Today’s newsletter is presented by Kaiser Permanente.
Good morning, San Diego ☀️
Here’s what we have for you today:
- Happy Veterans Day! We’re grateful to all of those who have served.
- A documentary series featuring interviews of Marines from Camp Pendleton who took on against all-odds-battles while deployed to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban is now streaming.
- It’s also 11/11… make a wish!
Tessa Balc
Audience engagement producer
Top story
Lawmakers call out ICE over treatment of San Diego elementary school student, but federal officials deny detaining him
Allegations that an 8-year-old Haitian boy was taken into custody after a scheduled immigration check-in at the Edward J. Schwartz federal building has sparked national news.
Now, San Diego’s congressional delegation is demanding answers — and Immigration and Customs Enforcement has issued a response disputing their claims.
Reports first came out of the Fay Elementary third grader’s apparent detention when a court observer grabbed video of the boy being led away by federal agents on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
The child is a Haitian immigrant whose temporary protective status has allegedly expired.
San Diego’s Democratic congress members. — Reps. Juan Vargas, Sara Jacobs, Scott Peters and Mike Levin — wrote to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. expressing their concerns.
They wanted answers as to where the child was taken and whether his family knows where he is.
In a statement on X, ICE said the allegation that the agency placed a third grader in detention are intended to smear President Trump’s deportation campaign. The agency said a man claiming to be his uncle brought him to an immigration check-in, but could not establish legal guardianship. He was then “determined to be an unaccompanied alien child,” and was placed under the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Our Lillian Perlmutter writes that instances of ICE detaining children in San Diego County are not uncommon, according to internal ICE data compiled by the Deportation Data Project.
Between January 2025 and August 2026, at least 760 children were arrested by immigration agents in San Diego and Imperial counties. Of these, 267 were 10 years old or younger.
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Stories you should know about
🎨 New center for veterans in Liberty Station uses creative activities to promote well-being: A nonprofit offering free therapeutic arts and crafts to military veterans and active-duty service members will hold the grand opening of its new Creative Engagement Center at Liberty Station today.
🎶 See some live music this week… it’s good for you: The hometown heroes who pioneered cholo goth, Prayers, is playing at the Music Box Friday. Over at Pechanga Arena Mexican norteño band Los Tigres del Norte take the stage Saturday. A day long fest of cover bands paying homage to the likes of AC/DC, Sheryl Crow and Led Zeppelin take over The Holding Company Saturday.
🤼 Patrick Henry wrestling builds pipeline from youth beginners to CIF contenders: The program produced seven CIF placers in 2026, and this year’s team has championship expectations as it grows with talent from youth programs.
What else we’re reading
📣 Preliminary plans for a data center north of Interstate 8 brought out Jacumba Hot Springs residents to their monthly Jacumba Community Sponsor Group meeting to demand representation in the matter. (KPBS)
🗣️ We’re listening to this one… our freelancers Thomas Murphy and Sasha Ryu popped over to KPBS to talk about our recently published piece on UCSD loaning cadavers to the military while families of donors say they had no prior knowledge of this sort of arrangement (KPBS)
Times of San Diego thanks our corporate sponsors. Find out more about sponsorships and advertising opportunities here.
Mid-Week News Quiz
Have you kept up with Times of San Diego this week? Let’s see!
🧐 What department store at Fashion Valley is planned to be demolished to add new restaurants, retail and 410 housing units in its place?
A) Nordstorm
B) Neiman Marcus
C) Macy’s
D) JCPenney
Reply first with the correct answer to earn a shoutout in tomorrow’s newsletter.