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Policy Briefing

Biweekly Policy Briefing Issue XXVII: Rights and Roadblocks

Hello again.

Here’s a look at what happened this week. (Catch up on our previous installments of this briefing here.)

 

THE FACTS


PHILANTHROPY ON CAPITOL HILL
  • ​​​​On December 12, Giving Tuesday, Representatives Blake Moore (R-Utah) and Danny K. Davis (D-Illinois), members of the Ways and Means Committee, officially relaunched the bipartisan Philanthropy Caucus, restoring a crucial channel for sustained partnership between philanthropy and Congress. The Caucus provides a forum to host discussions and briefings on the dynamic role of philanthropy in society and how philanthropy participates in national policymaking and federal programs across a broad and diverse range of issues and interests.
    • This milestone reflects months of strategic work by United Philanthropy Forum (of which Catalyst is a member and where I serve on the board) to build essential advocacy infrastructure amid rapidly intensifying scrutiny of the sector.
    • All members of the House of Representatives may join the Caucus, and we will visit with members of the San Diego and Imperial County delegations to encourage them to do so.
  • Billionaires Michael Dell and Susan Dell pledged $6.25 billion this week to fund 25 million new “Trump Accounts” — contributing $250 per child age 10 and under — to supplement a government‑led investment program for children’s futures.

 

SAFETY NET & HEALTHCARE
  • The Western Center on Law & Poverty and Impact Fund have filed a class-action lawsuit against the USDA challenging the legality of withholding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during a government shutdown. SNAP benefits were briefly paused during the recent shutdown, affecting 5.5 million Californians. The suit seeks to ensure benefits continue without interruption during any future shutdown.
    • On Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced plans to withhold SNAP funds from states that refuse to provide sensitive personal data on recipients, including immigration status. More than 20 states, including California, have declined to share the requested information. Rollins’ threat to withhold funds violates an injunction the states won in October.
  • This morning, the CDC Vaccine Advisory panel voted 8-3 to do away with the universal recommendation that all newborns receive the Hepatitis B vaccine. Based on the new recommendation, only newborns with mothers who test positive or have an unknown status will receive the vaccine. No subject-matter experts were allowed to speak to the panel before the vote, and the new guidance has raised concerns among public health experts.
  • Negotiations over the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies continue.
    • Senate Democrats are expected to release a plan next week for a three-year extension, with a floor vote set for December 11. Republicans are expected to vote against the bill, making passage unlikely.
    • In the House, a bipartisan group released a different plan on Thursday that would extend the subsidies for two years, but it has not received much buy-in from House GOP leadership.
    • House Majority Leader Mike Johnson is meeting with leaders to finalize a plan expected to be released on Tuesday.
    • The subsidies expire on December 31, and a deal appears increasingly unlikely before premiums rise for millions of Americans who rely on them.
  • Local healthcare systems UC San Diego Health and Palomar Health announced a long-anticipated agreement to form a joint powers authority, with UC Health investing $200 million in the financially struggling Palomar.
    • Palomar Health is the largest public health care district in the state and the leading medical provider in North County San Diego.
    • The deal gives UC Health the first right to acquire all of Palomar’s assets in seven years.
    • Officials said final details will be released once all agreements are signed. While service upgrades and new programs may take months, UC Health is already hiring physicians to expand care at its Escondido hospital.

Implications for funders: The compounded uncertainties around SNAP access, vaccine policy, and the ever-present expiring ACA subsidies could deepen pressure points on community safety-net providers. Funders may need to prepare for higher demand for food assistance, more transparent public-health communication, and support for families facing potential coverage gaps. 

 

IMMIGRATION
  • A large ICE operation targeting the Somali refugee community in Minnesota began this week, heightening anxiety among the nation’s Somali refugee population. The move followed a heated denunciation of the Somali community by the president. In response, the Minneapolis mayor issued an executive order barring federal immigration authorities from using any city-owned property, including parking garages or vacant land, to stage enforcement operations.
    • San Diego is also one of the largest Somali refugee hubs in the country, with a thriving community. Somali Family Service, a Stop the Hate partner in City Heights, is providing culturally and linguistically responsive support to the community. The Somali Bantu Association said Thursday that it is managing 768 active legal cases, including more than 500 involving families at risk of losing their ability to remain in the U.S.
    • New Orleans is also preparing for similar ICE raids in their city after the president announced he would be sending in the National Guard, with a stated goal of arresting at least 5,000 immigrants.
    • Meanwhile, a federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to stop arresting immigrants in Washington, D.C., without a warrant or evidence they pose a flight risk.
    • The Supreme Court may rule by the end of the week on the constitutionality of National Guard deployments in Illinois and Chicago.
    • In San Diego, enforcement intensified in November, with several immigrants detained while attending their green card appointments.
  • Following the shooting of two National Guard members by an Afghan national last week, the Trump administration has stopped all green card and citizenship processing from 19 countries, including Afghanistan, and announced plans to re-interview applicants from those countries.
    • As part of this action, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services halted action on all asylum applications from the “high-risk” countries identified by the President.
  • The ACLU filed a lawsuit seeking improved conditions for detained immigrants at the California City Detention Facility—California’s largest immigration detention center—alleging inadequate medical care and lack of basic necessities.
    • San Diego’s downtown courthouse detention center was (at last) opened to congressional Democrats for inspection in late November, though only three individuals remained in custody at the time. Lawmakers say they will continue pushing for ongoing oversight access.
  • In Los Angeles County, supervisors voted Tuesday to bar law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, from wearing masks or concealing their identities; a second vote is scheduled next week. The measure follows a similar statewide ban enacted earlier this year, but the county rule also applies to state law enforcement, which the statewide law does not cover.
  • The Chula Vista City Council voted 4-1 on November 19 to adopt immigration-related policies that include educating immigrants about their rights, barring federal authorities from entering certain public areas without a warrant, and prohibiting city contractors from sharing employees’ immigration status in support of discriminatory enforcement actions.
  • This week, the California Department of Justice launched a new online portal to help members of the public share information with the department about potentially unlawful activity by federal agents and officers across the state.
    • Federal agents have broad authority to enforce federal laws, including federal immigration laws, but they must do so lawfully and in compliance with the Constitution. The portal, which allows Californians to submit videos and photos, will help the California Department of Justice identify and review potential unlawful conduct by federal agents, such as the use of excessive force.

Implications for Funders: Ongoing legal and policy shifts on immigration are creating uncertainty and heightened needs for immigrant communities. Crackdowns on specific immigrant populations can heighten fear and keep those populations from leaving their homes to access services. Funders can help by supporting immigrant rights organizations, legal aid, community education programs, and initiatives that ensure safe access to services, while monitoring evolving federal and local policies that affect vulnerable populations.


OTHER NEWS
  • The Pentagon introduced a new press corps this week after media outlets staged a walkout earlier this year over rules they said suppressed free speech. The corps is composed mainly of hand-picked far-right outlets, including bloggers and talk show hosts.
    • The New York Times has sued Secretary of Defense Hegseth over the press crackdown in October, asserting that the new Pentagon rules violate the First and Fifth Amendments.
  • The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the gerrymandered Texas congressional maps, which could add five GOP seats to Congress, will be allowed to stand.
    • Indiana has released a draft of new congressional maps that could give Republicans two more seats in their state, joining the growing number of states rushing to gerrymander their maps before the 2026 midterm elections. Here’s where the various battles over redistricting stand.
  • On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced plans to roll back fuel economy standards for new vehicles, which will undergo a public comment period beginning today.
  • Oral arguments are set for Monday in Trump v. Slaughter, a Supreme Court case addressing the extent of the administration’s authority to fire individuals from nonpartisan federal agencies. The case stems from the March firing of Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca Slaughter and could have broad implications for executive power across federal agencies. You can watch a live blog of the oral arguments here.

TAKEAWAYS & RESOURCES

  • Let us know if you want to join us at Sacramento Day on April 7 and 8 by filling out this interest form!
  • Help keep San Diegans housed, fed, and healthy amid unprecedented cuts to publicly funded safety net programs by supporting the San Diego Unity Fund.
  • Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants & Refugees (GCIR) has developed a messaging toolkit to support funders who seek to make the case for supporting immigrants in their grantmaking.
  • Register for CalNonprofits’ December 9 webinar, “The Governor’s Race and the Nonprofit Community” for a deep dive into challenges facing the sector and solutions a new administration can champion.

 

Talk to you soon,

Megan Thomas
President & CEO
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