The Brief

Elon Musk's team within the Trump administration has sought sweeping access to databases that store personal information on millions and millions of Americans.

The data collected and maintained by the government isn't just your name, home address and Social Security number.

Some federal agencies store information that many people don't share even with their closest friends and family: medical diagnoses and treatment; notes from therapy sessions; whether a person has filed for bankruptcy; detailed income information.

And now, Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has accessed heavily safeguarded databases that store such personal information, raising deep alarm among federal workers and privacy advocates.

Musk says he is targeting waste and fraud. The executive order establishing DOGE says its purpose is "modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity" and it instructs agency heads to ensure DOGE "has full and prompt access to all unclassified agency records, software systems, and IT systems."

But Erie Meyer — who resigned last month from her post as chief technologist at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau after the change in administration — doesn't trust DOGE.

"Part of what is unnerving and is scary both to companies whose data is involved and also Americans whose most sensitive financial information is at risk, is that we don't know what they're doing," she says.

Normally, according to Meyer, federal employees handling sensitive data must pass extensive background checks. But it's not clear what sort of vetting or background checks Musk's staff has undergone.

Musk says his staffers need to have the same security clearances as other employees. "Anyone from DOGE has to go through the same vetting process that those federal employees went through," Musk said recently on "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast.

Some agency heads have pushed back on the notion that DOGE is accessing too much data, saying that DOGE has "read-only" access and cannot make changes in their systems.

At least a dozen lawsuits have been filed over DOGE's access to data. Unions and groups like the Center for Taxpayer Rights are filing lawsuits — both to stop DOGE from accessing any more data, and to discover what kind of information the team has already collected.

Tax records reveal many aspects of someone's life, including causes you support, information about your family and of course your financial dealings.

(

Tasos Katopodis

/

Getty Images

)

Deep privacy concerns

The risks are real, according to the half-dozen technology experts who spoke with NPR for this story. Americans' personal data could be sold, lost or leaked. Or it could be used to enrich a few. But above all, they warn: Americans' essential privacy is at stake.

There are several laws, including the Privacy Act of 1974, that govern how the government collects and stores personal data. Strict rules limit when government agencies can share that data with each other.

Those limits are by design. "Everyone thinks the government already has this data" in a connected way, says one former federal worker who did not want to be named to preserve future job prospects. "But they really don't, because it's firewalled."

Some current and former government workers fear that Musk's plan is to bring huge amounts of government data together, to create deeply personal profiles on individual Americans.

One of them is Jonathan Kamens, who was overseeing cybersecurity for VA.gov until he was terminated last month alongside some 40 of his colleagues at the U.S. Digital Service, a little known government unit that Trump turned into DOGE. He points to authoritarian regimes that create dossiers used to control individuals.

"That's what I want people to be scared of," says Kamens. "That this data that the government has on them, which in some cases can be used to damage them, will be used to damage them."

DOGE did not reply to questions from NPR about the personal information it is accessing and how it plans to use that data.

Elon Musk says he's targeting waste and fraud in the federal government. Former government workers and privacy advocates aren't so sure.

(

Andrew Harnik

/

Getty Images

)

Here's an overview of a few federal agencies that hold data on large swaths of Americans — and where things stand with the DOGE team's access.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

What the agency has: Names, addresses and Social Security numbers for everyone who has paid federal taxes. Financial information including income and net worth. Bank account information for direct deposits. Any itemizations, from medical expenses to charitable donations. Whether someone has filed for bankruptcy or been a victim of identity theft. And much can be inferred from the data, including marital status, dependents, and familial relationships.

Where things stand: The White House and Treasury Department have agreed to prohibit DOGE from accessing personal taxpayer data, the Washington Post reported, and instead will have read-only access to anonymized tax data. NPR has not independently confirmed this reporting, and the IRS did not reply to NPR's request for information on what access DOGE has.

But with new leadership coming to the IRS, there's concern that DOGE's access could be expanded in the future, according to a current employee who did not wish to be identified for fear of retaliation.

Why it matters: Tax records reveal many aspects of someone's life. Also, if someone had the ability to edit IRS data, they could write their own tax bill down to zero, and "max out those of your enemies," said the employee.

Social Security Administration (SSA)

What the agency has: Records of individuals' lifetime wages and earnings. Social Security numbers of workers and their beneficiaries, and the type and amount of benefits they receive. Information on those applying for Supplemental Security Income, including citizenship status, income and payment amount. Disability and health status data on everyone who has applied for disability benefits.

Where things stand: A coalition of unions and retirees have filed a lawsuit aiming to halt DOGE's access to SSA data. Democratic senators including Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have sent letters demanding to know exactly what access DOGE has.

Leland Dudek, SSA's acting commissioner, said in an earlier statement that DOGE personnel have read-only access and cannot make changes to systems, benefit payments or information.

Why it matters: Tiffany Flick, the agency's acting chief of staff until she retired last month, expressed her concerns about DOGE access in a declaration included in the lawsuit filed by the unions. Flick believes that DOGE staffers are accessing SSA information from inside the Office of Personnel Management. That could mean that SSA's data protections don't work and that data can be accessed by other staff who have not been vetted or trained by SSA: "Others could take pictures of the data, transfer it to other locations, and even feed it into AI programs," she said. "In such a chaotic environment, the risk of data leaking into the wrong hands is significant."

Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

What the agency has: Basic personal information as well as health information. For everyone with Medicare (the program generally for people 65 or older), CMS has their Social Security number and documentation of their eligibility, says a source who previously worked with CMS and Social Security systems who requested anonymity to preserve future job prospects.

Where things stand: According to a statement from a CMS spokesperson, two veteran employees of CMS are "leading the collaboration with DOGE." The DOGE staffers have been given "read-only access" and "none of the information they have access to contains the personal health information of Medicare or Medicaid enrollees," the spokesperson said.

Why it matters: "They have the largest amount of data in one single place about the largest group of users of healthcare," says the person familiar with CMS systems.

A data breach could mean the sharing of Americans' sensitive health data — and a company could use health data and financial data together to charge people more for health services.

Veterans Affairs has vast stores of information, including veterans' health data.

(

Chip Somodevilla

/

Getty Images

)

Veterans Affairs (VA)

What the agency has: VA's healthcare arm is the largest integrated healthcare network in the country, so the agency has vast stores of veterans' health data. That includes records of substance abuse and addiction, mental health issues, even notes from therapy sessions. That's in addition to basic personal information like addresses and phone numbers. The VA also stores veterans' military records.

Where things stand: A DOGE staffer has been present at VA, and it's not clear what data he has access to, according to a current agency employee with knowledge of the situation, who requested anonymity to avoid retaliation. Senate Democrats have also requested information about what access has been granted.

In a statement, a VA spokesperson says "DOGE does not have and has not had access to veterans' or VA beneficiaries' data."

VA Secretary Doug Collins has sought to calm concerns about DOGE's access. "There's also this rumor out there that DOGE is ... going to take personal information," Collins said in a recent video. "We got DOGE representatives here that are doing what they're supposed to be doing," like looking at contracts for efficiencies.

Why it matters: Jonathan Kamens, who was detailed to the VA as an employee of the U.S. Digital Service, offers a hypothetical example: A veteran who speaks out against the Trump administration, whose records show a history of PTSD and opioid addiction following battlefield injuries. Someone with access to all that information could use it to discredit the veteran in the public eye, Kamens posits.

And there's another big risk: "The data that the federal government holds on people is kind of the identity theft motherlode," says Kamens. "So if you can just steal the government data, you can pretend to be anyone. It's kind of terrifying."

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has troves of data on people and companies — including inside information that could offer a major competitive advantage.

(

Saul Loeb

/

AFP via Getty Images

)

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

What the agency has: Personal data including names, addresses, Social Security numbers and financial transactions. CFPB also has troves of data it collects as it pursues litigation. If the bureau has investigated a company for collecting too much information on people, it has that too.

Where things stand: The Trump administration has required bureau staff to give DOGE sweeping, "God-tier access" to the bureau's data, says Erie Meyer, the former chief technologist of CFPB. The bureau did not respond to NPR's questions on what access DOGE staffers have to CFPB data and systems.

Amid litigation, the government has agreed for now to not delete or remove data held by CFPB, following a declaration by Meyer that Trump appointees planned to delete databases holding CFPB data.

Why it matters: The bureau also has the consumer complaints that people submit to the bureau about companies. "So that database could have not just people's information, but the worst financial thing that has ever happened to them and how a company responded," says Meyer.

The bureau also has large amounts of data on companies, including market research, financial records and business plans. One concern, voiced by Senate Democrats among others, is that Musk could use the data that the bureau has collected on payment apps Zelle and Cash App to get an inside edge for the digital payment platform he's planning.

NPR Correspondent Hansi Lo Wang contributed to this story.

Copyright 2025 NPR

It's spring break season in the U.S. — and travelers are facing long airport lines as security screeners work without pay while the Department of Homeland security is shut down.

Congressional Democrats have declined to fund the agency in an attempt to force reforms of federal immigration enforcement practices.

Wait times at major hubs in Houston and Atlanta reached two hours on Friday, while New Orleans's Louis Armstrong International Airport advised passengers to arrive at least three hours before their scheduled departures. In Philadelphia, airport officials closed three security checkpoints entirely this week because of short staffing.

On Saturday, President Trump threatened to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to staff airport security lanes if Democrats don't "immediately" agree to fund DHS. A bipartisan group of senators has been negotiating with the White House over immigration enforcement and ending the shutdown.

"I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country," Trump posted on Truth Social. In a follow-up post he said he told ICE to "GET READY" to deploy to airports on Monday.

Why are wait times so long?

Officials say wait times are unpredictable and can fluctuate sharply as airports struggle with Transportation Security Administration staffing shortages.

TSA staffers are considered essential workers, so about 50,000 have been working without pay due to the shutdown that started Feb. 14. Last week, they missed their first full paychecks. The Department of Homeland Security says more than 300 TSA officers have quit. More than half of TSA staff in Houston called out sick and nearly a third called out in Atlanta and New Orleans last week, DHS said.

The staffing shortage comes as travel has also been disrupted by severe weather, and as schools across the country close for spring break.

Some 2.8 million people were projected to travel on U.S. airlines each day in March and April, adding up to a record 171 million passengers, according to the industry group Airlines for America.

What do officials say?

Transportation officials are warning the situation could get worse if the shutdown isn't resolved. A second missed paycheck would put even more strain on TSA workers, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CNN on Friday.

"If a deal isn't cut, you're going to see what's happening today look like child's play," Duffy said. "Is it still safe as you go through the airport? Yes, but it takes a lot longer because we have less agents working." He added that some smaller airports may be forced to temporarily close if more staff calls out.

In the U.K., Foreign Office officials are also warning travelers of "travel disruption" caused by "longer than usual queues at some U.S. airports," and recommended passengers check with their travel provider, airport, or airline for guidance.

On Saturday, billionaire Elon Musk weighed in with an offer to personally pay TSA staff.

"I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country," Musk posted on X early Saturday morning.

U.S. law generally bars government employees from receiving outside compensation for their work.

Even with disruptions, travel demand is still high

On top of long security wait times and weather impacts, travel is being affected by the war in Iran, which is driving up global oil prices.

On Friday, United Airlines said it would cut some flights over the next six months after jet fuel prices doubled in recent weeks. Capacity cuts are likely to send airfares even higher, even as ticket prices are already rising, said Clint Henderson, a spokesperson for the travel website The Points Guy.

Still, he said, none of that seems to be deterring Americans from flying.

"The appetite for travel is insatiable," he said. "People seem willing to endure a lot of stuff to travel. And I don't see any signs of that decreasing."

How can travelers prepare?

Travel experts say it's not just long wait times that travelers should prepare for — it's the uncertainty.

"Every day this goes on, it's getting worse and worse and worse," Henderson said.

Here are some tips on how to prepare for upcoming air travel:

1. Know before you go

Many airport websites list estimated security wait times. That should be the first place you check to get a sense of how long lines might be, Henderson says. (TSA also estimates wait times on its website and app, but that's not being regularly updated because of the shutdown, he added.)

"Knowledge is power," Henderson said. "You should know what's going on at your local airport."

He noted there are 20 U.S. airports where security screening is done by private contractors, not the TSA — and they are not experiencing staffing shortages or long waits. Some are smaller regional airports, but the list also includes some larger hubs, including San Francisco International Airport and Kansas City International Airport.

"There's big, big, big metropolitan areas where it's not an issue at all," Henderson said.

2. Budget extra time

If you're someone who shows up at the airport when your flight starts boarding, think twice, says travel writer Chris Dong.

"I'm the type of traveler who usually arrives pretty last minute," Dong said, "but I think that that advice would not be sound for the current situation."

Even if wait times are listed as short, things can change on a dime. Dong recently flew out of John F. Kennedy Airport in New York and found the TSA PreCheck line unexpectedly closed.

"So then everyone that was funneled through the regular line, it was an extra like 20, 30 minutes," he said. "I was sweating it out because I usually arrive super last-minute. And those levels of uncertainty are just higher now with the shutdown."

3. Consider biometric screening

Henderson typically recommends signing up for TSA PreCheck or the Global Entry program to move through airport security more quickly — and to opt in to biometric screening. That has to be done in advance, and travelers also have to choose biometric screening in their airline apps.

"Make sure if that's an option that you're opted in for that, because that will save you so much agita," he said.

For those who haven't signed up in advance, there is a last-minute alternative: the private CLEAR program, which allows people to enroll at the airport. Henderson notes it's pricey — annual membership costs $209 — but that some credit card companies will refund that fee.

"For me to skip a three-hour line is probably worth the membership fee, especially if you know your credit card will pay you back for it," he said.

That said, expedited screening lanes are not always faster than regular screening, both Henderson and Dong warned. Always check what all the lanes look like when you arrive at the airport.

4. Make a plan B

If you miss a connection or your flight is canceled, be proactive about rebooking. "Have all the tools available to you in the toolbox in case things go wrong," Henderson advises.

That includes installing your airline's app on your smartphone and writing down their customer service number, so you aren't scrambling to find it.

"And then, you know, obviously have a plan B," Henderson said. "Know what other airlines fly the route that you want to take in case, you know, you missed your Delta flight and American is offering a flight you can take later that day."

He says while airlines don't generally like to rebook passengers on competitors' flights, it's worth asking. He also recommends having the information at hand to give to customer service agents, including flight number, airline and departure time.

And if an airline cancels your flight in the U.S., you're entitled to a refund, according to the Department of Transportation.
Copyright 2026 NPR

Updated March 21, 2026 at 17:36 PM ET

Robert Mueller, the former FBI director and special counsel who led the high-profile investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the possible obstruction of justice by President Trump, died on Friday at 81.

"With deep sadness, we are sharing the news that Bob passed away," his family said in a statement Saturday shared with NPR. No cause of death was given.

Mueller had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years ago, his family told The New York Times in August.

Trump, who openly despised Mueller and his investigation, celebrated his death on Saturday.

"Good, I'm glad he's dead," the president posted on social media. "He can no longer hurt innocent people!"

WilmerHale, the law firm where Mueller served as a partner, remembered Mueller as a "friend" who was "an extraordinary leader and public servant and a person of the greatest integrity."

"His service to our country, including as a decorated officer in the Marine Corps, as FBI Director, and at the Department of Justice, was exemplary and inspiring," a spokesperson for WilmerHale told NPR in a statement. "We are deeply proud that he was our partner. Our thoughts are with Bob's family and loved ones during this time."

Former President Barack Obama on Saturday called Mueller "one of the finest directors in the history of the FBI, transforming the bureau after 9/11 and saving countless lives."

"But it was his relentless commitment to the rule of law and his unwavering belief in our bedrock values that made him one of the most respected public servants of our time," Obama wrote on social media. "Michelle and I send our condolences to Bob's family, and everyone who knew and admired him."

Path to public service

Born on Aug. 7, 1944 in New York City, Mueller was raised in Philadelphia and graduated from Princeton University in 1966. He received a master's degree in international relations from New York University.

Mueller, throughout his career, ran toward tough assignments. Following the lead of a classmate at Princeton, Mueller enrolled in the Marines and served in the Vietnam war. He earned the Bronze Star for rescuing a colleague. Mueller said he felt compelled to serve during that conflict, an idea he returned to throughout his life.

Law professor and former Justice Department lawyer Rory Little knew Mueller for many years.

"Bob is kind of a straight arrow, you know, wounded in Vietnam," Little said. "You keep wanting to hunt for where is the crack in that façade — 'Where is the real Bob Mueller?' — and after a while you begin to realize that's the real Bob Mueller. He is exactly who he appears to be. This kind of sour-faced, not a lot of humor, sort of all-business guy. That's him."

But with his closest friends, Mueller let down his guard. They teased him — saying Mueller would have made an excellent drill instructor on Parris Island, where Marine recruits are trained.

Instead, Mueller went to law school at the University of Virginia. He joined the Justice Department in 1976. There, he prosecuted crimes, big and small, for U.S. attorneys in San Francisco and Boston. He was a partner at Hale and Dorr, a Boston law firm now known as WilmerHale.

He later became a senior litigator prosecuting homicides at the U.S. attorney's office in Washington, D.C.

Head of the FBI

In 2001, President George W. Bush nominated him to serve as the director of the FBI. Mueller was sworn in a week before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"I had been a prosecutor before, so I anticipated spending time on public corruption cases and narcotics cases and bank robberies, and the like. And Sept. 11th changed all of that," Mueller told NPR during an interview in 2013.

He shifted the bureau's attention to fighting terrorism. He staffed up the headquarters in Washington. He pushed those agents to try to predict crimes and to act before another tragedy hit.

"He directed and implemented what is arguably the most significant changes in the FBI's 105-year history," said his former FBI deputy, John Pistole.

Along the way, Mueller drew some criticism when his agents erred. During the investigation of the deadly anthrax attacks, the bureau focused on the wrong man as its lead suspect.

Mueller left the bureau in 2013.

Return to the national spotlight

After Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, Mueller in May 2017 was appointed by then Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as special counsel to oversee the probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible connections to Trump associates.

Trump called the investigation "a witch hunt" and Republicans in Congress started to attack the investigators.

When then the investigation eventually concluded in March 2019 with the more than 400-page "Mueller report," the special counsel said the investigation did not establish that Trump's campaign or associates colluded with the Russian government to influence the 2016 election. The report did not take a position on whether Trump obstructed justice.

Mueller said the report spoke for itself. But Democrats wanted more and insisted he testify. A reluctant witness, Mueller once again fulfilled his duty. He was visibly older than at the time of his appointment and kept his testimony restrained.

He said Justice Department guidelines would not allow him to charge a sitting president with criminal wrongdoing. But he also refused to exonerate Trump.

"If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller later told Congress.

In the end, the team charged 37 people and entities, including former campaign chair Paul Manafort, national security adviser Michael Flynn and 25 Russians.

Trump went on to grant clemency to or back away from criminal cases against many of the people Mueller's investigators had charged.

Copyright 2026 NPR

At the Koreatown Senior and Community Center, people were used to seeing Keum-soon Lee arrive early. When she didn’t show up for the 11 a.m. group harmonica class at the center last Friday, people took notice. 

“She would always be there first,” said conductor Eun-young Kim. “If she couldn’t come, she would tell me ahead of time. This time, I didn’t receive any messages from her. I thought, something isn’t right.”

Kim tried calling and sending messages. She didn’t get a response.

Members of the center later learned that Lee, 73, was critically injured in a hit-and-run crash while biking home in Koreatown after attending early morning prayer at her church. She died in a hospital March 13 from her injuries, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

“I was shocked,” said Jin-soon Baek, who has played with Lee for years. “We’ve been friends for a long time. We ate together, practiced together. She was like a sibling to me.

“She was so hardworking. Always the first one there to sign in for class. She’d walk ahead of me and I’d follow behind. That’s how it always was.”

Baek, who is in her 80s, said the two also shared something more personal: Both had cancer.

“I had cancer years ago, and she was going through treatment recently,” Baek said. “We understood each other.”

In January, Lee played with the harmonica ensemble at an LA Kings game. Lee spoke with a journalist about undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, and what the group meant to her. 

“I think I’ve almost fully recovered,” Lee told journalist Chase Karng at the hockey game. “Even while receiving chemotherapy, I felt encouraged when I heard that I could perform here.”

At the Koreatown Senior and Community Center, people were used to seeing Keum-soon Lee arrive early. When she didn’t show up for the 11 a.m. group harmonica class at the center last Friday, people took notice.

Lee was born in 1952 in South Korea and immigrated to the United States in 1998. She was an elder at Saehan Presbyterian Church in Pico Union and is survived by her husband, Sang-rae Lee, and son, Young-jo Lee.

The senior center, where Lee was a fixture and known as a reliable friend, has designated March 20 as a day of mourning.

On Friday, Lee’s church held a funeral service, where members of the harmonica ensemble performed the hymn, “Nearer My God to Thee,” in her memory.

“I usually don’t attend funeral services, but I had to come for hers,” said Alice Kim. “Whenever I came to church, I would see her watering the grass, bent over, and she would smile and say, ‘You’re here, Alice,’ and hand me the Sunday bulletin.”

In her eulogy, elder Gyu-sook Lee said the sudden loss has hit the congregation hard.

“She always greeted everyone with a warm smile,” she said. “She was the kind of person who always stepped forward first to do the hard work that no one else wanted to do. And when she took something on, she saw it through to the end.”

At the Koreatown Senior and Community Center, people were used to seeing Keum-soon Lee arrive early. When she didn’t show up for the 11 a.m. group harmonica class at the center last Friday, people took notice.

“She still had so many years ahead of her,” Baek said. “She was younger than us. Full of hope. It feels like it should have been me instead.”

According to police, Lee was riding through a crosswalk when a white Dodge Ram truck turning right struck her around 6:40 a.m. near Olympic Boulevard and Vermont Avenue. The driver briefly stopped, then drove away, authorities said.

Investigators found the truck and are looking into whether the driver was impaired on drugs or alcohol. The truck was seized and there was no information about the driver.

Kim, the conductor, said Lee was the first person to reach out to her when she started to lead the ensemble in September. 

“She sent me a message saying thank you for coming,” Kim said. “She was such a special person to me.” 

At Friday’s service, speaker after speaker described Lee as someone who was a light in every community she was part of. 

“The way she served the church behind the scenes became a lesson in faith for all of us. There isn’t a single part of this church that hasn’t felt her touch. Her warmth, her love, her dedication — I can still feel it,” Gyu-sook Lee said.

When Gilbert Lindsay became the first Black person elected to Los Angeles City Council in 1963, it gave the residents of the predominantly Black District 9 someone who understood the challenges they faced living in South Central. 

This area was the center of Black political power in LA because it was one of the few places in the city Black people were allowed to live and thrive due, in part, to housing restrictions. For the next 63 years, voters in this district — which includes historic South Central, Exposition Park and a small portion of downtown Los Angeles — consecutively chose a Black representative. 

That will end with Curren D. Price Jr., the current District 9 councilmember who can’t run again due to term limits. 

Twelve candidates announced campaigns in February to replace Price. Of them, six candidates have qualified to be on the June 2 primary election ballot, none of whom are Black. They include: Estuardo Mazariegos, Elmer Roldan, Jorge Hernandez Rosas, Jorge Nuño, Martha Sánchez and Jose Ugarte. 

The list is a reflection of the demographic shift of the area, but candidates also told The LA Local that it shows the strength of the district’s Black-Latino political coalition. And with the civil rights gains since the 1960s, while some locals are concerned that issues facing Black voters won’t get the attention they need, others who live in the district said they’re less concerned with what their representative looks like. Instead, they said they want someone who listens and gets things done. 

“As long as you do good in the community, we’re going to be happy,” said Dennis Anya, who works on Central Avenue and has lived in the district for nearly 40 years.

What the demographic shifts in District 9 mean for the June election

The upcoming election comes as the demographics have changed in District 9 and South LA. The Black population in South Los Angeles was 81% in 1965, according to a special census survey from November 1965 of South and East LA. 

As of 2021, District 9, specifically, is about 78% Latino and 13% Black, according to LA City Council population demographic data taken that year as part of a redistricting effort. 

Officials have predicted the district’s shift for years. Former City Councilmembers Kevin De León and Nury Martinez discussed the district’s future in the leaked 2021 audio — checkered with racist remarks — that the LA Times reported in 2022.“This will be [Price’s] last four years,” De Leon said at one point in the conversation, the transcript of which the LA Times published in full. “That eventually becomes a Latino seat.” 

Erin Aubry Kaplan, a writer and columnist who traces her family’s roots to South Central, told The LA Local that because District 9 has historically voted for a Black candidate, there is some anxiety amongst Black voters about losing Black representation in Los Angeles. 

“I would hope that whoever wins, will carry the interest of Black folk forward,” she said.

Manuel Pastor, a USC professor and co-author of “South Central Dreams: Finding Home and Community in South LA,” told The LA Local that traditionally, voters are older. While District 9 is now home to a younger, immigrant community, they may not vote at the same rate as older generations, and undocumented residents are ineligible to vote.  

Pastor said it’s likely for this reason that the current District 9 candidates are not emphasizing being Latino but are modeling their campaigns after other city leaders and focusing on Black-Latino solidarity. 

“Just because the demographics have changed, doesn’t mean that the voting population has changed,” Pastor said.  

Here’s what the candidates say about the transformation of District 9

Chris Martin, one of the two Black candidates who campaigned for the seat but did not qualify for the ballot, said he believes the city’s Black elected officials should have supported Black candidates in the race. Martin said he will challenge the city clerk’s decision on his nomination petition in court. 

“The story of Black political power in the city of Los Angeles is dying,” Martin said. “I felt like I had a good chance of keeping it alive.” 

When Gilbert Lindsay became the first Black person elected to Los Angeles City Council in 1963, it gave the residents of the predominantly Black District 9 someone who understood the challenges they faced living in South Central.

Michelle Washington, the other Black candidate who also did not qualify, did not respond to a request for comment.Price, the current District 9 councilmember, endorsed his deputy Jose Ugarte in the race and wrote in a statement that this election is about solidarity. 

“As a Black man who has served a majority-Latino district, I know that progress in South Central has always come from Black and Brown families moving forward together,” Price wrote. “We’ve had to fight harder for housing, safety, opportunity and the basic investments every neighborhood deserves. And when we’ve made gains, it’s because we stood united.”  

Five of the six candidates who qualified for the ballot told The LA Local that not having a Black candidate on the ballot doesn’t diminish the place of the district’s Black community. (Candidate Jorge Hernandez Rosas did not return requests for comment.) 

“It has always been a Black community and will always be a Black community. This isn’t about a passing of the baton or one community taking over another. It’s about building a solidarity movement,” Estuardo Mazariegos said. 

Elmer Roldan, who carries endorsements from LA Mayor Karen Bass and City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, said the district needs a councilmember who won’t leave anyone behind.“We have to avoid at all costs contributing to Black erasure and Black displacement,” Roldan said.

Ugarte said that the major quality of life problems — like dirty streets and broken street lights — affecting the neighborhood’s Black and brown communities haven’t changed since he was a child living in the district. 

“The same issues are still here,” he said. 

Here’s what happens next

If you haven’t registered to vote and you want to receive a vote-by-mail ballot, you must register to vote by May 18.

Results from the primary election will be certified by July 2. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two candidates will move on to the general election on Nov. 3, according to the City Clerk’s website. 

The winner of District 9 will begin a four-year term Dec. 14.