CalMatters

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We are grateful for CalMatters members, like Valerie, whose donation powers our nonpartisan and independent voter guide and journalism. Please consider an extra gift today when donations can be matched dollar-for-dollar. https://cal.news/4yh8bw6

The number of people held in privately-run immigration detention centers in California has more than doubled since last year, leading to widespread reports of unsafe and overcrowded conditions. Since September, six people have died at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center and the Imperial Regional Detention Facility, both in Southern California. Given the stakes, Californians have a vital interest in knowing what is happening in these facilities, which are run by private, for-profit companies. Instead, the centers are shrouded in secrecy, leading detainees to stage hunger strikes and sit-ins and to throw notes over barbed-wire fences to draw attention to their treatment. It’s unlikely the federal government will increase transparency at the centers anytime soon. But California could shed light on what is happening inside by making a targeted change to its open records law to require local agencies to disclose any 911 calls and related records about the detention centers. Earlier this year, @CalMatters reported that in 2025 the San Diego County sheriff received reports of several alleged sexual assaults at the Otay Mesa immigration detention center. The sheriff’s department didn’t investigate the allegations. Rather, it has an agreement with the center that gives the warden the power to decide if an investigation should be conducted. When reporters asked for records about the cases, citing the California Public Records Act, the sheriff’s department denied their request. It said it did not have to disclose the records because they fall under a carveout in the public records law that protects investigative records — even though the sheriff was not investigating the cases. Important commentary by Paloma Esquivel https://lnkd.in/gzjYE-hq

We are grateful for CalMatters members, like Petra, whose donation powers our nonpartisan and independent voter guide and journalism. Please consider an extra gift today when donations can be matched dollar-for-dollar. https://cal.news/4yh8bw6

Today is CalMatters’ 11th anniversary. Give today to back independent reporting that Californians use to vote with confidence, follow the facts and hold the powerful accountable. Please give today. https://cal.news/4yh8bw6

We are grateful for CalMatters members, like Kathleen, whose donation powers our nonpartisan and independent voter guide and journalism. Please consider an extra gift today when donations can be matched dollar-for-dollar. https://cal.news/4pHfxW9

Your gift will fund independent, spin-free and actually free reporting. Please give today. https://cal.news/4yh8bw6

Seven nurses who answer advice and triage calls told CalMatters that if they spend more than 15 minutes on a call with a patient they can face criticism from management and that surveillance technology and AI may make the problem worse. Nurses said they are pressured to stay under 15 minutes even for calls that typically take more time, like diagnosing a patient with multiple symptoms, chronic illnesses, new parents in need of advice and assurance, people who desire extended health education, or people who are overwhelmed after receiving life-altering news who could use some compassion. Nurses say calls that involve interpreters often take 30 minutes or more. About four in 10 Californians speak a language other than English. Their comments come as the California Nurses Association begins to negotiate a new contract with Kaiser Permanente and California lawmakers consider a number of bills to give workers more information about and protections from AI use in the workplace. See story link in comments. Thanks to Ana B. Ibarra and Lam Thuy Vo for contributing to this story and to Kaiser nurses for sharing your experiences with readers. 📸 by Chad Surmick for CalMatters

We're hiring! Please share this post with your networks. CalMatters and Grist seek a reporter to cover the impacts of climate change in California’s Central Valley, a vibrant and diverse community that serves as the nation’s bread basket while sitting at the center of important climate issues.  You’ll have the opportunity to tell the untold stories of how climate impacts this critical region and whether the state’s policies – climate-related; agriculture-related; water, air, and energy-related – improve outcomes for the people and communities most affected. The salary range for this position is $75,000 to $95,000 per year. Preferred Qualifications Based in California’s Central Valley. Digital storytelling experience. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eKuMWE4A

CalMatters won five of this year’s Golden State Journalism Awards, for public health reporting, criminal justice reporting, education reporting, courage in journalism and impact in journalism. The awards are given by the Sacramento Press Club for politics and public policy reporting across the state. Congratulations to Adam Echelman, Marisa Kendall, Byrhonda L., Sergio Olmos, Anat Rubin, Jocelyn Wiener and Erica Yee! Read more about their award-winning journalism: https://lnkd.in/eXUb9U8j