Thousands of people protested against the ongoing federal deportation sweeps this past Saturday at the No Kings demonstration, with some calling on local cities to do more to protect impacted immigrant communities through aid funds.
While the ICE raids and Customs and Border Patrol sweeps were relatively calm in the early part of October, that all changed after the massive protest as numerous reports of immigration sweeps happened throughout Santa Ana on Sunday.
That prompted residents and activists to push for Fullerton CIty Council members to take a step in creating legal aid and direct aid funds for impacted residents, while scores of other people demanded Santa Ana keep funding its aid program.
In the opposite direction, there’s been failed calls from some local elected officials to direct their police department to work with federal immigration officials and bypass state law – so far, Huntington Beach City Council members are the only ones in OC who have directed their police to work with ICE.
People demonstrate at the No Kings protest in front of Santa Ana’s Centennial Park on Oct. 18, 2025. Credit: JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC
As Santa Ana faces renewed deportation sweeps, small business owners in historic downtown say the county’s street car project is hammering their businesses.
Meanwhile, many protestors last Saturday urged people to vote yes on Prop. 50 – ballot measure asking voters Nov. 4 if they want to temporarily redraw Congressional election maps to benefit Democrats.
Republicans say Prop. 50 undermines voter will by bypassing the independent redistricting commission and silencing some minority voters, while Democrats say it evens the playing field by counteracting efforts in states like Texas that redrew Congressional maps to favor Republicans.
A new state law could mean more resources to the Middle Eastern and North African community because a host of state agencies will now have to collect such ethnic data – a move proponents say will help identify critical social gaps so they can be closed.
Aliso Viejo could see 72 new homes in the small south county town as officials are in the early stages of approving plans for market-rate townhomes.
Fountain Valley is considering stepping away from a privately run ambulance company and folding the services into its fire department in a move city officials say will lead to better response times and increased services.
Westminster Councilwoman Amy Phan West is again at odds with her colleagues, this time for livestreaming public meetings – which the city already does – as some council members say is a distraction and that she shouldn’t be broadcasting while legislating.
Spencer Custodio is the civic editor. You can reach him at scustodio@voiceofoc.org. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio.
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