Civics & Democracy

LAist’s coverage of civic life and citizen issues in Southern California. We cover elections, examine who gets listened to and why, and provide a guide for anyone who wants to more fully participate in civic life.

A child holding a folder looks towards the camera as they stand in the distance next to two adults.

California courts will begin tracking ICE arrests at their facilities

The rule being considered comes as immigration arrests rise at state courts, discouraging victims, witnesses and others from showing up, according to lawyers and advocates.

California election officials face false choice: Count votes quickly or count them right

A group of people with multiple USPS boxes filled with ballots inspect and pull from those boxes. They sit in a warehouse.

Billionaire blitz: Steyer’s $132M campaign dwarfs rivals in California governor race

Tom Steyer, a man with light skin tone, gray hair, wearing a dark blue suit, speaks into a handheld microphone as something in the foreground partially covers the frame on the right side.

Rivals target Steyer, Becerra in debate as California governor race tightens

Six people stand behind podiums in a tv studio with lights beaming on them and the background.

Senate votes to kickstart partisan funding process for ICE. Here's how that works

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California senator reappointed as insurance chair despite questions over corruption probe

California Senate leader Mike McGuire reappointed Sen. Susan Rubio as insurance committee chair despite federal bribery probe questions. Rubio denies wrongdoing.
Why Trump’s conditions on LA fire aid put California Republicans in a tough spot

Do they fight for unconditional fight for wildfire victims in their home state? Or fall in line behind President Trump?
LA County’s courts pause past-due debt collections in response to wildfires

Court officials said it's one small way they can provide relief for affected communities.
US judge temporarily blocks Trump's birthright citizenship order

The ruling bars U.S. agencies from implementing the order to end birthright citizenship for children born to migrants in the U.S. temporarily or without legal status while the case is under review.
Trump’s binary gender mandate leaves trans Californians facing mounting risks

President Trump's executive order leaves many nonbinary and transgender Californians grappling with uncertainty about their ability to travel freely.
Trump wants to end birthright citizenship. That's easier said than done

One of Trump's executive orders moves to end birthright citizenship, a right enshrined in the Constitution. Here's what you need to know about the legal principle and its possible future.
Trump calls DEI programs 'illegal.' He plans to end them in the federal government

President Trump has issued sweeping executive actions swiftly ending diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs within the federal government. Already, the work is underway.

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Clock is ticking on Huntington Beach library initiatives

The City Council will wait another month before deciding whether and when to put two controversial library initiatives on the ballot.
We asked all 58 California sheriffs about immigration enforcement under Trump. Here’s what they said

Look up how your sheriff responded to questions about their plans to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
Some San Fernando Valley residents can get up to $500 in wildfire relief

The L.A. City Council set aside $25,000 to help self-employed workers in District 6 who lost income due to the destructive wildfires.
California seeks to block Trump's birthright citizenship order

The lawsuit seeks to block Trump's effort to revoke birthright citizenship, which is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment.
Huntington Beach is tackling libraries — again

The libraries in Huntington Beach are beloved. And they've become a political battleground.

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Civics & Democracy