LA Protests, Federal Judges Toxic Workplaces, Housing Climate Solutions

Summary

Up First from NPR - June 9, 2025

Hosts: Leila Fadel, Steve Inskeep, Michel Martin, and A Martinez
Available: Weekdays at 6:30 a.m. ET, Saturdays at 9 a.m. ET with Ayesha Rascoe and Scott Simon, and Sundays with Ayesha Rascoe on "The Sunday Story."

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1. Los Angeles Protests Over Immigration Raids (00:02 - 08:41)

Overview:
The episode opens with a focus on the recent immigration raids in Los Angeles, which have ignited three days of widespread protests. These raids are part of President Trump's intensified immigration crackdown, which includes a new travel ban that took effect on the day of the episode's release.

Key Events:

• Immigration Raids: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted raids at locations like Home Depot and downtown LA warehouses, leading to mass apprehensions of immigrant workers.
• Protests Erupt: In response, local residents and activists took to the streets to oppose the raids, resulting in confrontations with ICE agents. Protesters employed methods such as blocking ICE vehicles, throwing rocks, and setting cars ablaze.
• Federal Intervention: President Trump responded by deploying the California National Guard without the consent of Governor Gavin Newsom, a move deemed a "serious breach of state sovereignty." This marked only the second time in 60 years that the federal government intervened in this manner.

Notable Discussions:

• Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass's Stance: Both officials criticized President Trump's decision, accusing him of inciting chaos to justify a harsher crackdown on immigration. Governor Newsom stated, "We cannot stay home when this kind of thing is going on," emphasizing the need for state control over security measures (Layla Falden, 00:02).

• President Trump's Rationale: Trump labeled the protests as a "riot" and a "violent insurrectionist mob," asserting that the deployment of troops was necessary to "liberate Los Angeles from the migrant invasion." He hinted at the possibility of extending federal intervention to other cities facing similar protests (Deepa Shivaram & Karen Bass, 06:27 - 07:57).

• Impact on Protesters: Rosa Cesaretti, a protester, described how the situation escalated from peaceful demonstrations to chaotic clashes, with law enforcement using flashbangs, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse crowds (Rosa Cesaretti, 04:01 - 04:23). She stressed the importance of remaining calm and not giving the administration an excuse to crack down further (Rosa Cesaretti, 05:51).

Quotes:

• "We cannot stay home when this kind of thing is going on," – Layla Falden (00:02)
• "They spit, we hit," referring to the expected response from troops against protesters (Karen Bass via Deepa Shivaram, 07:08)
• "It's a serious breach of state sovereignty," – Governor Gavin Newsom (05:31)

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2. Toxic Workplaces Within the Federal Judiciary (09:50 - 13:05)

Overview:
The episode delves into the often-overlooked issue of toxic workplaces within the federal judiciary. NPR’s Carrie Johnson reports on the pervasive culture of fear and abuse faced by law clerks working under federal judges.

Key Findings:

• Culture of Fear: Law clerks, typically recent law school graduates, experience a significant power imbalance with their judges, who can influence their entire careers.
• Types of Abuse: Complaints from clerks include sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, bullying, and excessive control over personal lives, such as forced alcohol consumption and stringent job exit protocols.
• Lack of Accountability: Despite numerous allegations against judges across 26 states, most remain in their positions with little to no repercussions. For instance, a clerk identified as "E" reported that her judge continued to work despite her complaints of bullying and racially problematic statements (Carrie Johnson, 10:15 - 11:17).

Court System’s Response:

• The Administrative Office of the Courts claims to have implemented policies over the past seven years to improve workplace conditions. However, many clerks feel that internal HR systems are inadequate, as court employees are exempt from certain civil rights laws, limiting their ability to seek external legal recourse (Carrie Johnson, 11:45 - 12:15).

Relevance to Federal Oversight:

• As federal courts are central to numerous high-profile cases, including those challenging President Trump’s policies, the integrity of the judiciary is paramount. The abuse within the judiciary undermines public trust and the ability of judges to effectively serve as checks on executive power.

Quotes:

• "There’s a real culture of fear. Clerks are afraid of talking about judges and what happens behind closed doors in those chambers," – Carrie Johnson (10:15)
• "I don't think the life tenure should protect people from any sort of repercussions for running unfair, toxic workplaces," – Layla Falden (11:17)

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3. Housing Climate Solutions Amid Increasing Natural Disasters (13:17 - 16:04)

Overview:
Addressing the growing impact of climate change on housing, NPR dedicates a segment to exploring innovative solutions aimed at making homes and communities more resilient and sustainable. This week’s focus highlights preventive measures against disasters and strategies to reduce housing-related emissions.

Key Solutions Discussed:

• Disaster Preparedness:

  • Fortifying Roofs in Alabama: To withstand hurricanes.
  • Elevating Homes in New Jersey: To prevent flooding.
  • Wildfire Buffer Zones in Colorado: Communities collaboratively creating multiple home buffers against wildfires.

• Community-Wide Actions:
  Emphasis on collective efforts rather than individual actions. For example, residents in Louisville, Colorado, worked together to enhance the resilience of multiple homes, making the entire community safer (Risks addressed by Karen Bass, 14:54).

• Reducing Emissions:

  • Sustainable Building Materials: Utilizing materials that minimize environmental impact.
  • Energy Efficiency: Implementing energy-saving measures such as external window shades to keep heat out, thereby reducing the need for air conditioning (Sebastian Schublach, Vienna, via Amy Martinez, 15:35).

• Innovative Housing Models:
  Exploring how housing can contribute to reducing overall climate pollution by adopting sustainable practices and technologies.

Expert Insights:

• Julia Simon and Amy Martinez highlight that while adaptation to climate change is crucial, reducing emissions from housing is equally important. They showcase examples from Nevada and Utah addressing heat and drought in desert communities, underscoring the importance of both individual and community actions in combating climate change (Julia Simon & Amy Martinez, 14:23 - 16:04).

Quotes:

• "We have stories about making housing more sustainable. We actually have tips to help you use less electricity in your homes," – Amy Martinez (15:12)
• "By doing it and your neighbors, you're making your community safer," – Karen Bass (14:51)

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Conclusion

The June 9th episode of Up First from NPR offers a comprehensive look into pressing issues impacting Los Angeles, the federal judiciary, and housing amidst climate change. Through detailed reporting and firsthand accounts, listeners gain insights into the complexities of immigration enforcement, the hidden struggles within the federal courts, and innovative solutions to climate-induced housing challenges. Notable quotes and expert analyses provide depth to each topic, ensuring that even those who haven't listened to the episode can grasp the critical discussions and their broader implications.

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Support and Additional Information:
For more in-depth coverage and to support NPR’s reporting, consider subscribing to Up First+ for an ad-free experience at plus.npr.org/upfirst. To support local NPR stations, visit donate.npr.org.

Transcript

[Layla Falden]

Immigration raids in LA sparked three days of protests. We cannot stay home when this kind.

[Amy Martinez]

Of thing is going on.

[Adrian Florido]

Why is the president accused of trying to provoke chaos by sending in the National Guard?

[Layla Falden]

I'm Layla Falden with Amartinez, and this is up first from NPR News. The governor of California is formally requesting that the federal government get the troops out of his state. Gavin Newsom says it's a serious breach of state sovereignty. This says Trump's immigration crackdown widens with a new travel ban going into effect today.

[Adrian Florido]

And as federal judges serve as a check on the power of President Trump, who checks the power of those same judges in the workplace.

[Layla Falden]

I don't think the life tenure should protect people from any sort of repercussions for running unfair, toxic workplaces.

[Adrian Florido]

Stay with us. We've got all the news you need to start your day. Foreign.

[Deepa Shivaram]

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[Julia Simon]

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[Adrian Florido]

Over President Trump's mass deportation campaign has boiled over.

[Layla Falden]

Yeah. For three days, protesters have taken to the streets of LA in response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ice, immigration rates. The president, in an extraordinary move, deployed the state's National Guard against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom. Local and state officials are accusing the president of purposely provoking chaos.

[Adrian Florido]

With us now is NPR's Adrian Florido in Los Angeles. So how do these clashes between authorities and protesters escalate so quickly?

[Rosa Cesaretti]

Well, they started on Friday, a, when immigration agents carried out raids at a Home Depot and at some downtown LA warehouses and began rounding up immigrant workers. People who heard it was happening showed up and tried to stop these arrests. They yelled at agents, they tried to block their cars, they threw rocks as they sped away. And as video of these confrontations spread, top Trump administration officials and the president himself went on social media and on TV and started attacking these protesters for interfering with ice. On Saturday, after more of these scattered confrontations, President Trump issued a proclamation calling the protests rebellion. He invoked a rarely used presidential authority to federalize the California National Guard and said that he would bring 2,000 ITS troops into LA to protect ICE agents. And those troops started arriving yesterday.

[Adrian Florido]

Okay, and where did things go from there?

[Rosa Cesaretti]

Well, the protests started to grow larger yesterday. Things started peacefully. Large crowds gathered in downtown LA to protest the ICE raids. Rosa Cesaretti was one of them.

[Layla Falden]

We cannot stay home when this kind.

[Rosa Cesaretti]

Of thing is going on, because it's.

[Amy Martinez]

Always they say, first it's them and then it's you.

[Rosa Cesaretti]

As the day went on, though, a things got more chaotic. Federal and local law enforcement used flashbangs, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. Protestors threw cinder blocks and set a couple of cars on fire. Police arrested dozens of people, including some who blocked a freeway.

[Adrian Florido]

Now, the governor and the mayor of L. A are blaming the president for this unrest. What are they saying?

[Rosa Cesaretti]

Well, they say that Trump wants chaos and that he's instigating violence to justify a crackdown. Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass said they had things under control and that Trump's decision to take over California's National Guard is only inflaming things. The last time a that a president deployed a state's National Guard troops without a request from the governor was 60 years ago. Governor Newsom called it a breach of state sovereignty. Yesterday, some of the first troops to arrive in LA were stationed at the entrances to various federal buildings. This is what Mayor Bass said at a press conference yesterday.

[Deepa Shivaram]

I join with the governor in appealing to the administration to rescind the order.

[Karen Bass]

To federalize the National Guard and allow.

[Deepa Shivaram]

The National Guard to come back under the control of the governor.

[Rosa Cesaretti]

Governor Newsom said that he's suing the president over this. The president's order says the troops will be deployed for 60 days or as long as the secretary of defense thinks it's necessary.

[Adrian Florido]

All right, so that's what the governor and LA's mayor are saying to the president. What are they saying to their constituents who are out there protesting ice?

[Rosa Cesaretti]

Well, all day yesterday, they were pleading with them to remain calm and peaceful. Newsom asked people not to take the president's bait, not to give him an excuse to crack down. Trump officials say they are charging ahead with their deportation plans. So a big question going into this week is whether these protests and the federal government's response will continue to escalate.

[Adrian Florido]

All right, that's NPR's Adrian Florido. Thanks a lot.

[Rosa Cesaretti]

Thanks.

[Adrian Florido]

All right, for more on how Washington is handling the protests and the latest Trump immigration policy, with us now is NPR White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram. So, Deepa, what has the president said about the protests and this decision to call in the National Guard?

[Karen Bass]

Yeah, the president spoke to reporters yesterday, and he called the protests in LA a riot. And he said that he called California's Governor Gavin Newsom and said that if he didn't take care of the violence in response to the ICE raids, that he was going to send in troops. And that is, of course, what happened. Trump suggested that there were instances of protesters spitting on police officers and throwing things. Trump said he is a statement of, quote, they spit, we hit, referring to how troops will respond. And he said that he was watching to see what happens in other cities in regards to other protests against police or military members. And Trump seemed to allude to the possibility that he could send in troops to other cities.

[Adrian Florido]

Now, this is within the president's power to call in the National Guard. But it is a rare thing, right?

[Karen Bass]

Exactly. So definitely rare because it happened without Newsom's consent. And like Adrian said, the last time a president stepped in to call the National Guard without consent from a governor was the 1960s. So it is a far stretch of federal power here. But I will say the president does have the authority to do this. A White House official told me that Trump used a US Code to call in these National Guard troops. And it isn't the first time that Trump has called the National Guard. In the summer of 2020, during the protests against the police killing of George Floyd, asked governors to send troops to D.C. but that was a situation in which governors had a choice to send in National Guard members or not. In this case, over the weekend, Trump called in those Guard members over Newsom's head.

[Adrian Florido]

And how did Gavin Newsom respond?

[Karen Bass]

Yeah, so he's, of course, pushing back newsom released a letter last night addressed to the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. He's formally requesting that Trump rescind his deployment of troops. Newsom called it a, quote, serious breach of state sovereignty and said that it was increasing tensions. Trump, though, appears to be doubling down on his actions. In a post to Truth Social yesterday, he called the protesters a, quote, violent insurrectionist mob and said that he was directing his administration to, quote, liberate Los Angeles from the migrant invasion.

[Adrian Florido]

All right, so what's happening in Los Angeles is related to immigration policy. Now, another immigration policy took effect today, and that's the new travel ban. So, Deepa, what can you tell us about this new travel ban?

[Karen Bass]

Yeah, so the ban is divided into two parts. There's some countries that have a full ban, some that have a partial ban. There are 12 countries under the full ban, and those include countries such as Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Sudan, and Yemen. The partial ban applies to seven other countries, including Cuba, Laos, and Venezuela. The White House has said the countries named lack screening and vetting capabilities. And I'll tell you, this ban was something Trump had promised to do on the campaign trail as a continuation of the Muslim travel ban from his first term. So day one at the White House in January of this year, Trump signed an executive order that tasked federal agencies looking into, you know, which countries had what they see as deficiencies in vetting and screening that would merit this kind of a ban. So what's going into effect today has really been something that Trump started from the beginning of his second term.

[Adrian Florido]

All right, that's NPR White House correspondent Deepa Shiver on. Thanks a lot.

[Karen Bass]

Thank you.

[Adrian Florido]

Federal judges have served as a rare check on President Trump's politically charged policies and cases this year.

[Layla Falden]

Yeah, that's right. And those judges also have a lot of power over the people who work for them, including law clerks.

[Adrian Florido]

NPR's Carrie Johnson has been reporting on the closed world of the federal court. So, Kerry, you've been digging into the federal judiciary for, what, more than a year now. What'd you find?

[Carrie Johnson]

First of all, there's a real culture of fear. Clerks are afraid of talking about judges and what happens behind closed doors in those chambers. And there's a big power imbalance here. The law clerks are often just out of law school, and their judges may become the most powerful mentors they have for their entire career. We spoke to dozens of current and former law clerks about their experience, and we heard about problems with 50 judges across 26 states. Most of those judges are still working with little or no punishment.

[Adrian Florido]

Okay, so what kinds of complaints did you hear from these young lawyers?

[Carrie Johnson]

These complaints range from sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination to bullying. I also heard a judge's control over a law clerk extends to nearly every aspect of that clerk's life, from feeling forced to drink alcohol to when and how they leave their jobs. And most of the clerks who spoke to us were afraid of retribution, so we got voice actors to share the clerk's words verbatim. Here's a clerk with the initial E.

[Layla Falden]

Life tenure exists for a reason, but I don't think the life tenure should protect people wholly from any sort of repercussions for running unfair, toxic workplaces.

[Carrie Johnson]

E told me she spoke with investigators about her judge bullying her and making racially problematic statements, but she thinks there were no consequences after, and the judge is still working.

[Adrian Florido]

Wow. So what did you hear from the courts in response to your reporting?

[Carrie Johnson]

The Administrative office of the Court sets policy nationwide, and they say they've done a lot over the past seven years to make their workplaces better. They're considering more changes that would encourage clerks to use the internal HR system to report possible abuse. Right now, court employees are really not subject to certain civil rights laws. That means they're not able to sue like other American workers when they have problems. So this internal system is the final word. And complaints about judges there are heard.

[Adrian Florido]

By other judges Now, Kerry, the federal courts are at the center of so many big disputes this year. Hundreds of cases involving President Trump's policies and actions. How does that dynamic carry over into some of these workplaces?

[Carrie Johnson]

Judges are acting as a check on the executive branch, and that includes judges appointed by Republican presidents like Donald Trump. Judges are also facing a lot of hostile rhetoric and sometimes even violent threats because they are doing their job. Jobs. But I heard from people who say that because the judges are playing such an important role in the democracy, that's all the more reason for the federal courts to clean up their own workplaces. Too many clerks are still really afraid of retaliation. And instead of reporting problems to the judiciary, they feel like the only fair hearing they'll get is sharing their experience with a reporter.

[Adrian Florido]

That's NPR's Carrie Johnson. Kerry, thanks.

[Carrie Johnson]

Thanks for having me.

[Layla Falden]

Six months ago, wildfires destroyed entire communities in Los Angeles.

[Adrian Florido]

The fires were a clear reminder of how climate change is increasingly affecting where we live. That's why all this week, NPR will be bringing you climate solutions related to housing.

[Layla Falden]

Joining me now is NPR's Julia Simon to explain more. Good morning, Julia.

[Amy Martinez]

Good morning, Layla.

[Layla Falden]

Okay, Julia, Summer, love the weather. But it's also a season of fires and hurricanes and heat waves. And that can get people pretty worried, pretty scared. So what is this week going to offer them?

[Amy Martinez]

As climate journalists, we're always asking ourselves, how can we build our homes and communities to be more resilient to climate change and how can we reduce climate pollution? Because, Layla, there are, there are hopeful stories out there and that's what this week is all about. Not being Pollyanna ish, but sharing stories about real housing solutions from reporters across the US and the world, which can be really useful.

[Layla Falden]

I'm guessing some of these solution stories involve preparing for upcoming disasters.

[Julia Simon]

Yes.

[Amy Martinez]

We're going to Alabama to look at fortifying roofs for hurricanes, to New Jersey to look at elevating homes for flooding. Solutions don't just involve actions individuals take. Researchers find communities can take preventative measures too, together. So we have a story from Colorado where many people worked to make multiple homes buffer against wildfires. Here's Lisa Hughes of Louisville, Colorado. By you doing it and your neighbors.

[Karen Bass]

Doing it, you're making your community safer.

[Layla Falden]

So community wide climate actions is clearly a theme here.

[Amy Martinez]

Definitely. And we have stories from Nevada and Utah about addressing heat and drought in desert communities. Again, altogether.

[Layla Falden]

But these solutions are not just about adapting to climate change. There are solutions about reducing the emissions.

[Amy Martinez]

That heat the planet 100%. Housing is a big source of climate pollution, Layla, whether that's building materials that use lots of planet heating, fossil fuels or energy intensive heating or cooling. So we have stories about making housing more sustainable. We actually have tips to help you use less electricity in your homes. Like this, this window shade, it's like.

[Adrian Florido]

A curtain outside of your window.

[Amy Martinez]

Obviously it makes sense because the heat doesn't go in, it stays out.

[Adrian Florido]

Exactly.

[Amy Martinez]

And that Austrian voice you just heard was Sebastian Schublach. He's a resident of Vienna. Most of the stories are from across the US but we do have a few exciting solutions from Europe. Ultimately, we hope people will come out of this week, Layla, feeling empowered and knowing a lot more about housing climate solutions that are already taking place.

[Layla Falden]

That's NPR's climate solutions correspondent, Julia Simon. You can check out our climate Solution reporting all this week and find more [e-mail] climateweek and you'll hear a lot of those stories from Julia. Thank you.

[Amy Martinez]

Thank you, Layla.

[Adrian Florido]

And that's up first for Monday, June 9th, Amy Martinez.

[Layla Falden]

And I'm Layla Falden. For your next list in checkout, consider this from npr. We here at up first give you three big stories of the day or consider this colleague's dive into a single news story and what it means to you in less than 15 minutes. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Adrian Florido]

Today's episode of up first was edited by Gigi Duban, Anna Yukhananoff, Barry Hardiman, Neela Banerjee, Lisa Thompson and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Ziad Butch, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent and our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us again tomorrow.

[Deepa Shivaram]

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