Why so many incarcerated people are fighting L.A.’s wildfires

Summary

Apple News Today: Episode Summary - "Why So Many Incarcerated People Are Fighting L.A.’s Wildfires"

Release Date: January 14, 2025 | Host: Shemitah Basu

---

1. Southern California Wildfires and Incarcerated Firefighters

Overview of the Wildfire Crisis

In the latest episode of Apple News Today, host Shemitah Basu delves into the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Southern California over the past week. These fires have obliterated entire communities, and while firefighters are making headway, forecasts of dangerously strong winds threaten to reverse their progress and endanger more areas.

Collaborative Firefighting Efforts

The scale of this disaster necessitates a massive, coordinated response. More than 15,000 individuals are actively involved in firefighting, hailing not only from California but also from neighboring states, Canada, and Mexico. Governor Gavin Newsom highlighted the international support, stating:

Gavin Newsom [01:05]: "Yeah, we're blessed. Prime minister in Canada called, reached out, Foreign minister in Mexico, reached out, offered assistance. You're seeing that assistance right here from Mexico. Our Canadian partners are coming in Monday. We have all the Western states that are providing mutual aid."

Incarcerated Individuals on the Front Lines

A significant and noteworthy aspect of the firefighting force comprises nearly 1,000 incarcerated individuals who are actively battling the fires. This group constitutes about 10 to 15% of California's firefighting personnel. These incarcerated firefighters are technically volunteers, receiving a modest compensation of five to ten dollars per day, plus an additional dollar per hour during active firefighting. Participation requires acceptance into a specialized training program.

Voices from Within

Amica Mota, a formerly incarcerated firefighter, shared her experiences:

Amica Mota [02:04]: "Working as a firefighter in prison was a very coveted position. It was hard to kind of get accepted."

Despite the allure of potentially reducing sentence time, Mota underscores the harsh realities:

Amica Mota [02:10]: "Our skills are so valued where we are right then, and then we're just, you know, worthless and not recognized as folks that are worthy of maintaining these jobs later down the line when we come home."

The Marshall Project highlighted the ethical dilemmas faced by these individuals. While the volunteer firefighter program offers the best employment opportunity available behind bars, the low pay and dangerous conditions pose significant risks.

Barriers to Post-Incarceration Careers

California state law presently prohibits former felons from obtaining EMT licenses, a requisite for most municipal firefighting positions. Although Governor Newsom's 2020 legislation aimed to ease these restrictions by facilitating the expungement of certain criminal records, critics argue that the reform has fallen short in aiding a substantial number of former inmates.

Royal Ramey, another former incarcerated firefighter, emphasizes the program's benefits:

Royal Ramey [03:30]: "Our skills are so valued where we are right then, and then we're just, you know, worthless and not recognized as folks that are worthy of maintaining these jobs later down the line when we come home."

Conclusion on Firefighting Efforts

The inclusion of incarcerated individuals in firefighting efforts underscores both the potential and the challenges of leveraging inmate labor in crisis situations. While it provides valuable skills and compensation, systemic barriers hinder long-term career prospects, leaving many to question the ethical implications of such programs.

---

2. President Biden's Foreign Policy Legacy

Biden's Final Foreign Policy Speech

Shifting focus to national and international affairs, Shemitah Basu explores President Joe Biden's foreign policy achievements and challenges as he approaches the final week of his administration. During his concluding foreign policy address, Biden proclaimed:

Joe Biden [04:30]: "I've increased America's power at every dimension. We increased our diplomatic power, creating more allies the United States has ever had in the history of our nation."

Key Foreign Policy Milestones

Biden's tenure has been marked by three major international crises:

1. Chaotic Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Despite achieving the goal of ending America's longest war, the withdrawal process was marred by chaos, resulting in the deaths of over a dozen U.S. troops and 170 civilians.

2. Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Biden fortified international support for Ukraine, though the administration has faced criticism for either overextending or not doing enough. NPR’s Greg Mury noted shifts in the perception of Biden’s handling of the war:

   Greg Mury: "In Washington, Biden is now facing pushback from Republicans about his Ukraine policy. The Ukrainians feel the US has been too cautious holding back weapons or restricting their use... Ukraine is struggling to hold the front line now."

3. Hamas’s Attack on Israel and the Gaza War: The ensuing conflict has resulted in over 46,000 Palestinian casualties. Biden's administration claims progress toward a ceasefire, yet faces backlash domestically for its staunch support of Israel.

Diplomatic Achievements and Criticisms

While Biden asserts that the U.S. has strengthened alliances and diminished adversarial threats without engaging in new wars, critics point to the Afghanistan withdrawal and ongoing conflicts as blemishes on his legacy. Governor Newsom echoed concerns about the Ukraine situation, highlighting both support and frustration from international partners.

National Security Perspective

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan defended Biden’s foreign policy during an interview on PBS NewsHour:

Jake Sullivan [08:00]: "Are our alliances stronger than we found them four years ago? Yes. Are our enemies and competitors weaker than when we found them four years ago? Yes. Have we kept the United States out of war? Yes. Are the basic foundations of American power more robust and resilient today than four years ago? Yes. So I believe we are handing off a very strong hand to the next team."

Legacy and Future Implications

As Biden concludes his term, the fundamental question remains: How will the incoming administration, led by President-elect Trump, navigate and possibly recalibrate the foreign policies established over the past four years? The episode underscores the complexity of legacy-building in the realm of international relations, where achievements are often interwoven with ongoing conflicts and shifting global dynamics.

---

3. Trump's Cabinet Nominees Face Scrutiny

Confirmation Hearings Begin

Turning to domestic politics, Apple News Today reports that confirmation hearings for former President Donald Trump's cabinet picks have commenced. The spotlight is on Pete Hegseth, the military veteran and former Fox News host nominated for Defense Secretary.

Controversial Nomination of Pete Hegseth

Liz Goodwin from The Washington Post provides insight into Hegseth’s tumultuous nomination journey:

Liz Goodwin [09:00]: "I think Hegseth probably has had the most kind of roller coaster journey."

Hegseth has faced multiple allegations, including:

• Sexual Assault Accusation: Hegseth admitted to paying an undisclosed sum to a woman who accused him of sexual assault at a Republican conference in 2017.

• Professional Misconduct: Former colleagues from veterans groups and Fox News have accused him of financial mismanagement, excessive drinking, and sexism, as reported by The New Yorker.

Despite these allegations, Hegseth maintains his innocence. Trump's allies have actively defended him, even targeting Republican senators who expressed doubts about his suitability.

Liz Goodwin [09:59]: "You started seeing other senators who would raise questions about his past drinking and things like that, saying, you know, I met with him one on one. Now I don't have these concerns. And people just really started getting in line and he just kind of brought himself back from the dead, really."

Challenges Ahead

With Republicans holding a Senate majority, Hegseth needs to secure at least three additional votes from Democrats or independents to pass. Goodwin anticipates a challenging path for his confirmation:

Liz Goodwin [10:23]: "Still, while Republicans hold a majority in the Senate, Hegseth could only afford to lose three of their votes if Democrats and independents don't back him."

Other Cabinet Nominees

While Hegseth faces significant hurdles, other Trump nominees are on a smoother trajectory:

• Marco Rubio: Viewed as a trusted figure among senators.

• Elise Stefanik: Nominated as UN Ambassador, expected to receive bipartisan support.

Additional nominees facing scrutiny include Cash Patel (FBI), Tulsi Gabbard (Director of National Intelligence), and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Health and Human Services), though these figures are not as beleaguered as Hegseth.

Conclusion on Nominee Proceedings

The Senate's progression through Trump’s cabinet nominees is anticipated to span several weeks, with varying degrees of difficulty based on each nominee's background and political support. The confirmation process remains a critical battleground for shaping the incoming administration's policies.

---

4. Additional International and Domestic Developments

While the episode primarily focuses on Southern California's wildfires, Biden's foreign policy legacy, and Trump's cabinet nominations, it also touches on other notable stories:

• Lebanon’s New Prime Minister: Nawaf Salam, a respected judge and attorney, was appointed as Lebanon’s next prime minister, signaling a political shift away from Hezbollah’s dominance.

• Release of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Report: A federal judge permitted the release of the first part of the report concerning Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, with further hearings scheduled.

• Inauguration Day Performances: Country star Carrie Underwood is set to perform, reflecting a slight warming of the music industry's stance towards Trump.

---

Conclusion

In this episode of Apple News Today, Shemitah Basu navigates through critical issues ranging from the valor and challenges of incarcerated firefighters combating Southern California's wildfires to the intricate dynamics of President Biden's foreign policy legacy and the contentious confirmation of Donald Trump's cabinet nominees. The episode provides a comprehensive overview of pressing societal and political matters, enriched with firsthand accounts and expert analyses, making it a valuable listen for those seeking an in-depth understanding of current events.

Transcript

[Shemitah Basu]

Good morning. It's Tuesday, January 14th. I'm Shemitah Basu. This is Apple News today. On today's show, the defining global crises that are part of Biden's foreign policy legacy. Trump's cabinet picks face scrutiny on Capitol Hill and a big name performer for Inauguration Day. But first to Southern California, where wildfires have leveled entire communities over the past week. While firefighters are making progress, dangerously strong winds in the forecast could halt that progress and threaten even more communities. Battling a disaster of this magnitude requires a lot of hands on deck. More than 15,000 people are part of firefighting efforts, and not all of them are from California. Some are from nearby states, others from Canada and Mexico. Here's Governor Gavin Newsom speaking on Saturday.

[Gavin Newsom]

Yeah, we're blessed. Prime minister in Canada called, reached out, Foreign minister in Mexico, reached out, offered assistance. You're seeing that assistance right here from Mexico. Our Canadian partners are coming in Monday. We have all the Western states that are providing mutual aid.

[Shemitah Basu]

Private firefighters are also on the ground, employed by wealthy Los Angeles residents and in some cases insurance companies to protect property. One notable group among the firefighting personnel right now is incarcerated people. There are nearly 1,000 imprisoned people out on the front lines battling multiple fires for the past week. About 10 to 15% of California's firefighting force is made up of incarcerated people. Incarcerated firefighters in California are technically volunteers. They choose to join the fire program. They do get paid about five to $10 a day, plus an extra dollar per hour in active fires. They also have to be accepted to specialized training program before they're sent out.

[Amica Mota]

Working as a firefighter in prison was a very coveted position. It was hard to kind of get accepted.

[Shemitah Basu]

That's Amica Mota, a formerly incarcerated person who worked as a firefighter in California. Speaking to now this, Mota says that convicted people can shave time off their sentences for volunteering, which she says is a big reason a lot of prisoners try to get into these programs. But despite that, she says the low compensation and dangerous conditions are a steep price to pay. And while some prisoners volunteer in the hopes of securing a career in firefighting when they get out, a California state law barring former felons from obtaining EMT licenses, which is a requirement for most municipal firefighting jobs, has prevented many incarcerated people from doing that.

[Amica Mota]

Our skills are so valued where we are right then, and then we're just, you know, worthless and not recognized as folks that are worthy of maintaining these jobs later down the line when we come home.

[Shemitah Basu]

Governor Newsom signed a law in 2020 making it easier for former prisoners to have their records expunged, eliminating some of the barriers. But critics say it hasn't helped enough people. Still, for those it has helped, it's turned into a worthwhile career. Royal Ramey, a former incarcerated firefighter who now helps former prisoners get jobs fighting fires, told ABC he saw the volunteer program as beneficial.

[Joe Biden]

You get better food, you get visits.

[Shemitah Basu]

In the park like setting dormitory living, you get out in the community and folks are eligible to get time off. But for me, it exposed me to.

[Joe Biden]

That career that I love now.

[Shemitah Basu]

The Marshall Project spoke to some prison firefighters who say, yes, it's risky work, yes, it's low pay, and yes, even though it's voluntary, the ethics around it are murky. But it's also the best job they can get behind bars. Foreign let's turn now to President Biden's legacy, which we're going to continue to examine during his final week in office. Yesterday we looked at some of his domestic achievements. We'll spend more time talking about his struggles at home. But today we're going to focus in on foreign policy. Biden delivered what was billed as his final foreign policy speech yesterday during my.

[Joe Biden]

Presidency, I've increased America's power at every dimension. We increased our diplomatic power, creating more allies the United States has ever had in the history of our nation.

[Shemitah Basu]

Almost exactly four years ago, Biden spoke about the importance of countries working together to confront the major crises of the moment. He promised not just a change in specific U.S. policies compared to Trump's administration, but a fundamentally different approach.

[Joe Biden]

Diplomacy is back at the center of our foreign policy. As I said in my inaugural address, we will repair our alliances, engage with the world once again, not to meet yesterday's challenges, but today's and tomorrows.

[Shemitah Basu]

In his address yesterday, Biden claimed he accomplished those goals.

[Joe Biden]

The United States is winning the worldwide competition compared to four years ago. America is stronger. Our alliances are stronger. Our adversaries and competitors are weaker. We have not gone to war to make these things happen.

[Shemitah Basu]

And that's true in some ways, looking at things like the U.S. s standing in NATO, which has improved significantly under Biden compared to Trump. But Biden's foreign policy legacy will certainly be defined by three major crises. First, the U.S. s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, during which more than a dozen US troops and 170 civilians were killed. Second, Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And finally, Hamas's attack on Israel and the war in Gaza that Israel launched in response, which has killed over 46,000 Palestinians. The withdrawal from Afghanistan accomplished a goal that eluded Biden's predecessors, but the way it happened significantly tarnished his reputation at home and abroad. On Ukraine, Biden did help bolster international support for Ukraine, but the administration faced criticism from both sides that it was doing either too much or not enough. NPR national security correspondent Greg Mury explained on a recent episode of the NPR Politics podcast how perceptions of that war have changed.

[Gavin Newsom]

In Washington, Biden is now facing pushback from Republicans about his Ukraine policy. The Ukrainians feel the US has been too cautious holding back weapons or restricting their use. Many Ukrainians feel the US Is providing them with enough not to lose, but not enough to win. And there is the sense that the war is dragging on. Ukraine is struggling to hold the front line now. President Elect Trump says he wants negotiations to end the war. Ukraine could be the place where we see the most immediate and dramatic change in policy from Biden to Trump.

[Shemitah Basu]

As for Gaza, the Biden administration and negotiators for Israel antimas have said they're closer to a potential ceasefire deal than ever before. But Biden's vocal and financial support of Israel received significant backlash in the US Especially on the left. And even if a resolution is reached, this conflict has forever changed the region. Tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, entire families wiped out. The UN Estimates clearing the debris and rubble alone will cost over $650 million and take up to 15 years to complete. Still, the Biden White House claims they are leaving the world a better place than they found it. Here's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on PBS NewsHour a few days ago.

[Jake Sullivan]

Are our alliances stronger than we found them four years ago? Yes. Are our enemies and competitors weaker than when we found them four years ago? Yes. Have we kept the United States out of war? Yes. Are the basic foundations of American power more robust and resilient today than four years ago? Yes. So I believe we are handing off a very strong hand to the next team.

[Shemitah Basu]

The question is just how much and how quickly the next team the Trump administration will seek to change foreign policies set during the Biden years and what that'll mean for the rest of the world. Staying in Washington, confirmation hearings begin today for Trump's Cabinet picks, starting with Pete Hegseth, the military veteran and former Fox News host tapped to serve as defense secretary.

[Liz Goodwin]

I think Hegseth probably has had the most kind of roller coaster journey.

[Shemitah Basu]

That's Liz Goodwin, who covers the Senate for the Washington Post.

[Liz Goodwin]

Initially, Trump was actually privately telling some allies that he was thinking about pulling him and putting Ron DeSantis in that role. Instead, when he first initially got hit by some of these allegations coming out, Trump was sort of wavering.

[Shemitah Basu]

Privately on the pic, Hecseth admitted to paying an undisclosed sum to a woman who accused him of sexual assault at a Republican conference in 2017. Former employees who worked with him at two veterans groups and at Fox News have accused him of financial mismanagement and engaging in excessive drinking and sexism, which was first reported by the New Yorker. Hegseth has denied the allegations. Part of the reason that he's standing on steadier ground now is that Trump's allies have rallied to his defense and even targeted Republican senators who expressed doubts about his background.

[Liz Goodwin]

You started seeing other senators who would raise questions about his past drinking and things like that, saying, you know, I met with him one on one. Now I don't have these concerns. And people just really started getting in line and he just kind of brought himself back from the dead, really. It was pretty remarkable to see, but he went from basically Matt Gaetz territory to really shoring himself up in like the course of a week.

[Shemitah Basu]

Still, while Republicans hold a majority in the Senate, Hegseth could only afford to lose three of their votes if Democrats and independents don't back him. Goodwin explained that Hegseth might face the bumpiest path. Some of Trump's other picks are not facing such strong headwinds.

[Liz Goodwin]

Some of these nominees are really on a glide path, honestly. There's, you know, there's Marco Rubio, who senators know and trust, you know, for the most part, someone like Elise Stefanik from the House, tapped to be the UN Ambassador. I also do not anticipate a lot of action there. So there really is just this one tier of nominees that are in trouble because Senate Republicans are going to have 53 votes.

[Shemitah Basu]

Other candidates in that tier of nominees that she'll be watching are Cash Patel, tapped to lead the FBI Tulsi Gabbard, the possible next Director of National Intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump's pick to lead Health and Human Services. Overall, it's going to take several weeks for the Senate to work through all of Trump's candidates. Before we let you go, here are a few other stories we're following. Today, Lebanese lawmakers appointed judge and attorney Nawaf Salam to be the country's next prime minister. The New York Times reports the selection is a blow to Hezbollah, the militant group long seen as the real political power. Lebanon. Salam served as Lebanon's ambassador to the UN For a decade. He currently serves as the head of the International Court of Justice in the Hague. A majority of Lebanese lawmakers nominated Salaam on Monday, according to Reuters. It's a sign of political change after a weakening Hezbollah was pummeled in a war against Israel last year. A federal judge says part of Special counsel Jack Smith's investigative report on Donald Trump can be released to the public. Judge Eileen Cannon issued an injunct blocking the release of the full report, but is allowing the DOJ to release the first part, which deals with Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The second part of the report details the accusations against Trump refusing to return classified documents he was keeping at his home at Mar A Lago. A hearing on the second half of the report is set for Friday, and as Trump's inauguration approaches, attendees will see some A list talent on the stage. Campaign officials say country star Carrie Underwood will at the event. Axios reports it's a signal that the wider music industry's hesitance toward Trump has subsided a little in 2017. Campaign officials struggled to book performers, with some backing out after receiving backlash. You can find all these stories and more in the Apple News app. And if you're already listening in the News app right now, we've got a narrated article coming up next. Bloomberg Business this week looks at how a lawsuit that alleges Snapchat helped dealers sell counterfeit drugs to children could change the future of the Internet. If you're listening in the podcast app, follow Apple News plus narrated to find that story. And I'll be back with the news tomorrow.