The Brief

Federal immigration officials arrested more than 14,000 people in the greater Los Angeles area in 2025 — the majority of whom had no criminal record, according to an LAist analysis of new data from the Deportation Data Project.

The data project, an initiative between UCLA and UC Berkeley, publishes federal data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.

In 2025, federal officials arrested 14,394 people, up from 4,681 the year prior. Forty-six percent of people arrested had criminal convictions, 15% had pending charges, and 39% had no criminal charges or convictions.

In a December news release, the Department of Homeland Security said it had arrested more than 10,000 people in the L.A. area since immigration raids began in June of last year, including "murderers, kidnappers, sexual predators and armed carjackers,” but did not publish details of the number of people who had criminal records.

The data from the Deportation Data Project shows that arrests in L.A. spiked in June, and about two-thirds of people arrested that month had no criminal convictions.

More than 313,000 people were arrested by ICE nationwide in 2025, according to an LAist analysis.

In a statement, a DHS spokesperson said the agency has not “verified the accuracy, methodology or analysis of the project and its results” and said “this only reveals how data is manipulated to peddle the false narrative that DHS is not targeting the worst of the worst.” The spokesperson said 61% of people ICE arrested across the country either had criminal convictions or pending charges.

The agency has regularly published press releases identifying people they have arrested and who they have called “the worst of the worst,” including from the raids in L.A. in June. But an LAist investigation and reporting from other outlets has found that some of the people on those lists already has been in custody and were serving lengthy sentences.

Small businesses struggling financially have another program they could qualify for to help pay the bills.

The program is for businesses in Council District 1, which includes the neighborhoods of Koreatown, Pico Union, Westlake, MacArthur Park and Highland Park.

Individual brick-and-mortar businesses can qualify for grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, while street vendors can receive about $3,000, according to city officials. A total of $400,000 is available through the program, and applications are now open. 

Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez announced the program’s goal, describing it as a way to support locally owned businesses navigating rising operating costs, shifting customer patterns, and the impacts of recent wide-scale events, like the ongoing immigration raids, along with wildfires, and broader economic uncertainty.

Small businesses struggling financially have another program they could qualify for to help pay the bills.

Who is eligible?

The program is open to independently owned businesses and street vendors located within District 1.

To qualify, businesses must have a valid Los Angeles business license and have been operating in Council District 1 since December 2020, with some flexibility for street vendors. They also need to show they’ve been financially impacted by any largescale events, like the COVID pandemic, immigration enforcement, or the broader economy. Businesses that changed owners can also apply if they’re essentially running the same operation.

How can the money be used?

Grants can be used for daily operational expenses, including rent, payroll, utilities, overhead and other business costs. Roochnik said the funding could also help businesses cover missed rent payments.

Who is running the program?

The grants will be distributed in partnership with the PACE Business Development Center and New Economics for Women. The two organizations provide support to small and immigrant-owned businesses across Los Angeles.

How will recipients be selected?

Funding will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with applications remaining open until funds run out, Roochnik said. 

What’s the goal?

Hernandez said the program is meant to help stabilize neighborhoods that have been affected by immigration enforcement and economic hardships.

“These small businesses are the backbone of our neighborhoods,” she said, adding the funding is meant to help them “stay open, keep workers employed, and continue serving our communities.”

Naomi Villagomez Roochnik, CD1 communications director, said the announcement was made during a press conference at Delicias Bakery and Some, a longtime Latina-owned business in Highland Park. The neighborhood has experienced significant rising rents due to gentrification and the location was meant to highlight the kinds of businesses the program is meant to support.

How to apply:

To apply, small businesses and vendors can complete the application at bit.ly/cd1smallbizsupport.

Is this a one-time program or part of a larger effort?

The grant is part of a pilot program, with the possibility of it expanding depending on demand and outcomes. The council office has launched similar aid efforts in the past, Roochnik said, such as food distribution and rental assistance. 

Businesses that may not qualify for this specific grant can be connected to other resources, according to Roochnik, including the city’s legacy business program, which is for businesses operating for at least 20 years. 

The post Small businesses, vendors struggling against ICE raids, economic uncertainty eligible for up to $10,000 in grants appeared first on LA Local.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon ruled Tuesday that construction on President Trump's White House ballroom "must stop until Congress authorizes its completion."

Using a notable number of exclamation points, Leon said the plaintiff, the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States, is likely to succeed in their lawsuit and therefore he is granting a preliminary injunction to halt construction.

"The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!" Leon wrote.

Leon said however that he will delay the enforcement of the injunction for 14 days because he expects the administration to appeal immediately. He also said he would allow construction to continue for "the safety and security of the White House" – a clear reference to the secure bunker being constructed under the building.

A long-time dream project for President Trump, the ballroom is designed to seat 1,000 guests and will cost at least $300 million, according to estimates by the president. It has generated massive controversy and public pushback, but recently got approval from the Commission of Fine Arts, an architectural review panel now packed with Trump allies. The commission voted to give it a final signoff despite not seeing the final design. It had received more than 2,000 public comments, which according to staff were 99% negative.

The National Capital Planning Commission is set to vote on the ballroom project during a meeting on Thursday.

President Trump responded to the ruling in a social media post complaining that the National Trust for Historic Preservation doesn't appreciate his efforts at "sprucing up" Washington's buildings from the White House to the Kennedy Center.

"So, the White House Ballroom, and The Trump Kennedy Center, which are under budget, ahead of schedule, and will be among the most magnificent Buildings of their kind anywhere in the World, gets sued by a group that was cut off by Government years ago, but all of the many DISASTERS in our Country are left alone to die. Doesn't make much sense, does it?" he wrote.

Leon had previously allowed the construction to continue in a February ruling. In that filing, the National Trust for Historic Preservation argued the president hadn't followed proper procedure in tearing down the East Wing of the White House and soliciting private donations to fund the $300-million ballroom.

In that February opinion, Leon wrote that he wasn't making a determination on the merits because of the way the suit had been framed. He concluded, saying that if the group were to amend its complaint "the Court will expeditiously consider it and, if viable, address the merits of the novel and weighty issues presented."

Copyright 2026 NPR

Fans of Big Bear’s famous bald eagles are watching for signs of new life in Jackie and Shadow’s nest as “Pip Watch” kicks off Tuesday for the feathered couple’s pair of eggs.

A pip refers to the first signs of hatching, usually seen as a small hole or crack on the egg as the chick breaks through the shell and works its way out into the world.

Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit that runs a popular YouTube livestream focused on the eagles' nest, started this season’s “Pip Watch” around 35 days after the first egg was laid.

“That means … it's past the time of development, and it could start hatching any day,” said Jenny Voisard, the organization’s media manager.

As of Tuesday, the second egg is about 32 days old, so it may take a few days for it to start hatching, Voisard said.

Jackie and Shadow's usual incubation timeline is around 38 to 40 days, according to the nonprofit.

Last season, the first egg hatched at around 40 days old, the second egg hatched around 38 days old and the third egg around 39 days old.

“Nature is fascinating to watch, and as the story of each day unfolds, we must remember that foremost, we are fortunate observers into their nest world,” Friends of Big Bear Valley wrote on Facebook to more than a million followers. “They have something important to teach us as humans about the natural world every day.”

How does the 'Pip Watch' process work?

According to the nonprofit, Jackie and Shadow are “incredibly attuned” to their eggs. In the past, they’ve appeared to be able to sense life inside before a crack appears.

During “Pip Watch,” about a day or two before the first mark appears on the outside of the egg, the chick will make an internal pip by piercing the egg’s air cell with its egg tooth, a sharp point on the eaglet’s beak that helps it break through the shell.

“So Jackie and Shadow could potentially feel or hear them,” Voisard said. “We'll look to see if they're kind of looking at the eggs or looking like they're listening as well.”

For example, the eagles may stand up in the nest, cock their heads to the side or lean in toward the nest bowl to hear the faint peeps or scratches coming from inside the uncracked egg shell, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley.

If they feel movement, Jackie and Shadow may stand up more frequently, circle the nest bowl and check the eggs intently for progress.

‘Pip Watch Itch’

Humans have been urged to avoid what the nonprofit calls “Pip Watch Itch” — the urgent need to study the eggs frame by frame and declare every speck of dirt or fluff a pip.

Friends of Big Bear Valley jokes that it “occurs seasonally” and there’s “no known cure.”

“Everything looks like a pip to everybody because the eggs are sticky and they're pretty dirty at this point,” Voisard said. “People [get] worried that it's cracking or it's started hatching because it has feathers stuck to it or dirt or fluff or what have you.”

A confirmed pip site from a previous egg in 2022.

(

Friends of Big Bear Valley

/

YouTube

)

If you suspect a pip, keep watching that spot on the egg. Hatching is an arduous process for the chick that requires a lot of energy, so a real pip will grow and become more obvious over time, according to the nonprofit.

As always, Friends of Big Bear Valley reminds fans that humans can’t predict or control the outcome of the nest. Nature, and the eagles, are in charge.

“It could take a while, so just relax like you're observing every other day on the nest,” Voisard said. “But of course we're excited. I mean, you can still be excited. I think positive thinking is definitely in order.”

Friends of Big Bear Valley will let fans know if a pip is confirmed in either of the eggs, including on the organization’s live recap report and social media accounts.