West
Hannah Kobayashi found after Mexico border crossing in month-long disappearance, family says
Missing Hawaii woman Hannah Kobayashi has been “found safe” about a month after surveillance footage captured her crossing into Mexico with a suitcase in a disappearance that made nationwide headlines.
Kobayashi’s mother Brandi Yee and her sister Sydni Kobayashi said they were “incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe” in a statement issued through their attorney, Sara Azari, on X on Wednesday.
“This past month has been an unimaginable ordeal for our family, and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through,” the family said.
HANNAH KOBAYASHI MISSED LOS ANGELES FLIGHT INTENTIONALLY, POLICE SAY; FAMILY CLAIMS EVIDENCE SHOWS OTHERWISE
Kobayashi sent mysterious texts to friends and family before losing contact entirely, writing that she “got tricked into pretty much giving away all [her] funds.” (Larie Pidgeon)
“We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time,” the statement continued. “Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us.”
In a statement to People, Azari did not comment on the circumstances of when, where or how Kobayashi’s family contacted her, and said there would be no further statements at this time. Azari could not immediately be reached for comment.
Earlier this month, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said surveillance footage and other evidence showed Kobayashi entering Mexico on foot, alone and carrying luggage, at the San Ysidro port of entry on Nov. 12. There was no evidence that she was “being trafficked or [was] the victim of foul play,” McDonnell said.
HANNAH KOBAYASHI LISTED AS ‘VOLUNTARY MISSING PERSON’ AFTER VIDEO SHOWS HER CROSSING INTO MEXICO: POLICE
Hannah Kobayashi’s mother filed a missing persons report after her daughter seemingly disappeared. (Hannah Kobayashi via Instagram)
Larie Pidgeon, Kobayashi’s aunt, who has acted as a family spokesperson during their search, said at the time that her “worry for Hannah [had] not lessened.”
“Hannah never mentioned any plans to travel to Mexico, and no one in her life knew she intended to go there,” she previously told Fox News Digital. “What alarms me even more is her complete disconnection from her phone, her social media and her world – this is not who she is.”
Before Kobayashi was found, Pidgeon told Fox News Digital that she had “parted ways” with the rest of the family, saying that her “sole focus remain[ed] on finding Hannah” and that she intended to travel to Mexico to “verify that she is acting of her own free will and truly safe.”
HANNAH KOBAYASHI MISSED LOS ANGELES FLIGHT INTENTIONALLY, POLICE SAY; FAMILY CLAIMS EVIDENCE SHOWS OTHERWISE
Pidgeon later told NewsNation that she did not see why funds raised were being used on an attorney rather than a private investigator.
Kobayashi flew from Hawaii to Los Angeles and was scheduled to take a connecting flight to New York on Nov. 8, with a 42-minute layover at 11 a.m., but did not board a flight despite a detailed itinerary and a booked hotel room in New York City.
Previously, Pidgeon told Fox News Digital that friends and family received a flurry of bizarre text messages from Kobayashi after her missed flight that didn’t match her usual cadence. She texted a friend that she “got tricked into pretty much giving away all my funds” and that she was tricked “for someone I thought I loved.”
HAWAII WOMAN’S CRYPTIC TEXT MESSAGES PROMPT CONCERN AFTER DISAPPEARANCE
Kobayashi, 30, was heading to New York City to visit family. (Hannah Kobayashi via Instagram)
“She [wrote she] was having a spiritual awakening, that she was concerned about the matrix. It was just the most bizarre text messages,” Pidgeon previously said. “And it went from, ‘Hi, I can’t wait to see you guys. Love you. Everything’s great.’”
Ryan Kobayashi, the 30-year-old’s father, was found dead on Nov. 24 of an apparent suicide after jumping from a parking structure in Los Angeles, while he and his family were searching for the missing woman.
Los Angeles Magazine reported that Kobayashi had fallen victim to an immigration scheme before going missing. Kobayashi’s mother reportedly found documents in her daughter’s Hawaii home that listed an immigration attorney, according to the outlet, and turned that information over to law enforcement.
But family attorney Azari wrote in a post on X that the family “has not confirmed the authenticity of the images or the accuracy of the information provided about a possible secret marriage… we did not have the facts or the necessary documents to verify the legitimacy of this information.”
Read the full article from Here
West
Portland agitators clash with police after 2 shot by federal immigration agent
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Agitators in Portland, Oregon, clashed with police late Thursday near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building, hours after a U.S. Border Patrol agent shot two people.
Video showed officers in riot gear pushing forward as agitators crowded the street, leading to shoving and jostling during the nighttime confrontation.
The Portland Police Bureau said six people were arrested, with those detained facing charges including riot, disorderly conduct in the second degree and interfering with a peace officer. All were booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center.
VANCE DEMAND DEMOCRATS ANSWER WHETHER ICE OFFICER IN MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING WAS ‘WRONG IN DEFENDING HIS LIFE’
Police in riot gear face crowds outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility Thursday night, Jan. 8, 2026, in Portland, Ore., as demonstrations erupted hours after a shooting involving a federal immigration agent.
Some demonstrators could be heard chanting, “Shame on you, shame on you,” as police led people away. Police said they deployed crowd-control units, dialogue officers and a police sound truck to manage the demonstration.
Authorities said officers repeatedly ordered demonstrators to move to the sidewalk so that traffic could remain open. When those directives were ignored, officers moved in and made targeted arrests.
Police said the total number of arrests tied to anti-ICE and immigration enforcement demonstration activity has reached 79.
The incident erupted after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that a U.S. Border Patrol agent shot two people during a traffic stop earlier in the day.
NOEM ALLEGES WOMAN KILLED IN ICE SHOOTING ‘STALKING AND IMPEDING’ AGENTS ALL DAY
A woman was arrested near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility Thursday night, Jan. 8, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (X/@haileywest)
According to DHS, the driver — who is believed to be a member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) — allegedly, “weaponized the vehicle and attempted to run over the law enforcement agents” after agents identified themselves as law enforcement, prompting an agent to fire a defensive shot. The driver fled the scene with a passenger, officials said.
Following the incident, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson called on ICE to “halt all operations” in the city until a full and independent investigation can take place.
“We know what the federal government says happened here,” Wilson said during a news conference Thursday. “There was a time when we could take them at their word. That time has long passed.”
Portland police officers in riot gear detain agitators during a demonstration near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility Thursday night, Jan. 8, 2026, in Portland, Ore. Police said six people were arrested during the protest. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
Wilson added that ICE agents and DHS leadership “must fully be investigated and held responsible for the violence inflicted on the American people in Minnesota, in Portland, and in all the communities across America.”
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Thursday’s shooting in Portland followed the fatal shooting of Renee Good during an ICE enforcement operation in South Minneapolis Wednesday.
Read the full article from Here
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco District Attorney speaks on city’s crime drop
Thursday marks one year in office for San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.
Lurie was elected in the 14th round of ranked choice voting in 2024, beating incumbent London Breed.
His campaign centered around public safety and revitalization of the city.
Mayor Lurie is also celebrating a significant drop in crime; late last week, the police chief said crime hit historic lows in 2025.
- Overall violent crime dropped 25% in the city, which includes the lowest homicide rate since the 1950s.
- Robberies are down 24%.
- Car break-ins are down 43%.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins spoke with NBC Bay Area about this accomplishment. Watch the full interview in the video player above.
Denver, CO
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