Let’s not mince words: the Trump administration is occupying the streets of California.

From over-the-top ICE raids in San Diego to deploying the National Guard and Marines to L.A., President Trump has escalated a war of words into a real battle, with soldiers, weapons, and lives on the line.

This is political retribution dressed up as policy. A dangerous stunt meant to terrorize, divide,  and distract from the policies that will drive more homelessness, hunger, and hardship across America, including right here in San Diego County.

But you and I see through it. And we don’t have to play along.

There’s a lot to say about the cruelty of Trump’s immigration and militarization agenda. But today, I want to focus on what they’re hoping you won’t notice.

They’re Sending Soldiers - But We Sent the Check.

Guess who’s paying for these ICE raids, detention centers, and militarized crackdowns?

We are. You and me. 

California sends $126 billion more in taxes to Washington than we get back — more than any other state. That’s $3,239 EXTRA per person every year — paying more than our share, and getting shortchanged in return.

Our tax dollars fund health care and housing in anti-immigrant red states. And now they’re being used to send federal agents into our neighborhoods.

Pentagon records show the National Guard deployment during the L.A. protests cost over $134 million — paid with dollars we helped supply.

We didn’t vote for this.

More Raids, Less Aid

As if that weren’t enough, Congress just passed a federal budget that guts the services we do need. The “Big Beautiful Bill” that just passed in the House of Representatives will:

• Make it more painful for San Diegans to get medical treatment (by slashing Medicaid)

• Make it more difficult for San Diegans to pay rent (by slashing housing assistance)

• Make it more challenging for San Diego families to avoid going hungry (by slashing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other food aid)

• Make it harder for San Diego veterans to receive care

As acting Chair of the Board of Supervisors, I can tell you that this will have a direct effect on our ability to serve you. The federal dollars being cut is money that would normally go to San Diego County. For our communities, that means:

• Less housing for unsheltered veterans

• Cuts to mental health and addiction treatment

• More strain on working families

Meanwhile, those same tax dollars are funding militarized crackdowns on our neighbors.

How Are We Fighting Back?

In my State of the County address, I warned this moment would come — when our values like due process and equal justice would come under assault.

Now it’s here.

The federal government is gutting the very programs that hold our communities together, while using our own tax dollars to fund militarized crackdowns in our neighborhoods.

But San Diego doesn’t have to stand still. We can’t wait to be rescued. We must do what Californians have always done when Washington turns its back: step up and take care of each other.

That’s why I’m working with leaders across our region to explore a potential local revenue measure to fund what matters in our community: housing, healthcare, fire safety, first responders.

We trust our community to invest in our own future, even when Washington won’t.

Your ability to see a doctor, pay rent, or send your child to school safely shouldn’t be collateral damage.