Inside California Politics: Schiff’s ICE Tour, the Delete Act, and the Trump-Newsom Feud
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Table of Contents
- Schiff reflects on ICE facility tour
- Trump vs. Newsom — WWE-like sparring
- Becker’s Delete Act and the DROP tool
- Why this matters to Californians
Schiff reflects on ICE facility tour
In this week’s Inside California Politics segment, Senator Adam Schiff revisited his role as a California Democratic leader and shared the value of meeting frontline lawmakers to understand funding shifts. Schiff toured California’s largest ICE detention center, the California City Detention Facility, which holds up to 2,500 people. He described the experience as thorough and heartbreakingly human, noting that the vast majority of detainees had not committed crimes beyond immigration status. The exchange with correspondent Eytan Wallace underscored the tension between federal funding cuts and state-level responses.
Schiff also weighed in on health care policy, expressing skepticism about a federal deal on extensions to Obamacare tax credits. He argued that Republicans “don’t want to save it”, and suggested that any bill passing the House is unlikely to survive in the Senate. These points highlight a broader pattern: local governance grappling with national policy changes and seeking bipartisan, pragmatic paths forward where possible.
Trump vs. Newsom — WWE-like sparring
Two political insiders described the ongoing public feud between Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump as “a lot like pro wrestling”—high on spectacle and attention, low on immediate governance shifts. Rob Stutzman framed the exchange as strategic theater, serving Newsom’s national ambitions while keeping scrutiny focused on California politics. Andrew Acosta echoed that view, calling the routines an act that does not directly alter state policy, yet shapes how voters perceive leadership during a volatile national backdrop. Davos-era headlines amplified the spotlight, raising questions about whether such theatrics help or hinder long-term goals for both leaders.
Becker’s Delete Act and the DROP tool
State Senator Josh Becker discussed the Delete Act, which underpins California’s DROP—the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform. From Jan. 1, Californians can request deletion of data held by brokers, with a deadline for brokers to remove the information within 90 days after Aug. 1. Becker noted that >150,000 residents had already signed up within weeks, signaling strong public demand for control over personal data. He framed the effort as a simple, user-friendly approach to privacy: “We have to make it easy for people to exercise that right.” Becker also emphasized the broader public-safety angle—reducing opportunities for scammers who buy personal data—and outlined future work to identify what additional information data brokers collect, including sensitive categories such as immigration status or biometric data.
The policy has won support from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Newsom, while drawing opposition from “Big Tech” coalitions and business groups warning of potential regulatory duplication with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The conversation signals a broader trend toward clearer, more actionable privacy rights for Californians.
Why this matters to Californians
For readers, the episode highlights a few practical takeaways: (1) human impact remains a central driver in immigration policy debates at the state level; (2) privacy rights are increasingly actionable, with a growing expectation that individuals can control personal data across brokers; (3) national headlines can influence local political dynamics, but day-to-day governance—budgets, healthcare, and privacy protections—continues to shape lived experience. The juxtaposition of policy detail and theatrical leadership offers a compelling lens on how California navigates federal flux while building durable, citizen-friendly policy.
To read the full segment, visit the original piece: Inside California Politics — Jan. 24, 2026.
Source: https://fox40.com/inside-california-politics/inside-california-politics-jan-24-2026/
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