A UC Santa Cruz graduate student from China was abruptly ordered to leave the U.S. in April after his visa and work authorization were revoked without explanation, one of hundreds of cases affecting international students nationwide. His status was restored by the end of the month, but he says the ordeal cost him thousands in lost income and legal fees.
The Trump presidency and Santa Cruz County
News and opinion coverage of reaction in Santa Cruz County to the election of Donald Trump to a second term as president, plus news from around California via Lookout’s content partners.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Medicaid work rules could leave a million Californians with no health insurance
A proposal in Congress would require some adults to document 80 hours a month of work or school. Experts say the red tape and paperwork is so cumbersome that even people who work will lose their health insurance.
Posted inEducation
Trump’s research cuts drive young UCSC astronomers to leave U.S. in search of academic careers
Facing deep federal research funding cuts and a tightening academic job market under the Trump administration, several UC Santa Cruz astronomy Ph.D. graduates are heading abroad to pursue their careers — a shift that students and faculty say reflects growing fear and frustration within the U.S. scientific community.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Watsonville resident detained by immigration officials outside home Tuesday, advocacy group says
A Watsonville resident was arrested by federal immigration officials outside of their home Tuesday morning, according to grassroots organization Your Allied Rapid Response. The arrest did not appear to be part of a larger raid in the area.
Posted inEducation
As UCSC reduces its budget, German, Persian language courses face elimination
The UC Santa Cruz administration is moving forward with a three-year budget plan intended to decrease deficits and face hard times overall. While few of the cuts are so far public, the campus’ well-regarded Languages and Applied Linguistics department’s cuts are now clear.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County lawmakers bemoan erosion of social safety as state cuts, Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ budget bill progress
Santa Cruz County faces deep cuts to health and housing programs as state and federal budget proposals threaten critical funding, compounding local strains such as FEMA’s $90 million unpaid disaster tab. Officials warn more service reductions could follow later this year.
Posted inEducation
Immigrants learn English for free at California colleges. Under Trump, some are skipping class
California’s ESL courses gained 30,000 students over the past six years. As the Trump administration revokes student visas and escalates immigration raids, that growth is at risk.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Local immigration advocates warn that Trump’s $1,000 self-deportation incentive sends misleading message
The Trump administration announced it will be offering undocumented immigrants $1,000 to voluntarily leave the United States. Local immigration lawyers say the new policy sends a misleading message and is just another strategy to increase deportations.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Researchers wanted to understand concerns with batteries in Moss Landing. Their funding just got yanked.
Among the many federal grants canceled by the Trump administration are two related to the Central Coast community that hosts a huge energy storage facility.
Posted inEducation
How Trump’s proposed spending cuts could affect education funding in Santa Cruz County
After President Donald Trump released his proposed federal budget, school officials across the country, and in Santa Cruz County, began estimating what services and programs they could potentially lose funding for. The federal budget won’t be finalized for months but the proposal presents a grim outlook.