Leslie Berestein Rojas
LAist
Pasadena, CA, United States
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Past articles by Leslie:
LA Has About 40 Immigration Judges. Pending Cases: 74,000 And Growing:
The case backlog has jumped by nearly 50 percent in the past two years both locally and nationally. → Read More
LA's Plan To Make Street Vending Legal Has Been Approved. Here's How It Will Work:
The approval came on a 13-0 vote by the City Council on Wednesday. The idea had been working its way through City Hall for years. → Read More
What the latest federal crackdown on border crossings by children means for SoCal
The crackdown on illegal entries by families will have an impact in places like Los Angeles, home to a large community of Central Americans where many aim to settle. → Read More
Audio: FAQ: Why US refugee entries have all but stopped
Since taking office, President Trump has dramatically cut refugee admissions. In one of the latest developments, Iranian refugees who were stranded in Austria en route to the U.S. are suing. → Read More
Audio: LA street vending moves ahead. Here's what you need to know
The move to legalize vendors, more than four years in the making, got City Council approval. It does not include a controversial provision that would have given nearby brick-and-mortar business owners the power to veto vendor licenses. → Read More
Audio: Guide: California bills that would crack down on shady drug rehab practices
Southern California is a hub for substance abuse treatment facilities. It’s a lucrative industry – and this has led to unsavory practices, patient advocates say. → Read More
Audio: The heat of the 90s is alive in Southern California
It's a spring fling with summerlike temperatures in Southern California on Monday. → Read More
Here's what you need to know about where DACA stands
On Easter, Trump tweeted "NO MORE DACA DEAL." So what's the status of people currently protected from deportation by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals? → Read More
Refugee admissions to US have plummeted. Here's what that looks like in SoCal
More than 1,200 refugees from Iran were resettled in Glendale in the last full fiscal year of the Obama administration. In the past six months, the number is 10. → Read More
Audio: Who's Edward Glazer, Trump's Beverly Hills fundraiser host?
Businessman Edward Glazer is hosting President Trump’s tightly-guarded Beverly Hills fundraiser Tuesday in the gated Beverly Park community off Mulholland Drive. → Read More
Audio: Immigration issues drive pro- and anti-Trump rallies as president visits California
The president's visit to Southern California gives those on both sides of the immigration debate a chance to rally for a slew of issues, including DACA and refugees. → Read More
More ICE work site audits underway in LA as enforcement steps up
Federal immigration agents continue to visit L.A. businesses, gathering hiring records to see if any unauthorized immigrants have been hired. → Read More
Audio: Syrian immigrants can keep their protection from deportation — for now
The Trump administration is allowing about 7,000 Syrian immigrants temporarily renew their ability to live in the U.S. legally, but it is unclear what happens next. → Read More
Audio: Both sides blast Trump plan to cut legal family-tied immigration
President Trump proposed allowing DACA recipients reach citizenship while dramatically reducing family-based legal immigration. The proposal may not get far. → Read More
Audio: Rush is on for DACA renewals as the clock ticks in Washington
Seeing a window open, young unauthorized immigrants whose protections are about to expire are lining up for legal help to fill out renewal applications. → Read More
Slideshow: Restricted in jails, ICE pursues unauthorized immigrants in workplaces like 7-Eleven
About 50 advocates rallied outside a 7-Eleven store in L.A.'s Koreatown neighborhood Tuesday to protest recent immigration enforcement sweeps at the convenience stores nationwide. → Read More
Slideshow: National Pfeffernusse Day? The story of a holiday cookie
The small, round, spice-laden cookie is popular in Germany and parts of northern Europe. It's believed to have hitched a ride across the Atlantic with 17th century German immigrants. → Read More
California toughens stance, says employers must protect workers from wildfire smoke
Last week KPCC reported on an earlier advisory that said employers need only "consider" taking steps to protect farmworkers exposed to smoke from the Thomas fire. → Read More
Audio: LA defense fund to help immigration facing deportation gets underway
Legal service providers will receive money from a controversial immigrant defense fund set up with contributions from local government and foundations. → Read More
Audio: Reports of white supremacist hate crimes on rise in LA County
The overall number of hate crimes reported in Los Angeles County in 2016 remained level. But there’s been a shift in who's targeted and who targets, a new county report says. Have a story about hate or bias? Share it as part of a national news project, "Documenting Hate." → Read More