Immigration advocates and some city officials are raising concerns that roving deportation raids are returning to Orange County – along with worries that citizens are getting wrapped up in the ICE sweeps. 

Garden Grove became a flashpoint in Orange County’s immigration debate this week after council members there took their first steps in potentially creating an immigrant resource hub on the city’s webpage. 

One Garden Grove council member said citizens shouldn’t have to worry about getting caught up in ICE raids, while a couple of his colleagues said the deportation efforts are creating fear in the community. 

Meanwhile, changes could be coming to how county officials track OC Supervisors’ discretionary money after Voice of OC publisher and editor in chief Norberto Santana Jr detailed the tough task of keeping tabs on the spending. 

While discretionary spending gets mulled over, legal payout bills are ramping up at the County of Orange as Supervisors routinely vote to settle lawsuits – nearly $260 million over the past four years. 

People walk and take pictures at the entrance of Disneyland Park in Anaheim on Mar. 16, 2023. Credit: GIL BOTHWELL, Voice of OC

As the county struggles with legal payouts, officials in Anaheim are grappling with rocky budget forecasts, leading one councilwoman to call for a gate tax on Disneyland that could produce up to $164 million in tax revenue – a proposal the city council majority effectively put on ice, for now. 

In neighboring Santa Ana, questions are surfacing over whether a councilman’s social media posts criticizing the police department constitutes harassment or is protected speech after three officers filed complaints against him. 

A failed real estate deal connected to a former OC Supervisor serving a five-year prison sentence for bribery ended up costing the county’s health plan for the poor – CalOptima – roughly $460,000. 

In South County, a popular car show – the largest in Southern California – is drawing some complaints and concerns from nearby San Clemente residents who say people leaving the show are driving recklessly and unnecessarily revving engines.  

Newport Beach approved redeveloping part of a golf course into a surf park, drawing concerns from some residents that the city’s losing open space and shrinking an affordable golf course – while others said the wave pool can provide consistent surfing conditions. 

Spencer Custodio is the civic editor. You can reach him at scustodio@voiceofoc.org. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio.

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