Axios San Francisco

March 26, 2026
🙌 Perk up. It's nearly Friday.
- 🥞 Catch us celebrating tonight with all-you-can-eat pancakes at Public Works' pop-up art show.
🌤️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny, with highs in mid-70s, lows near 54.
🎧 Sounds like: "Eight" by IU featuring BTS' Suga.
Today's newsletter is 1,075 words — a 4-minute read.
1 big thing: 📍SFO detention backlash
The detention of a mother and her daughter Sunday at SFO that went viral occurred after TSA shared their travel information with federal immigration authorities, the New York Times reported this week.
Why it matters: The incident has intensified fears that the Trump administration is turning airports into immigration enforcement hubs.
State of play: The Times reported that TSA has been sharing passenger information with ICE, allowing agents to identify travelers with outstanding deportation orders before they board flights.
- The practice has sparked backlash in recent days after footage of Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and her 9-year-old daughter being forcefully detained spread on social media.
Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter were preparing to board a flight to Miami Sunday evening when plainclothes ICE agents detained them in Terminal 3. They have since been deported back to Guatemala, per government documents obtained by the Times.
- Lopez-Jimenez, who had a deportation order from 2019, was living in Contra Costa County with her daughter and had no criminal record. She entered the U.S. without legal authorization.
- DHS confirmed their identities, stating the incident was unrelated to broader ICE deployments at airports nationwide and that Lopez-Jimenez attempted to flee while being escorted for processing.
- SFO has not been identified as one of 14 airports where ICE is assisting with TSA operations due to an ongoing partial government shutdown.
What they're saying: Airport officials "have no reason to suspect broader enforcement action," SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel told Axios.
- State Sen. Scott Wiener said in a statement yesterday that "TSA's close collaboration with ICE means that any person without legal status needs to think very carefully before traveling through SFO or other airports."
Friction point: The incident has raised concerns over whether local police officers improperly aided in the arrest, potentially violating the state's sanctuary law, Mission Local reports.
2. 🍿 Sundown Cinema lineup
Sundown Cinema — our favorite free outdoor movie series — returns this summer with five crowd-pleasing hits.
- Pack a blanket, layer up and bring your furry sidekick along. Here's what's playing:
⚔️ June 12: "The Princess Bride" at Dolores Park.
🧠 July 24: "Inside Out" at the Presidio.
👯♀️ Aug. 21: "The Parent Trap" at Marina Green.
🎸 Sept. 25: "School of Rock" at the Ferry Building.
👻 Oct. 16: "Beetlejuice" at Crane Cove Park.
💭 My thought bubble: You'll definitely see me at the "Beetlejuice" screening — it's one that can't be missed!
👉 RSVP here for a chance to win a pair of reserved seating tickets and a $1,000 gift certificate for your Amazon Wish List.
3. 🌎 Yelamu's legacy
The American Indian Cultural District (AICD) is hosting its first-ever block party this weekend, the latest milestone in a history that began well before San Francisco was founded.
The big picture: The celebration comes after AICD became the first of its kind to be formally designated a state cultural district in December, a move leaders hope will unlock more funding for its programs.
Driving the news: Expect a parade, live music, drag performances, Native vendors and remarks from special guests, including writer and filmmaker Julian Brave NoiseCat.
- The free event, set to take place 10am-3pm Saturday on Valencia Street between 15th and 18th, will mark the district's sixth anniversary.
San Francisco sits on unceded Ramaytush Ohlone land (known as Yelamu). The tribe lost the vast majority of its population after the Spanish conquered what is now California.
- This included forcing Indigenous people to assimilate into European culture, eradicating their traditions and subjecting them to forced labor and beatings. Many were imprisoned for decades.
Their fight for visibility includes the 19-month-long occupation of Alcatraz that started in 1969 and the Longest Walk, a 1978 demonstration during which hundreds of Native Americans walked from San Francisco to D.C. to protest policies limiting their rights.
- San Francisco has housed more than 28 Native-led organizations over the years, including the American Indian Historical Society and the world's oldest film festival dedicated to Indigenous stories.
- "It's not like we're trying to build a presence that never existed," said AICD executive director Sharaya Souza, who is Taos Pueblo, Ute and Kiowa. "We've always been here."
Between the lines: Indigenous people consistently face disproportionately high rates of poverty, health disparities and housing insecurity in San Francisco, yet struggle to secure funding, according to Souza.
- The district is working to commemorate the history of genocide against Native Americans across the city and bolster murals, event programming and legacy businesses through the creation of a cultural trail.
- "No matter where you go in San Francisco, you're always on Native American land," Souza told Axios.
4. The Wiggle: 🚨 Stonestown evacuation
🚨 SFPD evacuated Stonestown Galleria yesterday after responding to reports of a person making threats. The mall reopened later that afternoon. (SF Chronicle)
📬 State Sen. Scott Wiener's wealthy backers are behind a new super PAC sending mailers targeting Saikat Chakrabarti, who is running against Wiener in the congressional race to succeed Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. (SF Standard)
🍽️ Michelin added four San Francisco restaurants to its California Guide: Naides, Wolfsbane, La Cigale and Dingles Public House. (SFGATE)
5. Photo to go: ⚾ Giants' splashy opening night
Yesterday's season opener against the New York Yankees had the San Francisco Giants scrambling even as Netflix pulled out all the stops for its first-ever livestreamed MLB regular-season game.
State of play: New head coach Tony Vitello's debut ended in a 7-0 loss.
- It was a disappointing score for fans who celebrated the Giants' return by participating in a fleet of 73 red kayaks in the waters near Oracle Park. (73 for the number of home runs Barry Bonds achieved during his record-setting 2001 season with the Giants.)
- Those at home had to watch the team give up five runs in the second inning while navigating the Netflix production, which drew complaints for marketing tactics that caused glitchy effects and hard-to-read pitcher and batter names on the scorebug.
What they're saying: "The excitement of being the home team and the hype, maybe things were a little too emotional," Vitello told reporters after the game. "We certainly want to make adjustments because we want to make it a more competitive situation."
What's next: The Giants take on the Yankees again Friday at 1:35pm in Oracle Park.
🍿 Shawna thinks she's due for another "Princess Bride" rewatch.
🍣 Nadia is craving sushi ... any recommendations?
This newsletter was edited by Geoff Ziezulewicz.
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