KPBS Roundtable

Federal agents arrested at least 5,000 people in San Diego last year.

That's an average of 20 people each day.

We talk about the network of volunteers organizing community patrols to watch out for immigration enforcement in their neighborhoods.

Plus, more North County transit riders are evading fares amid a "hands off" enforcement strategy from the North County Transit District. We talk about fare evasion and increased saf...

A new investigation by WIRED magazine reveals a secret campaign by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to expand their physical presence across the country.

Federal records show that more than 150 leases on office spaces for new facilities in nearly every state — including a facility in San Diego.

We discuss the findings and what this could mean for ICE's expansion moving forward.

Plus, some RV dwellers are protesting newl...

San Diego is known to be one of the most expensive cities. A new KPBS series looks to tackle San Diego's high cost of living, and the various of ways it impacts daily life.

Then, the journalism landscape is rapidly shifting amid mass lay-offs and the changing consumption of news.

On KPBS Roundtable this week, we hear from some of San Diego's student journalists about their outlook on the current media landscape, as they start...

Gregory Bovino has become one of the most recognizable faces of President Trump’s mass deportation efforts.

But after the latest killing by immigration officers in Minneapolis — the second this month — multiple reports say Bovino is now returning to El Centro to lead the Border Patrol sector there.

On KPBS Roundtable this week, we talk about how community members there are pushing back.

Then, a new HBO documentary, "Critical I...

The first year of Donald Trump's second term has upended the rules of immigration enforcement.

In San Diego, enforcement has included an ICE raid at an industrial paint business in El Cajon, arrests at green card appointments and yet another raid at Buona Forchetta in South Park. We've also seen student visas revoked and arrests at their immigration court hearings.

KPBS reporting has found that the increase in detention by IC...

This week, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria delivered his annual State of the City speech. We talk about where the city is and where it's headed.

Plus, a former San Diego sailor is sentenced for selling Navy secrets to China.

And, we check in on the state of San Diego sports ahead of San Diego FC's upcoming season.

Guests:

• Andrew Bowen, metro reporter, KPBS
• Mariana Martínez Barba, City Hall reporter, Voice o...

New fees to park in Balboa Park implemented this week were met with confusion and frustration after a series of mistakes and lack of information for city residents.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria has since defended the Balboa Park fees in response to a memo earlier this week calling the parking system "haphazard." We break down the parking saga and what you should know.

Plus, we discuss how Los Angeles communities are recovering...

"Housing First" has been the preferred approach to tackling homelessness in recent years. It involves getting people into housing quickly with as few hurdles as possible. But even though Housing First shows promise for keeping people housed, the model is facing challenges. We discuss the latest.Plus, a new set of California state laws took effect at the start of 2026, covering everything from artificial intelligence to health. We b...

As the year comes to a close, we reflect on some of the biggest KPBS stories of the year with the reporters who covered them.We discuss the changing landscape of immigration enforcement and mass deportation. Plus, the local housing picture in San Diego — from ADUs to the effects of statewide legislation.Then, we talk about the top stories on the science and technology beat this year, including artificial intelligence and nuclear fu...

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a Ukrainian immigrant who was arrested last week after her green card interview.Viktoriia Bulavina said she was held for days inside a federal building in downtown San Diego, where ICE officers put her and other women in shackles and chains.We talk about Bulvina's story and the broader picture of immigration enforcement in San Diego.Then, we sit down with local food journalists to ...

The San Diego FC inaugural season has officially come to an end.This week on Roundtable, we recap Saturday’s 3–1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps with local soccer experts, unpacking the team’s success both on the scoreboard and in the stands.Then, a new report from UC San Diego shows a sharp rise in first-year students lacking high school math proficiency. At UC San Diego — where more than half of undergraduates pursue STEM degrees...

For public radio listeners, NPR voices often become part of our morning ritual. A Martínez, NPR Morning Edition and Up First co-host, is one of those personalities.He joins KPBS Roundtable to talk about his public media journey, from covering sports all the way to hosting public radio’s morning flagship.Then, we dig into how immigration lawyers are filing habeas corpus petitions to protect their clients and challenge immigration ho...

In case you missed it, there was a special election this week in California.We take stock of Proposition 50 and other political headlines from the week, including Nancy Pelosi's retirement announcement after a 20-term career in Congress.Plus, National City this week rejected a proposed biofuel depot project over air quality concerns.And, we sit down with our colleagues at "The Finest" podcast to hear about their season one finale a...

Water bills are going up for San Diegans.Despite ongoing cost of living concerns, San Diego’s city council voted this week to increase water and sewer rates by 31% over the next two years. We talk about what that means for you and your water bill.Plus, for Halloween, local horror writers talk about their approach to telling scary stories, and why we love to be scared.Guests: Mackenzie Elmer, energy and environment reporter, Voice o...

San Diego soccer fans are gearing up for playoffs season, rallying behind Major League Soccer’s San Diego FC and the National Women’s Soccer League’s San Diego Wave FC.Both teams are headed to the playoffs in the next few weeks. We take a look at their seasons and what they'll need to reach their championship goals.Then, we hear about one San Diego preschool making a difference in the lives of children recovering from family trauma...

Housing challenges in San Diego's North County reflect much of the region — from a lack of affordable options to rising rents.We discuss how new state legislation and recent legal challenges over development could affect housing stock in North County.Plus, convention goers are back on the streets of downtown San Diego this weekend for TwitchCon. The conference celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, bringing hundreds of online c...

Voice of San Diego brought a "solutions showdown" to its annual Politifest last weekend.A pair of panels took on different facets of San Diego's homelessness crisis: what to do about street homelessness and how to respond when people with behavioral health problems refuse treatment. We discuss the takeaways.Plus, a new book by a local science journalist tackles how to prevent future pandemics.Guests:Lisa Halverstadt, senior investi...

The San Diego Padres finished their season after losing to the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the 2025 National League Wild Card Series.We recap how they played this season and the biggest questions ahead for the team.Plus, we sit down with local theater makers to hear what makes San Diego theater so unique. And, why theater remains a powerful art form in an increasingly digital world.Guests:Darren Smith, longtime sports radio host, hos...

Pollution and trash from the Tijuana River Valley have impacted the San Diego-Tijuana border region for decades. New research shows that it's not just the water that's affected. Toxic materials are also degrading the region’s air quality.A panel of environment reporters in the San Diego-Tijuana region joins us to talk about the origins of the cross-border sewage crisis. How did it all start? We look into the Tijuana River Valley’s ...