An unsealed federal search warrant reveals new details about what prompted the dramatic raid at Buona Forchetta in South Park Friday.
Among the revelations:
- Federal agents were targeting 19 workers who they suspected did not have legal authority to work in the United States. Those 19 people did not have criminal records beyond immigration violations, according to the warrant.
- Someone tipped off the Department of Homeland Security in 2020 that Buona Forchetta employed immigrants not authorized to work. The tipster also claimed Buona Forchetta’s owner forced immigrants to work 12-hour shifts without taking a break and verbally abused them. Nothing appears to have happened until January when agents received another tip about the workers.
It’s clear the federal agents were not actually concerned with labor violations, since only kitchen workers — not the bosses — were targeted in the raid, said Brigette Browning, president of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council.
“This is chilling for immigrant workers,” she said. “Now, they’re not going to feel safe to come forward and report employers violating the law.”
Federal agents presented no evidence in the warrant that any of the workers targeted in the raid had criminal histories. But Homeland Security officials have said publicly they are focused on getting dangerous people out of the country.
“ICE is working day and night to remove murders, pedophiles, and gang members from American communities,” Homeland Security posted on X the day after the raid, as 10 News reported.
Browning said the raids are clearly designed to invoke terror — and could also have the impact of shutting down San Diego’s economy.
“It’s like the gestapo. You don’t know when they’re coming or where they’re taking you,” she said.
IB mayor walks back criticism of county sanctuary policy: After county supervisors approved a controversial policy limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, who is running to replace the supervisor who pushed the policy, called it “a mistake” in an interview with Voice of San Diego.
Now, she seems to be changing her tune.
Read Jim Hinch’s post on the shift.
South County Report: A Tale of Two Cities
We’re a month out from a July 1 voting deadline in the race to represent the county’s South Bay communities on the County Board of Supervisors and our Jim Hinch has been covering every angle. He found another to dive into at the contenders’ respective State of the City addresses.
In his latest South County Report, Hinch shares his observations during Chula Vista Mayor John McCann’s big speech last week and Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre’s in January and notes some major contrasts.
The events were heavily scripted – and yet surprisingly revealing, Hinch found.
Read the South County Report here.
PSA: Ballots are hitting voters’ mailboxes this week. July 1 is the last day to vote in the race that will tip the political bent of the County Board of Supervisors.
Voice of San Diego Day
Tuesday was Voice of San Diego Day in San Diego County.
At Tuesday’s county Board of Supervisors’ meeting, Supervisor Joel Anderson recognized Voice’s 20th anniversary with a proclamation acknowledging our focus on local news and our status as the first digital-only nonprofit news outlet.
“Voice of San Diego has continuously reported on the issues that matter most to our community over the last two decades,” Anderson said. “Their team has consistently demonstrated excellence, integrity and innovation in journalism.”
Song of the Week
In Mazes, “Absence is a Crater”: A big part of writing music is figuring out exactly what to play. But what’s perhaps just as important is deciding what not to play. The blissfully vibed out dream pop group In Mazes has that give and take down to a science. The band carefully manicures the negative space, leaving plenty of room to frame its lead singer’s sublimely delicate vocals. “Absence is a Crater,” is a perfect example of the band’s ability to strike that balance. A delicate wash of keys, small guitar and keyboard flourishes and a gentle bass drive forward the hypnotic tune.
This is confident, mature and pretty damn stunning stuff. Don’t sleep on it!
Like what you hear? Check out In Mazes at Space Bar on Tuesday, June 10.
Do you have a “Song of the Week” suggestion? Shoot us an email and a sentence or two about why you’ve been bumping this song lately. Friendly reminder: all songs should be by local artists!
In Other News
- KPBS dug into how a trio of settlements have spurred questions about how National City police handle mental health crises.
- Some City Councilmembers want to maintain city spending on brush management to prevent wildfires amid proposed cuts. (10 News)
- inewsource reports that a City Council committee recently advanced a proposal to bar landlords from overcharging renters for utilities. Our MacKenzie Elmer reported last year on why some San Diego tenants think they’re paying more than their fair share – but lack a way to provide it.
- Uh-oh. A new UC San Diego study revealed the vast majority of freshwater fish caught in SoCal had parasites “capable of infecting humans and causing health problems.” (City News Service)
- The City Council voted Tuesday to increase ambulance costs for private insurers over the next three years. (Times of San Diego)
- The San Diego Police Department’s newly encrypted system means San Diegans can no longer track police activity on scanners. (KPBS)
The Morning Report was written by Will Huntsberry, Lisa Halverstadt and Jakob McWhinney. It was edited by Scott Lewis.