The U.S. Supreme Court last week issued three major immigration-related decisions that will significantly impact immigrants across San Diego.
The court’s decisions on three pivotal immigration cases advance the Trump administration’s ability to proceed with some of its most controversial actions.
Green card holders: One case deals with green card holders, or permanent residents. A green card holder from China, visited his home country while he had a pending criminal trademark case that had not yet been adjudicated. On his way back into the U.S., customs officers changed his permanent residence status because of his pending charges. He may end up getting deported.
The court sided with ICE, saying customs officers don’t need to have clear and convincing evidence to determine if someone committed a crime and can be deported, even if the person hasn’t yet been found guilty or not guilty.
Asylum seekers: Another ruling targeted the government’s practice of “metering,” which involves turning away asylum seekers as they approach ports of entry to request legal protection. Lower courts had previously ruled that border officials have a legal obligation to process asylum seekers, but the Supreme Court disagreed.
Border officials don’t have to process asylum cases unless they physically step foot on U.S. soil, and if border agents physically block someone from stepping into the U.S., the government is not legally required to inspect or process them for asylum, the court ruled.
Temporary protected status: Finally, the court is allowing the administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for humanitarian visa holders from Haiti and Syria. Justices ruled that federal law doesn’t give courts the power to review executive branch decisions regarding TPS unless a specific constitutional question is raised.
Guv’s Deal Neuters State Supe Role
Longtime San Diego Unified Trustee Richard Barrera is on a glidepath to become California’s next State Superintendent of Public Instruction. But unfortunately for him, Governor Gavin Newsom has struck a deal to drain much of what little power was left in the position.
A bill expected to be approved in the coming days would create a new Director of Education position. The director would be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the State Senate. The person would oversee the Department of Education, previously the purview of the state supe. They would also oversee an effort to find other inefficiencies in the state’s education systems.
Under the new plan, the state supe role would become even more ceremonial than it already is. The bill describes the state supe as “the independently-elected nonpartisan voice for the public interest in the governance of the state’s educational system.” The state supe would become one voting member of the state’s Board of Education and also act as an independent evaluator answering to the legislature.
The bill would go into effect Jan. 15.
The move doesn’t come as a surprise. Many have argued California’s system is convoluted and ripe for inefficiencies. But it comes as frustrating news to Barrera, and teachers unions, some of which already dropped $5 million on his run.
Here’s the kicker: The bill the new deal is based on was authored by fellow San Diegans, Assemblymembers Darshana Patel and David Alvarez.
On This Day
Did you know that as Americans celebrate independence from Britain this 4th of July, people from the Philippines will be celebrating their country’s independence from the United States?
San Diego is home to one of the largest Filipino populations in the county, as KPBS reported.
Spain gave the U.S. control of the Philippines in 1898. Filipinos, though, were denied U.S. citizenship and faced racial segregation and discrimination. They ultimately obtained their independence eighty years ago on July 4, 1946.
In Other News
- A 70-year-old man is suing the city of San Diego for $35 million. Disturbing video shows the man tripping over raised parking meter bolts in Hillcrest. The man broke his neck and back and is suing to receive 24-hour care, as well as to force the city to maintain its sidewalks, his lawyer said. (CBS 8)
- Encinitas leaders decided not to apply for a $4 million state grant to move homeless people from encampments into long-term housing, saying the money may come with “strings attached” and may not align with their perspectives. (Union-Tribune)
- Related: The grant is part of the state’s Encampment Resolution Fund, which we previously reported on. Oceanside and Carlsbad received a joint grant to move homeless people into housing a couple years ago, and so far, the experiment has been very successful. Read more about it here. (Voice of San Diego)
- The military is searching for a Camp Pendleton-based U.S. Marine who went missing during a training exercise off the coast of Southern California. (KPBS)
- San Diego will soon reduce late-night and early-morning hours at 35 coastal parking lots and establish new four-hour time limits at two popular Ocean Beach parking lots. (Union-Tribune)
- Fourth of July is this weekend. Here’s how San Diego is planning to celebrate. (Union-Tribune)
The Morning Report was written by Tigist Layne and Jakob McWhinney. It was edited by Will Huntsberry.