, saying the law doesn't give the president power to impose sweeping import taxes in response to a long-running U.S. trade deficit.
A specialty federal trade court agreed in May and struck down the tariffs. However, they've been allowed to remain in effect as the administration pursues an appeal.
If the courts ultimately rule against Trump's worldwide tariffs under that 1977 law, he would still have the power under other statutes to impose tariffs on particular goods like steel and aluminum.
What we know: The city is in the very early stages of planning how to transform the 192 acres into a park. The preliminary report shows some potential amenities of the park, such as gardens, biking trails, art galleries, a community center and much more.
Background: After a long legal battle between the city and the Federal Aviation Administration, a settlement was reached that ruled that the city could close the more than 100-year-old airport. The park was controversial among residents because of air quality and noise concerns, and was the subject of many legal battles in recent decades.
What’s next? The city wants to hear from residents. You’re encouraged to review the framework and fill out this survey. Feedback will be accepted until April 26.
Elly Yu
typically reports on early childhood issues and from time to time other general news.
Published April 1, 2026 1:41 PM
Thousands of immigrants, including refugees and asylees, in California are set to lose their food assistance benefits, known as CalFresh, starting this month.
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Thousands of immigrants who are lawfully in California are set to lose their food assistance benefits, known as CalFresh, starting this month.
What’s new: The changes apply to certain immigrants who are here lawfully, including refugees and asylees. It also applies to people from Iraq and Afghanistan who have special visas for helping the U.S. military overseas.
Why now: The new restrictions stem from H.R. 1 — also known as the “Big Beautiful Bill” — which Congress passed last year.
What’s next: Officials estimate 23,000 people in Los Angeles County will be affected. State officials say noncitizens who are currently receiving benefits will continue to get them until it’s time to renew their benefits — adding that people might be able to receive benefits again if their legal status changes to lawful permanent residents.
Thousands of immigrants who are lawfully in California are set to lose their food assistance benefits, known as CalFresh, starting this month.
The new restrictions stem from H.R. 1 — also known as the “Big Beautiful Bill” — which Congress passed last year.
The changes remove eligibility for certain noncitizens, including people with refugee status and victims of trafficking. It also applies to immigrants from Iraq and Afghanistan who have special immigrant visas for helping the U.S. government overseas.
”These are folks … many of whom have large families that we have a commitment to as a country because we welcomed them and invited them here to find a place of refuge,” said Cambria Tortorelli, president of the International Institute of Los Angeles, a refugee resettlement agency. “They’re authorized to work and they’ve been brought here by the U.S. government.”
The federal spending bill, H.R. 1, made sweeping cuts to social safety net programs, including food assistance and Medicaid. In signing the bill, President Donald Trump said the changes were delivering on his campaign promises of “America first.”
Officials estimate 23,000 people in Los Angeles County will be affected. The state estimates about 72,000 immigrants with lawful presence will be affected across California.
CalFresh is the state’s version of the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Undocumented immigrants have not been eligible to receive CalFresh benefits.
State officials say noncitizens who are currently receiving benefits will continue to get them until it’s time to renew their benefits — adding that people might be able to receive benefits again if their legal status changes to lawful permanent residents.
Who the changes apply to:
Asylees
Refugees
Parolees (unless they are Cuban and Haitian entrants)
Individuals with deportation or removal withheld
Conditional entrants
Victims of trafficking
Battered noncitizens
Iraqi or Afghan with special immigrant visas (SIV) who are not lawful permanent residents (LPR)
Certain Afghan Nationals granted parole between July 31, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2023
Certain Ukrainian Nationals granted parole between Feb. 24, 2022, and Sep. 30, 2024
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Nearly every student in the California State University system has used artificial intelligence tools, but most don’t trust the results, are worried about how AI will affect their future job security and want more say in systemwide AI policy.
CSU AI survey: CSU polled more than 94,000 students, faculty and staff, making it the largest survey of AI perception in higher education. Nearly all students have used AI but most question whether it is trustworthy. Both faculty and students want more say in systemwide AI policies. Faculty are divided about the impact of AI on teaching and research.
The results: Educators want a say in how and which AI tools are used. Students across the CSU system want to be included in those discussions. Some professors teach students how to use AI and encourage students to use it, while others forbid its use in the classroom. In addition to clarity around use of AI policies, students in this year’s survey said they want training that will be relevant to their careers. “I want to learn AI tools that are actually used in my industry, not just generic chatbots,” a mechanical engineering student responded. “Show me what engineers are actually doing with AI on the job.”
Nearly every student in the California State University system has used artificial intelligence tools, but most don’t trust the results, are worried about how AI will affect their future job security and want more say in systemwide AI policy.
That’s according to results of a 2025 survey of more than 80,000 students enrolled at CSU’s 22 campuses, plus faculty and staff — the largest and most comprehensive study of how higher education students and instructors perceive artificial intelligence.
Nationwide, university faculty struggle to reconcile the learning benefits of AI — hailed as a “transformative tool” for providing tutoring and personalized support to students — and the risks that students will depend on AI agents to do their thinking for them and, very possibly, get the wrong information. Educators want a say in how and which AI tools are used. Students across the CSU system want to be included in those discussions.
Some professors teach students how to use AI and encourage students to use it, while others forbid its use in the classroom, said Katie Karroum, vice president of systemwide affairs for the Cal State Student Association, representing more than 470,000 students.
“Both of these things are allowed to coexist right now without a policy,” she said.
Karroum said that faculty practices are too varied and that what students need are consistent and transparent rules developed in collaboration with students. “There are going to be students who are graduating with AI literacy and some that graduate without AI literacy.”
In February 2025, the CSU system announced an initiative to adopt AI technologies and an agreement with OpenAI to make ChatGPT available throughout the system. The system-wide survey released Wednesday confirms that ChatGPT is the most used AI tool across CSUs. The system will also work with Adobe, Google, IBM, Intel, LinkedIn, Microsoft and NVIDIA.
Campus leaders say the survey and accompanying dashboard provide much needed data on how the system continues to integrate AI into instruction and assessment.
“We need to have data to make data-informed decisions instead of just going by anecdote,” said Elisa Sobo, a professor of anthropology at San Diego State who was involved in interpreting the survey’s findings. “We have data that show high use, but we also have high levels of concern, very valid concern, to help people be responsible when they use it.”
Faculty at San Diego State designed the survey, which received more than 94,000 responses from students, faculty and staff. Among all responding CSU students, 95% reported using an AI tool; 84% said they used ChatGPT and 82% worry that AI will negatively impact their future job security. Others worry that they won’t be competitive if they don’t understand AI well enough.
“Even though I don’t want to use it, I HAVE TO!” wrote a computer science major. “Because if I don’t, then I’ll be left behind, and that is the last thing someone would want in this stupid job market.”
Faculty are divided about the impact of AI on teaching and research. Just over 55% reported a positive benefit, while 52% said AI has had a negative impact so far.
San Diego State conducted its first campuswide survey in 2023 in response to complaints from students about inconsistent rules about AI use in courses, said James Frazee, vice president for information technology at the campus.
“Students are facing this patchwork of expectations even within the same course taught by different instructors,” Frazee said. In one introductory course, the professor might encourage students to use AI, but another professor teaching the same course might forbid it, he said. “It was a hot mess.”
In that 2023 survey, one student made this request: “Please just tell us what to do and be clear about it.”
Following that survey, the San Diego State Academic Senate approved guidelines for the use of generative AI in instruction and assessments. In 2025, the Senate made it mandatory that faculty include language about AI use in course syllabi.
“It doesn’t say what your disposition has to be, whether it’s pro or con,” Frazee said. “It just says you have to be clear about your expectations. Without the 2023 survey data, that never would have happened.”
According to the 2025 systemwide survey, only 68% of teaching faculty include language about AI use in their syllabi.
Sobo and other faculty who helped develop the 2025 survey hope other CSU campuses will find the data helpful in informing policies about AI use. The dashboard allows users to search for specific campus and discipline data and view student responses by demographic group.
The 2025 survey shows that first-generation students are more interested in formal AI training and that Black, Hispanic and Latino students are more interested than white students. At San Diego State, students are required to earn a micro-credential in AI use during their first year — another change that was made after the 2023 survey.
Students in this year’s survey said they want training that will be relevant to their careers. “I want to learn AI tools that are actually used in my industry, not just generic chatbots,” a mechanical engineering student responded. “Show me what engineers are actually doing with AI on the job.”
The California Faculty Association, which represents about 29,000 educators in the CSU system, said in a February statement that faculty should be included in future systemwide decisions about AI, including whether the contract with OpenAI should be renewed in July.
“CFA members continue to advocate for ethical and enforceable safeguards governing the use of artificial intelligence,” the CFA said in the statement, asking for “protections for using or refusing to use the technology, professional development resources to adapt pedagogy to incorporate the technology, and further protections for faculty intellectual property.”
EdSource is an independent nonprofit organization that provides analysis on key education issues facing California and the nation. LAist republishes articles from EdSource with permission.
Fiona Ng
is LAist's deputy managing editor and leads a team of reporters who explore food, culture, history, events and more.
Published April 1, 2026 12:00 PM
Tennis courts featured in an April Fools' Day social media post by Irvine.
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Many Southern California cities and institutions are dropping big, grabby news today — from the city of Irvine going "pickle-ball" only, to the Huntington Botanical Gardens announcing it'll be bottling the scent of the famed corpse flower as a perfume.
Why now: Before you go "what the what" — remember today's the first day of April.
Read on ... to find a roundup of some of the April Fools' jokes from your city and local trusted institutions.
Many Southern California cities and institutions are dropping big, grabby news today. Before you go "what the what" — remember, it's the first day of April.
Here's a roundup of some of the April Fools' news dump items.
Irvine, the 'pickleball-only' city
Irvine announced that it'll be converting all tennis courts into pickleball courts by 2027. That's one notch for Team Pickleball in the ongoing turf war between tennis lovers and pickleball players over the fight for court space to engage in their beloved sport.
"Starting today, April 1, all tennis courts are being converted to pickleball courts as part of a citywide effort to make Irvine a pickleball-only City by 2027," the post stated. "We don’t just think this is a good idea … we dink it’s a great one."
Over in Long Beach, Mayor Rex Richardson announced the city's reigning royalty, the Queen Mary, will be renamed after another queen.
"After careful consideration, I am proud to announce that the Queen Mary will officially be renamed the RMS Queen Latifah," he said. "Long Beach is stepping into a new era as a major music destination — with a new amphitheater, a deep cultural legacy and a future built on sound. It’s only right that our most iconic Queen reflects that energy."
In real-real news, LBC native and everyone's favorite Olympics commenter Snoop Dogg is headlining the grand opening show of the Long Beach Amphitheater in June. That's the new waterfront venue near the RMS Queen Latifah.
Suspense writer James Patterson has more than 200 novels to his name, selling more than 450 million copies. If anyone deserves his own namesake branch, it would be Patterson, no?
The Los Angeles Public Library certainly dinks so, announcing today the James Patterson Canoga Park branch, "with wall to wall Patterson books and programming centered around this prolific author."
The opening of the corpse flower has become an annual event at the Huntington Botanical Gardens. The event brings legions hoping to get a whiff of the famed flower's "pungent aroma."
The San Marino institution announced that it's bottling the scent, as part of its new "The Huntington's Stank Collection."
"A musky gym sock note opens this unique fragrance, with a sweet, rotten-egg base to ground it. Smells like you — but smellier," the post explained.
