Donald Trump

Firefighters use a hose to put out the flames of a burning house. Flames and fire sparks illuminate the night sky and atmosphere.

Commentary

Who’s seeking fire aid for Los Angeles, candidate Newsom or Gov. Newsom?

President Trump and Republicans in Congress last week ignored Gov. Gavin Newsom's requests for fire aid. Newsom has been critical of them recently.

By Dan Walters • December 9, 2025

A group of officers, dressed in full tactical gear and wearing face masks, stands in the roadway of a neighborhood street during the middle of the day. In the foreground, we can see over the shoulders of a couple of people as they point to the officers, with one of the officers visible between the two people.

Justice

‘We may be deporting the wrong people’: New poll shows doubts about immigration crackdown

A new poll shared exclusively with CalMatters adds to a slate of recent surveys suggesting Californians’ support is waning for Trump’s harshest immigration enforcement policies.

By Wendy Fry • December 5, 2025

A person wearing shaded glasses stands next to a railing, with a city skyline in the background, out of focus.

K-12 Education

California students with disabilities face ‘terrifying’ special ed cuts after Trump changes

Trump has cut funding to Medicaid, which pays for many services for students with disabilities. He also gutted the Office of Civil Rights, which helps enforce disability law.

By Carolyn Jones • December 4, 2025

Three people work on disassembling a bright orange tent next to a wall with a mural covered in colorful graffiti. Shopping carts and other personal belongings can be seen nearby.

Homelessness

Lawsuits challenge Trump administration’s radical homeless policy changes

Gov. Gavin Newsom, Santa Clara County and San Francisco are suing the Trump administration over a huge shift in homelessness policy.

By Marisa Kendall • December 3, 2025

A person carries a large plastic bucket filled with produce on their shoulder while working in a field of green crops during harvest. Surrounded by others bending over the plants, the individual wears a long-sleeve shirt, hat, and face covering for sun protection.

Economy

‘They still need care’: Why California migrant workers are avoiding medical clinics

Fearful of sharing sensitive information, California farmworkers started staying away from mobile medical clinics after President Trump took office. “There’s a lot of distrust,” said a doctor in Fresno County.

By Larry Valenzuela • December 1, 2025

A close-up view of a table covered with colorful informational materials and stickers related to immigration services and campus organizations. In the center are square stickers for the Undocumented Community Center (UCC), featuring a stylized bird and wavy background. To the left is a pink and teal UCC hummingbird sticker, and to the right are College of San Mateo Bulldogs stickers. Various round buttons, brochures about free immigration legal services, and Spanish-language flyers are spread across the table.

Higher Education

Misinformation spreads as Trump moves to cut aid for some California students

The Trump administration is suing California, asking the state to end its policies allowing students without legal status to access in-state tuition and financial aid. But the administration's legal argument is weak, according to top legal experts.

By Adam Echelman and Mikhail Zinshteyn • November 26, 2025

Exterior view of the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building, with large metallic signage above the entrance and tall glass windows reflecting nearby structures. In the foreground, two dark geometric sculptures frame the walkway leading to the building’s doors.

Justice

He was building a life in San Diego. Then he got a one-day notice for an ICE check-in

The U.S. deported just five immigrants from Turkey in the 2024 federal budget year. One Turkish immigrant now fears deportation after being summoned to a San Diego ICE office.

By Wendy Fry • November 26, 2025

A ground-level view of field workers picking watermelons in a green field filled with vines behind a tractor pulling a conveyor belt.

Economy

How fear of Trump’s immigration blitz is changing life in California farm towns

Tax receipts are down almost 30% in one California farm town, where immigrants are afraid to go out and some longtime workers are weighing self-deportation during the second Trump administration.

By Nigel Duara • November 24, 2025

Denise Padgette, of the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, holds her granddaughter Lola Lopez during a celebration of California Native American Day at the state Capitol on Sept. 22, 2023. Photo by Miguel GUtierrez Jr., CalMatters

Commentary

Gov. Newsom and Pres. Trump tell the same inadequate tale about Native America

Political leaders talk about “heritage” but not “sovereignty” and see Native tribes as part of the past, not as governments operating now.

By Kerri Malloy • November 24, 2025

Three students walk across a schoolyard holding hands while other children gather and play in the background near portable classrooms and basketball hoops.

K-12 Education

Will California’s new K-12 antisemitism law make up for Trump’s civil rights cuts?

The new law aims to educate school staff and investigate discrimination complaints. It stems from a surge in antisemitic incidents in California following the Israeli attacks on Gaza in 2023.

By Carolyn Jones • November 21, 2025