Latest news with #SenateBill54
CBS News
17-07-2025
- CBS News
Border Patrol agents conduct operation at Sacramento County Home Depot, sheriff says
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said that the Border Patrol conducted an operation at a local Home Depot Thursday morning. Officials told CBS Sacramento that they had received a call about armed, masked men in the parking lot of the Home Depot on Florin Road, near Highway 99. Deputies responded to the area and said they were waved down by a woman who said her husband had been detained. Soon after, the sheriff's office said they received a call from Border Patrol saying their agents had been in the parking lot earlier and had since departed. Deputies said they had received another call from a home nearby on "A" Parkway, stating that a masked man had been seen entering their neighbor's house. Additional details about the operation or how many people were detained were not immediately available. The sheriff's office said their units did not assist Border Patrol in any way. Senate Bill 54, also known as the California Values Act, limits state and local law enforcement's involvement in federal immigration enforcement. CBS Sacramento reached out to the Home Depot for a comment.
Los Angeles Times
11-07-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Amid state inaction, California chef sues to block sales of foam food containers
Redwood City — Fed up with the state's refusal to enforce a law banning the sale of polystyrene foam cups, plates and bowls, a San Diego County resident has taken matters into his own hands. Jeffrey Heavey, a chef and owner of Convivial Catering, a San Diego-area catering service, is suing WinCup, an Atlanta-based foam foodware product manufacturing company, claiming that it continues to sell, distribute and market foam products in California despite a state law that was supposed to ban such sales starting Jan. 1. He is suing on behalf of himself, not his business. The suit, filed in the San Diego County Superior Court in March, seeks class action status on behalf of all Californians. Heavey's attorney, William Sullivan of the Sullivan & Yaeckel Law Group, said his client is seeking an injunction to stop WinCup from selling these banned products in California and to remove the products' 'chasing arrows' recycling label, which Heavey and his attorney describe as false and deceptive advertising. They are also seeking damages for every California-based customer who paid the company for these products in the last three years, and $5,000 to every senior citizen or 'disabled' person who may have purchased the products during this time period. WinCup didn't respond to requests for comments, but in a court filing described the allegations as vague, unspecific and without merit, according to the company's attorney, Nathan Dooley. At issue is a California ban on the environmentally destructive plastic material, which went into effect on Jan. 1, as well as the definition of 'recyclable' and the use of such a label on products sold in the state. Senate Bill 54, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021, targeted single-use plastic in the state's waste stream. The law included a provision that banned the sale and distribution of expanded polystyrene food service ware — such as foam cups, plates and takeout containers — on Jan. 1, unless producers could show they had achieved a 25% recycling rate. 'I'm glad a person in my district has taken this up and is holding these companies accountable,' said Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas). 'But CalRecycle is the enforcement authority for this legislation, and they should be the ones doing this.' The intent of the law was to put the financial onus of responsible waste management onto the producers of these products, and away from California's taxpayers and cities that would otherwise have to dispose of these products or deal with their waste on beaches, in rivers and on roadways. Expanded polystyrene is a particularly pernicious form of plastic pollution that does not biodegrade, has a tendency to break down into microplastics, leaches toxic chemicals and persists in the environment. There are no expanded polystyrene recycling plants in California, and recycling rates nationally for the material hover around 1%. However, despite CalRecycle's delayed announcement of the ban, companies such as WinCup not only continue to sell these banned products in California, but Heavey and his lawyers allege the products are deceptively labeled as 'recyclable.' In his suit, Heavey includes a March 15 receipt from a Smart & Final store in the San Diego County town of National City, indicating a purchase of 'WinCup 16 oz. Foam' cups. Similar polystyrene foam products could be seen on the shelves this week at a Redwood City Smart & Final, including a 1,000-count box of 12-ounce WinCup foam cups selling for $36.99. Across the aisle, the shelves were packed with bags of Simply Value and First Street (both Smart & Final brands) foam plates and bowls. There were 'chasing arrow' recycling labels on the boxes containing cup lids. The symbol included a No. 6 in the center, indicating the material is polystyrene. There were none on the cardboard boxes containing cups, and it couldn't be determined if the individual foam products were tagged with recycling labels. They were either obstructed from view inside cardboard boxes or stacked in bags which obscured observation. Smart & Final, which is owned by Chedraui USA, a subsidiary of Mexico City-based Grupo Comercial Chedraui, didn't respond to requests for comment. Heavey's suit alleges the plastic product manufacturer is 'greenwashing' its products by labeling them as recyclable and in so doing, trying to skirt the law. According to the suit, recycling claims are widely disseminated on products and via other written publications. The company's website includes an 'Environmental' tab, which includes a page entitled: 'Foam versus Paper Disposable Cups: A closer look.' The page includes a one-sentence argument highlighting the environmental superiority of foam over paper, noting that 'foam products have a reputation for environmental harm, but if we examine the scientific research, in many ways Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam is greener than paper.' Heavey's suit claims that he believed he was purchasing recyclable materials based on the products' labeling, and he would not have bought the items had they not been advertised as such. WinCup, which is owned by Atar Capital, a Los Angeles-based global private investment firm sought to have the case moved to the U.S. District Court in San Diego, but a judge there remanded the case back to the San Diego Superior Court or jurisdiction grounds. Susan Keefe, the Southern California Director of Beyond Plastics, an anti-plastic environmental group based in Bennington, Vt., said that as of June, the agency had not yet enforced the ban, despite news stories and evidence that the product was still being sold in the state. 'It's really frustrating. CalRecycle's disregard for enforcement just permits a lack of respect for our laws. It results in these violators who think they can freely pollute in our state with no trepidation that California will exercise its right to penalize them,' she said. Melanie Turner, a spokesoman for CalRecycle, said in a statement that expanded polystyrene producers 'should no longer be selling or distributing expanded polystyrene food service ware to California businesses.' 'CalRecycle has been identifying and notifying businesses that may be impacted by SB 54, including expanded polystyrene requirements, and communicating their responsibilities with mailed notices, emailed announcements, public meetings, and workshops,' she said. The waste agency 'is prioritizing compliance assistance for producers regulated by this law, prior to potential enforcement action,' she said. Keefe filed a public records request with the agency regarding communications with companies selling the banned material and said she found the agency had not made any attempts to warn or stop the violators from selling banned products. Blakespear said it's concerning the law has been in effect for more than six months and CalRecycle has yet to clamp down on violators. Enforcement is critical, she said, for setting the tone as SB 54 is implemented. According to Senate Bill 54, companies that produce banned products that are then sold in California can be fined up to $50,000 per day, per violation. According to a report issued by the waste agency last week, approximately 47,000 tons of expanded polystyrene foam was disposed in California landfills last year.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Global Bioplastics Market Set to Reach Valuation of US$ 19.75 Billion By 2033
Bioplastics market is rapidly advancing, driven by regulatory mandates, technological breakthroughs, and strong brand commitments, positioning it as a resilient, scalable, and sustainable alternative to conventional plastics across multiple global industries. Chicago, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global bioplastics market was valued at US$ 7.35 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 19.75 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 11.61% during the projection period of 2025-2033. Lawmakers on every continent are tightening rules on conventional polymers and, in doing so, are setting a sturdy floor for the bioplastics market. The European Union's updated Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, agreed in late-2023, obliges food-service outlets to ensure that all cutlery, plates, and sachets are certified compostable by 2030. Similar momentum can be seen in California, where Senate Bill 54 requires a forty-percent reduction in virgin plastic by the same horizon. These mandates translate directly into pull-through demand: global production capacity for bio-based and biodegradable grades touched 2 ,431.9 kilotons in 2024, up from just under 1 ,600 kilotons five years earlier. Because the rulebooks specify end-of-life criteria—compostability, recyclability, or mandatory take-back—brand owners now treat material choice as a compliance issue rather than a public-relations gesture, locking in multi-year sourcing contracts that stabilize producer margins. Download the Free Sample Pages Featuring Select Insights and Regional Highlights: Beyond headline regulations, incentive structures are becoming more granular. France now grants an extended producer responsibility fee discount of EUR 450 per ton for certified home-compostable packaging, while India lets producers offset mandated plastic-waste collection obligations by submitting proof of bio-based resin usage. These mechanisms compress payback periods for capital-intensive fermenters and polymerization lines, accelerating final-investment decisions. As a result, the bioplastics market is shifting from niche pilot scale toward regulated mainstream supply, with entire sub-segments—quick-service catering items, fruit stickers, and agricultural mulch films—expected to be functionally restricted to bio-based inputs well before decade's end. Continuous policy tightening, therefore, remains the single most decisive force shaping competitive dynamics and technology selection. Key Findings in Bioplastics Market Market Forecast (2033) US$ 19.75 billion CAGR 11.61% Largest Region (2024) Asia Pacific (45%) By Mode of Application Flexible Packaging (33%) By Type Biodegradable Plastics (71%) Top Drivers Rising consumer demand for sustainable packaging across food and beverage industries. Advancements in biopolymer technology enabling broader applications and improved performance. Increased corporate investment in circular economy and renewable material supply chains. Top Trends Rapid adoption of bioplastics in automotive, electronics, and consumer goods. Shift toward non-food, waste-derived feedstocks for bioplastic production scalability. Expansion of biodegradable bioplastics for single-use and compostable packaging solutions. Top Challenges High production costs compared to conventional plastics hinder market competitiveness. Limited industrial composting infrastructure restricts end-of-life bioplastic processing options. Competition with food-based feedstocks raises sustainability and supply chain concerns. Feedstock Diversification Unlocks Stability In Volatile Agricultural Commodity Landscape Worldwide For a decade, critics argued that reliance on first-generation sugarcane or corn starch tethered producers to food-price swings. During the 2022 commodity spike, however, emerging feedstocks such as seaweed hydrolysates, purple non-sulfur bacteria, and forestry side-streams cushioned input inflation. UPM's biorefinery in Leuna, Germany, for example, now converts hardwood lignin into furandicarboxylic acid at a commercial scale, allowing PEF bottle makers to bypass grain-based pathways. Similarly, Indonesian consortiums are scaling sago-pith residues to supply 12 kilotons of thermoplastic starch annually, locking forward prices for five years. This steady feedstock basket has insulated the bioplastics market from the volatility that battered traditional resin buyers during pandemic-era supply shocks. Diversification's second benefit is geographic risk hedging. While drought reduced Brazilian sugar yield in early-2024, algae-derived PHBV output from a new facility in Qingdao met Asian converter demand with minimal freight emissions. Elsewhere, Novamont is piloting carbon-negative PHA sourced from captured industrial CO₂ and vegetable-oil waste, further loosening ties to arable land. Collectively, more than sixty discrete biomass streams are now vetted by the European Bioplastics certification program, versus fewer than twenty a decade ago. Investors read this spread as resilience, which is why biomass-hedged ventures closed financing rounds even as petrochemical projects stalled. Consequently, diversified inputs are no longer an R&D curiosity; they are a decisive cost-containment lever and a competitive moat for fast-scaling players within the bioplastics market. Technological Breakthroughs Elevate Performance Parity With Conventional Petro-Based Plastics Today Early-generation biopolymers suffered from low thermal resistance and moisture sensitivity, limiting adoption to niche film applications. The technology curve has since steepened. In April 2024, researchers at the University of Minnesota demonstrated a glycolic-acid-co-polymerized PLA that withstood 130 °C heat-deflection tests—matching polypropylene oven-ware standards—without compromising compostability. Separately, BASF's ecovio F Mulch generation achieved elongation at break of 490 MPa, a tenfold gain over the 2015 benchmark, enabling mechanical recycling loops in agricultural films. These lab milestones are translating quickly into plant realities: annual production of high-heat PLA surpassed 180 kilotons in 2024, according to European Bioplastics. Processing compatibility is advancing in parallel. Next-wave nucleating agents now allow bio-PE to run on legacy injection-molding screws at throughputs of 1.2 tons per hour, eliminating costly retrofits. Additive packages from Milliken and Clariant suppress hydrolysis during twin-screw extrusion, extending pellet shelf life from six to twenty-four months. Such gains cut hidden operating costs that once deterred procurement teams. Moreover, life-cycle-analysis datasets released in 2024 show that the latest PHA grades deliver cradle-to-gate greenhouse-gas savings of 6.4 kilograms of CO₂ equivalent per kilogram of resin compared with fossil PET, even after accounting for land-use change. Hence, the technology gap with petro-based incumbents is rapidly closing, further intensifying interest in the bioplastics market among converters who previously viewed bio-polymers as technically inferior. Regional Production Clusters Redraw Global Supply Chain Competitiveness Map Now Supply once flowed mainly from a few Brazilian and Thai plants, but the capacity build-out since 2021 has produced distinct regional clusters. Europe leads in research-driven specialty grades: facilities in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Slovakia account for 38 kilotons of PEF bottle resin and nearly the entire global supply of PBS-co-sebacate barrier films. Asia Pacific, by contrast, dominates high-volume PLA and starch blends, with Guangxi and Rayong provinces together housing nine lines that each exceed 40 kilotons per year. North America's Gulf Coast is catching up through sugar-derived bio-PE, leveraging competitive ethanol dehydration units integrated with existing cracker infrastructure. These geographic specializations are not arbitrary; they mirror local feedstock availability, energy prices, and regulatory incentives, driving logistics efficiencies that ripple across the bioplastics market. Trade flows are therefore becoming bidirectional. European converters import Asian PLA for thermoforming trays, while shipping PEF preforms eastward for premium beverage brands. Freight data from Clarkson Research shows that bio-based polymer shipments through the Port of Rotterdam climbed to 1.6 million cubic meters in 2023, triple the volume moved in 2019. Meanwhile, Mexican toll compounding hubs supply US automotive Tier-1s with PHA-glass-fiber composites, slashing lead times by two weeks compared with Asian sourcing. As regional clusters mature, local job creation and shortened supply chains strengthen political support, which in turn feeds a virtuous circle of grants and infrastructure upgrades. The outcome is a more distributed, resilient, and competitive global footprint for the bioplastics market that mitigates single-region disruption risks. Brand-Owner Commitments Drive Demand Across Packaging, Textile, And Automotive Lines Consumer-facing corporations are the loudest amplifiers of momentum. Coca-Cola's 2024 rollout of a 500-milliliter PEF bottle in Germany, with barrier performance enabling a sixty-day shelf life for carbonated drinks, proved that bio-based containers can meet mainstream logistics requirements. Unilever then followed by converting its entire Carte d'Or ice-cream tub range to compostable PLA-PBAT blends, cutting fossil resin use by 10,000 tons annually. In textiles, H&M ordered 1.4 million garments using fermented-sugar-derived EVOH fibers, citing dye uptake advantages and lower micro-plastic shedding. Automotive adoption is also scaling: Stellantis specified PHA interior trim for the 2025 Fiat 500e, leveraging weight reductions that extend driving range by seven kilometers on a single charge. These high-visibility moves generate multiplier effects. Tier-2 packaging suppliers accelerate certification to preserve contracts, while logistics firms invest in temperature-controlled lanes that prevent premature hydrolysis. According to industry tracker Nova-Institut, brand-led off-take agreements underpinned 78 percent of new capacity announcements recorded in 2023—proof that downstream pull, not upstream push, is the primary engine for the bioplastics market. Furthermore, digital traceability systems such as Plastics Pact dashboards now publicly rank each signatory's fossil-plastic reduction progress, adding reputational stakes. As more brands set science-based targets tied to material origin and end-of-life outcomes, the procurement needle is expected to swing even faster toward certified bio-polymers, consolidating demand signals along the entire value chain. Investment Landscape Shows Surging Pilot Plants, M&A, And Joint Ventures Capital flows are matching the commercial buzz. PitchBook logged 3.7 billion in disclosed equity transactions for bio-based polymer start-ups in 2023, more than double the pre-pandemic average. Rather than chasing green premiums, investors emphasize scale readiness and integration. TotalEnergies-Corbion's decision to triple the capacity of its Thai PLA complex came alongside a strategic pact with papermaker SCG, securing barrier-coating expertise. Meanwhile, Solvay acquired Zymergen's PDK intellectual property for an undisclosed sum, aiming to embed chemical recyclability at the molecular level. Corporate venture arms are equally active: Toyota Tsusho led a late-2023 Series C round in Newlight Technologies to secure air-capture-based PHB for future vehicle parts. Pilot infrastructure is maturing as well. Over fifteen demonstration lines between 5 and 20 kilotons per year were commissioned in 2024 across Europe and North America, focused on PHA, PEF, and cellulosic thermoplastics. These semi-commercial units derisk scale-up by generating multi-ton batches for processor trials, closing the historical chasm between lab and market. Debt financiers, traditionally wary of untested chemistries, now view such facilities as proof-of-concept, unlocking project-finance structures previously reserved for biofuels. The funding boom thus equips the bioplastics market with the hardware it needs to meet policy-driven and brand-driven pull, setting the stage for accelerated transition from pilot to full-scale within the next three years. Waste Management Infrastructure Integration Determines True Circularity And End-Of-Life Value Material innovation alone cannot deliver environmental dividends unless matched by end-of-life systems. Municipal composting coverage remains patchy: only 7,300 US communities had curbside organics collection in 2024, while Germany's Bio-Tonne network spans nearly every household. Recognizing this gap, resin producers are co-investing in downstream assets. NatureWorks forged a partnership with GreenDot to build sorting lines that employ near-infrared scanners calibrated for PLA, achieving 92 tons per day throughput. In Japan, Showa Denko's Kawasaki plant now co-processes PHA and PBAT in its thermal recycling kilns, recovering monomers for re-polymerization and cutting incinerator ash by 4,000 tons annually. Policy again acts as catalyst. Italy's 2024 decree allows certified compostable bags to be sold at checkout, provided post-consumer streams feed anaerobic digestion plants. The resulting biogas offsets facility energy use, demonstrating circular carbon loops. Data transparency is improving, too: digital product passports, trialed under the EU's Ecodesign umbrella, track resin grade from pellet to end-of-life outcome, giving regulators the audit trail needed for differential fee structures. By embedding collection and processing capacity into expansion blueprints, the bioplastics market avoids the fragmentation that plagued conventional plastics recycling and, crucially, secures consumer trust in claimed sustainability benefits. Go Beyond the Numbers – Ask Questions in a Live Analyst Session: Forward Outlook Highlights Scenarios, Risks, And Innovation Hotspots Through 2030 Looking ahead, three intertwined forces will define the trajectory of the bioplastics market. First, large-scale biomass fractionation—exemplified by UPM's hardwood-to-FDCA campus—could unlock non-food lignocellulosic feedstocks exceeding 50 million dry-tons annually, establishing a resource base that dwarfs current needs. Second, molecular recycling pathways such as enzymatic depolymerization of PLA are projected to reach commercial status by 2027, enabling closed-loop systems with energy demands half those of virgin production and slashing scope-three emissions. Third, cross-industry collaboration is set to intensify; automotive, electronics, and medical devices increasingly share material platforms, creating unified volumes that improve economies of scale. Risks remain. Feedstock price spikes caused by climate-related crop failures could still ripple through supply chains, and public-perception challenges will arise if composting infrastructure lags behind product rollouts. Nevertheless, ongoing advances in catalytic efficiency, combined with stringent extended producer responsibility schemes, should keep momentum intact. Innovation hotspots to watch include seaweed-derived alginate polyesters, PDK resins capable of infinite depolymerization without quality loss, and bio-aromatic polyamides for high-temperature applications. With regulatory certainty solidifying and corporate demand locked into long-term purchasing agreements, the bioplastics market is positioned to transition from emerging alternative to mainstream materials platform, ushering in a new era of circular-economy competitiveness. Global Bioplastics Market Key Players: BASF SE Biome Technologies plc Braskem Corbion N.V. Danimer Scientific. E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company Eastman Chemical Company Futerro SA Galactic M& G Chemicals Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings NatureWorks LLC Novamont S.p.A. Plantic PTT Global Chemical Public Company Ltd. Showa Denko K.K. Solvay SA Teijin Ltd. Toray Industries Toyota Tsusho Other Prominent Players Key Market Segmentation: By Type: Biodegradable Starch-based Polylactic Acid (PLA) Poly hydroxy alkanoates (PHA) Polyester (PBS, PBAT, and PCL) Other Biodegradable Plastics Non-biodegradable Bio-polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Bio-Polyethylene Bio-Polyamides Bio-Polytrimethylene Terephthalate Other Non-Biodegradable Plastics By Mode of Application: Rigid Packaging Bottles & Jars Trays Others Flexible Packaging Pouches Shopping/Waste Bags Others Agriculture & Horticulture Consumer goods Textile Automotive & Transportation Building & Construction Others By Region: North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa (MEA) South America Still Have Questions? Contact Us for Clarification or a Custom Data Request: About Astute Analytica Astute Analytica is a global market research and advisory firm providing data-driven insights across industries such as technology, healthcare, chemicals, semiconductors, FMCG, and more. We publish multiple reports daily, equipping businesses with the intelligence they need to navigate market trends, emerging opportunities, competitive landscapes, and technological advancements. With a team of experienced business analysts, economists, and industry experts, we deliver accurate, in-depth, and actionable research tailored to meet the strategic needs of our clients. At Astute Analytica, our clients come first, and we are committed to delivering cost-effective, high-value research solutions that drive success in an evolving marketplace. Contact Us:Astute AnalyticaPhone: +1-888 429 6757 (US Toll Free); +91-0120- 4483891 (Rest of the World)For Sales Enquiries: sales@ Follow us on: LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube CONTACT: Contact Us: Astute Analytica Phone: +1-888 429 6757 (US Toll Free); +91-0120- 4483891 (Rest of the World) For Sales Enquiries: sales@ Website: in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oceanside Police won't assist immigration enforcement due to state law
OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Oceanside Police on Friday said there have been some immigration-related operations conducted by federal agencies in the city in recent days and that they will not be assisting with those efforts, citing state law. After protests over federal immigration enforcement raids erupted in Los Angeles and spread nationwide, Oceanside Police confirmed there have been some immigration-related operations conducted within Oceanside recently. San Diego Police Department urges peace, warns against violence in anti-ICE protests While many of the protests have remained peaceful, some have grown tense and led to clashes between law enforcement and civilians, resulting in hundreds of arrests, The Hill reports. The Oceanside Police Department on Friday said they will be following state law, including Senate Bill 54 (SB 54), and will not be participating in immigration enforcement. 'Our department has consistently followed, and will continue to follow, all applicable state laws.' Protests over immigration raids pop up across the US as more planned This comes as protests nationwide, including across San Diego County, are expected to continue into the weekend. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
County law enforcement association responds to protests against ICE raids
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Law enforcement leaders in San Diego County issued a statement on Tuesday as civil unrest continues in Los Angeles and other cities, stemming from immigration-related raids conducted by federal agents. Protesters have clashed with federal agents and law enforcement for the fifth straight day in L.A., influencing a movement in other major cities such as Chicago, Dallas and New York. Raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have happened locally as well, including on May 30 at Buona Forchetta and its sister restaurant in South Park. (Above: Immigration enforcement operation at Buona Forchetta in San Diego's South Park neighborhood on May 30, 2025) Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy, in her position as president of the San Diego County Chiefs and Sheriff's Association, issued a statement about the raids and protests on behalf of the organization, which is comprised of other city police chiefs and law enforcement personnel across the county. The statement said the association is aware of the immigration-related enforcement operations happening across the region and the nation, and it continued to say the departments are committed to 'uphold(ing) justice, preserv(ing) peace and protect(ing) the rights' of the community. Dozens of people have been arrested in L.A. during the protests. Meanwhile, hundreds of Marines and thousands of National Guard members were deployed under the direction of President Donald Trump, including troops based in San Diego. National Guard troops directed to LA ICE protests from San Diego: Bonta 'We understand that recent federal immigration actions have prompted strong emotions and public concern,' Chief Kennedy said in her statement. 'While we support the public's right to free speech and lawful protest, we urge that these expressions remain peaceful,' she added. Local agencies in California, including those represented under the association, do not enforce federal immigration law or question people about their immigration status in accordance with Senate Bill 54, the statement said. Kennedy's statement also went on to say assaults on law enforcement or acts such as looting, vandalism or arson 'will not be tolerated.' 'Should federal authorities request our assistance due to safety concerns, local law enforcement will respond as necessary to ensure the protection of all involved—officers, agents, and members of the public alike,' the statement read. 'This support is strictly for safety and security purposes and does not reflect participation in immigration enforcement.' Other agencies that are part of the San Diego County Chiefs and Sheriff's Association include California Highway Patrol, city police departments, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and others. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
