{"id":33510,"date":"2025-11-01T14:38:14","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T14:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/33510\/"},"modified":"2025-11-01T14:38:14","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T14:38:14","slug":"orange-countys-biggest-headlines-as-fears-of-widespread-ice-raids-heighten","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/33510\/","title":{"rendered":"Orange County\u2019s Biggest Headlines as Fears of Widespread ICE Raids Heighten"},"content":{"rendered":"

Immigration advocates and some city officials are raising concerns that roving deportation raids are returning to Orange County<\/a> \u2013 along with worries that citizens are getting wrapped up in the ICE sweeps.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Garden Grove became a flashpoint in Orange County\u2019s immigration debate<\/a> this week after council members there took their first steps in potentially creating an immigrant resource hub<\/a> on the city\u2019s webpage.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One Garden Grove council member said citizens shouldn\u2019t 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, changes could be coming to how county officials track OC Supervisors\u2019 discretionary money<\/a> after Voice of OC publisher and editor in chief Norberto Santana Jr detailed the tough task of keeping tabs on the spending.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While discretionary spending gets mulled over, legal payout bills are ramping up at the County of Orange as Supervisors routinely vote to settle lawsuits \u2013 nearly $260 million over the past four years<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"People walk and take pictures at the entrance of Disneyland Park in Anaheim on Mar. 16, 2023. Credit: GIL BOTHWELL, Voice of OC<\/p>\n

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<\/a> that could produce up to $164 million in tax revenue \u2013 a proposal the city council majority effectively put on ice<\/a>, for now.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In neighboring Santa Ana, questions are surfacing over whether a councilman\u2019s social media posts criticizing the police department constitutes harassment or is protected speech<\/a> after three officers filed complaints against him.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A failed real estate deal<\/a> connected to a former OC Supervisor serving a five-year prison sentence for bribery ended up costing the county\u2019s health plan for the poor \u2013 CalOptima \u2013 roughly $460,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In South County, a popular car show \u2013 the largest in Southern California \u2013 is drawing some complaints and concerns<\/a> from nearby San Clemente residents who say people leaving the show are driving recklessly and unnecessarily revving engines.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Newport Beach approved redeveloping part of a golf course into a surf park<\/a>, drawing concerns from some residents that the city\u2019s losing open space and shrinking an affordable golf course \u2013 while others said the wave pool can provide consistent surfing conditions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Spencer Custodio is the civic editor. You can reach him at scustodio@voiceofoc.org. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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