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Friday, July 24 | ☀️ 112°/89°
TGIF, where we hope you are doing your best to remain cool and comfortable. Queerty just published a great piece on "Welcome To Tool Shed," a short documentary spotlighting Palm Springs' original leather bar and the community of longtime regulars who've made it a gathering spot since 1993. The film, which premiered locally in March and has since played festivals as far as Cannes, comes to LA this Sunday as part of OutfestNEXT's "Safe Spaces" shorts program.
🎶 Setting the mood: "New Slang" by The Shins
Leading Off
Protestors gather outside the Border Patrol Station in Indio. (File photo)
Advocates log dozens of Palm Springs immigration actions as local legal observers expand tracking
Federal immigration arrests are hitting record highs nationwide, but local advocates say enforcement in the Coachella Valley hasn't slowed since 2025. Community groups told the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission that agents are targeting local workers, leaving families without providers.
Driving the news: TODEC and the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice (IC4IJ) briefed the commission July 13 on the toll of ongoing federal operations, saying enforcement continues even though tourist areas and residential neighborhoods appear calm on the surface.
TODEC Executive Director Luz Gallegos said immigration enforcement in the Coachella Valley "hasn't stopped since last year" and is happening daily.
By the numbers: IC4IJ has logged 25 separate immigration enforcement actions within Palm Springs city limits since June 2025 — 21 involving ICE, including a raid at the Palm Springs Home Depot, and four involving U.S. Border Patrol.
TODEC said tracked more than 500 agents in the region on June 18, one of the largest operations organizers have documented. TODEC is providing emergency casework, groceries and legal support to 113 Palm Springs residents who have lost family members to detention or deportation.
What they're saying: IC4IJ organizer Michelle Monjaras said the 25 logged incidents likely understate the true scope, since most enforcement happens quietly and residents nearby often don't realize it occurred. "The community deserves transparency," she said.
Gallegos said fear of enforcement has pushed some residents to desperation, describing one local worker who stopped going to his job amid reports of sweeps, fell behind on rent and died by suicide.
What's next: Both organizations are urging Palm Springs to explore a municipal legal defense fund and ensure Flock surveillance technology isn't used for immigration enforcement, while IC4IJ continues deploying its network of 90 trained volunteer legal observers across the valley.
Briefly
File photo / Shutterstock
🌡️ Extreme heat warning in effect through Monday
The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Warning for Palm Springs through 8 p.m. Monday, with temperatures expected to reach 113-119 degrees and overnight lows in the upper 80s to mid-90s.
In a news release, the Palm Springs Fire Department urged residents to limit outdoor activity, stay hydrated, avoid alcohol and check on vulnerable individuals like older adults and children. Warning signs of heat illness include dizziness, weakness, headache, nausea, cramps, fatigue or fainting, and those experiencing symptoms should move to a cool place, rest and hydrate.
Help available: Cooling centers are open at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center (480 West Tramview Road), Rimrock Plaza (4721 East Palm Canyon Drive, Suite A) and the Palm Springs Access Center (225 El Cielo Road), which is open daily and can arrange overnight shelter for unhoused individuals. Pets are welcome at the Unity Center and Rimrock Plaza locations.
A MESSAGE FROM
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
This summer, the City of Palm Springs is turning up the value! Purchase a Love Local Palm Springs Gift Card and receive a 50% BONUS to spend at more than 130 participating local businesses. Eat, shop, explore, and help keep Palm Springs thriving all season long.
📆 Your Weekend
Multiple Days
"The Wizard of Oz" Musical at Palm Canyon Theatre all weekend ($46)
Today
Foodie Fridays at Palm Springs Cultural Center at 5 p.m.
El Malilla at Reforma at 9 p.m. ($45)
Saturday
Indoor Palm Springs Certified Farmers' Market at Palm Springs Pavilion at 8 a.m.
"Porte Bagage" screening at Palm Springs Cultural Center at 10 a.m. ($15)
Christmas Queens in July, A Summer "Sleigh" Spectacular at Wilma & Frieda's at 12 p.m. ($23)
Summer Is a Drag: The Beaver Trilogy Drag Show and Film with Director Q&A at The Center at 3 p.m.
Palm Springs Food Truck Festival at Sunrise Park at 6 p.m.
"The Way We Were" screening at Palm Springs Cultural Center at 6 p.m. ($14)
Sunday
"The Girl Can't Help It" screening at Agua Caliente Casino at 3 p.m. ($14)
One Night of Queen Tribute Performance at The Plaza Theatre at 7:30 p.m. ($38–$113)
🚠 And Finally …
The city has released a slew of new maps for residents.
Palm Springs residents no longer need psychic powers to figure out which City Council district they live in, find the nearest pickleball court, or track down a cooling center — there are maps for all that now.
Driving the news: The city has launched a new GIS Maps & Data Portal, offering interactive maps and city data accessible anytime from a computer, tablet, or phone.
The portal covers council districts, zoning, capital improvement projects, bikeways, parks, public art, street sweeping schedules, cooling centers, and affordable housing resources.
Why it matters: Residents can now search by street name for pavement conditions and road projects, filter parks by amenities, or browse the city's public art collection through interactive maps and photos.
What's next: City officials say the portal will keep growing, with new maps, applications, and datasets added regularly.
How to explore: The Maps & Data Portal is available at maps-palmspringsca.hub.arcgis.com.
In Case You Missed It
Recently published stories
🗺️ Kendall is a little too excited about the city’s new map tools. She loves a good map!
🐈🐕 Mark may go sleep under the bed this weekend in order to stay cool. It seems to work for his pets!
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