The Brief

The private prison company CoreCivic has sold two of the largest immigration detention facilities in California to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in a deal worth $1.5 billion, the company announced Monday.

CoreCivic said it anticipates that the sale of the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego County and the California City Detention Facility in Kern County will bring the company an estimated net proceeds of approximately $1.1 billion.

The sale closed on July 2, according to a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, with the federal government paying $739.2 million for the 1,994-bed Otay Mesa facility and $732.6 million for the newly-opened 2,560-bed California City facility.

CoreCivic said in a news release that it expects to continue running the day-to-day operations of both facilities under existing contracts with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The company acknowledged in its filing that the terms of those contracts could be renegotiated now that the federal government owns both properties outright.

They also might not be renewed. CoreCivic's contract in California City contract runs through August 2027, and its Otay Mesa contract is in effect through December 2029, with an option to extend for five more years.

The purchase comes as the Department of Homeland Security sits on an unprecedented influx of cash. The 2025 federal budget gave the department roughly $170 billion for immigration enforcement and detention, including $45 billion specifically earmarked for expanding detention capacity through fiscal year 2029.

The acquisition of the two sites is another step in the federal government’s plan to build out national immigration detention capacity that isn’t reliant on the two largest private prison contractors, according to a brief from the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law from February.

The proposed transition away from private detention was described at the time as the “ICE Detention Reengineering Initiative” in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement documents released by the city of Social Circle, Georgia, where city leadership was worried about the strain on city services from a major detention facility housing between 7,500 and 10,000 people.

“This new model will allow ICE to create an efficient detention network by reducing the total number of contracted detention facilities in use while increasing total bed capacity, enhancing custody management, and streamlining removal operations,” according to the unsigned ICE memo.

The Department of Homeland Security’s purchasing program surprised local officials in at least five states, who only learned of the purchases and their purpose after the deals closed. Some of those projects have run into legal challenges, according to the New York Times, though the agency appears to be moving forward with four warehouse acquisitions.

Health inspections at ICE centers

California law allows state and local officials to inspect immigrant detention centers, and Democratic leaders have drawn attention to conditions inside since President Donald Trump began his second term. Eight ICE detention centers are operating within the state, up from six since former President Joe Biden left office.

Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat, has visited both of the sites CoreCivic sold to the federal government and spoken up for the needs of detainees, including access to healthcare.

"Too many people who pose no threat to public safety and should not be in detention are nevertheless being held in unacceptable conditions with inadequate access to medical care, legal counsel, clean water, nutritious food, and other basic necessities," he said in a written statement. "Whether these facilities are operated by a private contractor or owned by the federal government, my expectations remain the same."

The Otay Mesa facility has been at the center of an ongoing legal fight over local health inspections. San Diego County officials sued the federal government and CoreCivic in March after claiming health inspectors were blocked from a full inspection under a 2024 state law. A federal judge later granted county health officials access to the detention center.

Private prison companies CoreCivic and GEO Group have fought back against California’s 2024 county-inspection law in court, arguing that states can’t pass laws that directly burden the federal government’s core functions. GEO Group has argued the state law is unconstitutional because it steps on federal authority over immigration detention centers.

“This is Trump’s mass detention agenda getting bigger, more permanent, and more expensive — with CoreCivic getting a billion-dollar payday while still running the cages. DHS may own the building, but it does not own the law," San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer said in a written statement about the sale.

An aerial view of the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego on May 20, 2026.

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California City opened last year in eastern Kern County about 100 miles north of Los Angeles in a site the company previously operated as a state prison.

California City opened last year in eastern Kern County about 100 miles north of Los Angeles in a site the company previously operated as a state prison. A federal lawsuit is ongoing about whether the facility opened without proper permits in remote California City.

Grisel Ruiz, a staff attorney from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, said the change in ownership does not change her organization’s opinion that the facility opened without the required permits.

The organization intends to ask California City’s planning commission on Tuesday to deny the permits and shut down the facility. Attorney General Rob Bonta has urged the same.

“The sale to DHS doesn’t change the fact that CoreCivic must still lawfully operate the facility,” said Ruiz.

Ruiz also noted the sale deal appeared favorable for CoreCivic in that they get the profits from the sale of the property, as well as revenue from continuing to operate the facilities for Immigration and Customs Enforcement

“They get to have their cake and eat it too,” said Ruiz.

CoreCivic said the sale prices were set through a federal government process in which independent appraisers account for replacement cost, depreciation and land value to determine fair market value. Spokesman Ryan Gustin said the appraisals were reviewed by the government for compliance with federal standards.

“The process was marked with rigor and integrity,” he said in an emailed statement.

More sales possible

The company also disclosed that it is having ongoing talks with ICE about selling the federal government additional detention facilities, though it said those discussions are in the early stages of a deal and may not close.

Maryland-based CoreCivic said the proceeds from the sale, which would be about $1.1 billion after taxes and transaction costs, could go toward paying down its bank credit and retiring $238.5 million in senior notes coming due in 2027. Any remaining funds are earmarked for further debt reduction or possibly stock buybacks.

Patrick Swindle, the president of CoreCivic, said in the news release, “We are pleased with the sales of these two mission-critical facilities for the Company’s government partner, while reflecting our role as a long-term, flexible solutions provider to government.”

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

The summer heat is now in full swing, bringing with it scorching temperatures for some areas of Southern California over the next few days.

Starting Tuesday, a heat advisory kicks in for interior mountains and valleys in L.A. County, with temperatures in the mid 80s to 90s. Meanwhile, closer to the coast, temperatures will hover in mid 70s.

In Orange County, high temperatures along the coast will range from 71 to 80 degrees, and from 79 to 86 degrees more inland. In the Inland Empire, temperatures there will reach up to 98 degrees.

In Coachella Valley, there's an extreme heat warning since temperatures are expected to reach up to 113 degrees on Tuesday.

Come Wednesday, temperatures will continue to increase, so make sure to stay hydrated and check in on loved ones.

SEATTLE — This time was supposed to be different.

The U.S. men's national team came into this FIFA World Cup with a lineup full of players with key roles in Europe's top leagues. They had the name-brand coach — Mauricio Pochettino, of Tottenham, PSG and Chelsea fame. And they had homefield advantage, with every game on U.S. soil for the first time in three decades.

For weeks, the hype seemed like it might be real: The team's three wins over Paraguay, Australia and Bosnia-Herzegovina were the most ever by a U.S. men's squad in a World Cup. A new generation of American fans filled stadiums by the tens of thousands and tuned in on TV by the tens of millions.

But in the end, the Americans' exit was the same as it ever was: Eliminated yet again in the Round of 16 at the hands of a European team — this time, Belgium, by a score of 4-1.

From the moment they stepped onto the Seattle field, the U.S. was outclassed by their opponent, No. 9-ranked Belgium. Countless turnovers and defensive lapses were seized on by the Belgians, who needed only nine minutes to take a 1-0 lead.

Then, once the Americans equalized on a free kick by midfielder Malik Tillman, Belgium scored yet again in barely a minute of play. Belgian forward Charles De Ketelaere scored both his team's first-half goals.

After halftime, came an embarrassing nail in the coffin that silenced the Seattle sellout crowd for good — a 57th minute roll-in by Hans Vanaken after a slip-up by goalkeeper Matt Freese outside of the penalty area left the goal unguarded. Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku added a stoppage-time goal to seal the final score at 4-1.

Malik Tillman #17 of the United States celebrates scoring his team's only goal during their World Cup match against Belgium. In what was one of the few bright spots of the game, the U.S. pulled even with Belgium at 1-1. The tie lasted less than two minutes before Belgium scored again.

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The U.S. had entered Monday's game under a cloud of controversy around their striker Folarin Balogun, who was shown a red card in last week's Round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina. An automatic one-game suspension was set to sideline Balogun, the Americans' leading scorer at the World Cup, for Monday's game.

Then, the day before the game, a FIFA disciplinary panel took the highly unusual step of delaying Balogun's suspension by a year to allow him to participate. Then, news broke that President Trump had personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to encourage him to review the red card.

The Royal Belgian Football Association said it would protest Balogun's inclusion in the lineup. But even at full strength, the U.S. were never real contenders in Monday's game.

Belgium will advance to the quarterfinals for the third time in the past four World Cups, where it will face Spain on Friday in Los Angeles.
Copyright 2026 NPR

California could begin testing students as early as kindergarten in math.

Proponents of Senate Bill 1067, including state Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson, say the goal is to identify students who are falling behind in math early so they can get help. More than 60% of California students perform below the benchmark on the state’s standardized math test.

“Math learning is cumulative, and when students fall behind in the early grades it becomes much harder to catch up,” Weber Pierson wrote in support of the bill. “At its core, this bill is about making sure every child builds a strong foundation in math, opening the door to lasting academic achievement, meaningful career pathways, and lifelong success in California’s innovation economy.”

How the law would work

By January 2028, schools would have to choose a math test for kindergarten, first and second grades from a list created by the state’s education department.

The State Board of Education would set the criteria for the test and consider multiple factors, including learning standards for math and how students’ demographic information, including their primary language, may affect their performance.

The state must also provide guidance for educators on how to interpret and explain test results to families. The results could not be used in teacher evaluations, student grades or to identify a disability.

The Senate Appropriations Committee found it would cost more than $100 million to develop and select the test, train educators and provide ongoing support as the policy is implemented.

What are the possible challenges?

Megan Franke, professor of education and vice chair of professional programs at UCLA, said one challenge is that many standardized assessments do not reflect all students' understanding of mathematical concepts.

“Young children solve problems differently than adults do, and they don't all solve problems in the same way at the same time,” Franke said.

For example, a student who doesn't remember the word for “11” may not lack an understanding of the number system, they just may be struggling with the vocabulary.

“Our number system is a little bit wonky, [in] that we don't count ten-one, ten-two, ten-three,” Franke said. “We made up words — eleven, twelve and thirteen.”

Franke said there may also be other reasons why students struggle with standardized assessments, including difficulty using technology or anxiety.

Franke said a single test, or intervention, is not a long-term solution.

“Really, we should be thinking about schools and how we help schools be these places…where they're creating these rich opportunities for each and every student to learn mathematics,” Franke said.

What's next 

The bill passed the state Senate unanimously in May and is now moving through the Assembly. You can sign up to track the bill's progress through the California Legislative Information website.

As Mexico took on England in the World Cup’s Round of 16 on Sunday, fans had one thing to say: “¿Y si sí?”

The chant translates to “What if, yes?” It refers to the swirling hope of: what if the Mexican national team wins the World Cup? What if Mexico breaks (more) historic records? What if?

The saying grew louder after Mexico ended a 40-year curse with a 2-0 win against Ecuador last week. The national team had not won a World Cup knockout game since 1986. Not only did the team advance to the Round of 16 knockout stage, but it did so without conceding a single goal.

Despite Mexico’s 3-2 loss against England on Sunday, “¿Y si sí?” took on a new kind of power for Mexico fans during the team’s World Cup run, especially in Southern California.

What does the phrase mean for fans? 

Jorge Leal, an assistant professor of history at UC Riverside, told LAist the term has grown in popularity in the last couple of weeks.

“It's a way of saying maybe it can happen this time. It gives people a new chant, and it's hopeful,” Leal said. “From being ‘Si se puede,’ which is a great phrase, but it's very tentative, to the ‘¿Y si, sí?’ I think it's a little more affirmative.”

“¿Y si sí?” is more empowering, whereas “Si se puede” is more aspirational, Leal added.

Sebastian Garcia said the phrase started off as more of a joke at the top of the tournament.

“Everyone kind of knew Mexico's history, and it was like it'd be cool, but it wouldn't happen,” Garcia said. “And then, as they started playing and they started winning … you start believing it, and then it kind of takes you over.”

What makes this team different? 

There are many reasons why this Mexican national team differs from previous years.

“We cannot discount that they're playing at home, and that home advantage is huge,” Leal said. “This national team came together with really low expectations. People were very skeptical, myself included. There's a couple really great players, but most of them are young or improving.”

Throughout the global tournament, however, that skepticism turned into optimism.

“This national team has beaten the odds,” Leal said. “We were not expecting much of them, but now we can dream that they're going to beat expectations.”

Nevertheless, Sunday’s loss was heartbreaking, Leal said.

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Why it matters 

Mari Garcia said Mexican Americans, and Latinos overall, have been feeling so much uncertainty in the last year, especially following last summer’s ICE raids.

“Another soccer player, when asked about that phrase, he said ‘¿Por que no?’ (Why not?), and I think that's simply the answer,” Mari said. “(It’s) reaffirming that we are capable of doing anything.”

Mexico’s run was more than 20 days of euphoria that show how unifying global events can be, Leal added.

“We have been in an era that ethnic Mexicans, Mexican Americans, Chicanos, people of Mexican descent - we have been under persecution,” Leal said.

As the World Cup continues on, Leal said, what keeps us from continuing the watch parties and collectivity?

“Obviously, the ones for the Mexican team are much more fun, but … I think in L.A., in a region that sorely needs this type of collective event, we can see how they can bring people together,” Leal said. “It's very bittersweet, but I think that we can … rejoice that it happened, that we lived through this very special three-and-a-half weeks.”