Newsom’s wildfire relief fund diverted $14 million toward managing anti-ICE riots, records show
California's wildfire relief fund, intended for victims of the January 2025 fires, has seen over $14 million diverted to manage anti-ICE protests instead. Records reveal that a significant portion of the funds was used for crowd control during demonstrations in Los Angeles, which were sparked by immigration enforcement actions. Despite the allocation of billions for disaster recovery, much of the funding remains unspent and has not reached those affected by the fires.
- ▪Over $14 million from California's wildfire relief fund was diverted to manage anti-ICE protests.
- ▪The California Department of Finance records show that $12.8 million was spent on police deployment for these demonstrations.
- ▪Despite a $2.5 billion relief package, approximately $895 million remains unallocated for fire victims.
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Millions of dollars earmarked for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) wildfire relief fund, which was meant to help victims of the January 2025 fires recover from the devastation, went instead toward unrelated expenses, including more than $14 million diverted to controlling crowds during California’s anti-deportation protests the following summer. According to California Department of Finance records, $12.8 million of the Los Angeles wildfire response and recovery funds were used to pay for the deployment of California Highway Patrol officers sent to police demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement in downtown LA last year.
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