“He’s like a Volkswagen! He’s so huge!” said Oluwaseyi Akinbobola, a visitor from Los Angeles who had an extra half hour so she ran down to the pier for a hopeful peek of the elusive sea lion. “I have heard everywhere about this big giant sea lion, and I like to look at things, so just thought I’d check it out.”

Chonkers likely came from up north off the coast of Washington or Oregon and is estimated to weigh between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds (680 and 907 kilograms), said Laura Gill, public programs manager at The Marine Mammal Center in nearby Sausalito. Chonkers has been one of the few Steller sea lions to venture to the pier, which is protected from predators and crashing waves while providing a fish-filled buffet.

“There’s plenty of food in San Francisco Bay for them, so the fish, the rockfish, the anchovies, the herring, there’s a lot of easy prey for them,” she said.

@apnews A surprise guest at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf is quite literally making waves. Meet Chonkers, the name given to a giant Steller sea lion spotted this week lounging among his considerably smaller California sea lion neighbors. Chonkers belongs to the Steller species, the largest of all sea lions, known for their commanding presence and dock-dominating energy. Adult males can weigh over a ton. #sealion #cuteanimals #sanfrancisco #seal #california #fishermanswharf #animals #ocean ♬ original sound – The Associated Press

A man is dead after a brutal stabbing inside a San Francisco hospital and now federal immigration officials are pointing squarely at California’s sanctuary policies and the Biden administration’s border decisions as contributing factors.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is urging Governor Gavin Newsom and state officials not to release the suspect, a Venezuelan national in the country illegally who had previously been encountered and released by Border Patrol.

Wilfredo Jose Tortolero-Arriechi is accused of fatally stabbing 51-year-old Alberto Rangel inside Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on December 4. Rangel succumbed to his injuries two days later, on December 6.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE has already lodged a detainer request to keep Tortolero-Arriechi in custody — a request that now hangs in the balance in a state that has repeatedly clashed with federal immigration enforcement.

DHS TAKES VICTORY LAP AFTER ARRESTING OVER 10K ILLEGAL ALIENS IN DEEP BLUE CITY DESPITE VIOLENT RIOTS

“If it weren’t for the Biden administration’s reckless open-border policies, Alberto Rangel would still be alive,” Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement, directly tying the killing to federal immigration policy. She also called on Newsom to ensure the suspect is not released, blasting sanctuary policies that she says “put American lives at risk.”

The suspect had reportedly displayed alarming behavior in the weeks leading up to the attack, allegedly threatening hospital staff and his own doctor before the deadly stabbing unfolded.

EXCLUSIVE: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RELEASED UNDER BIDEN ‘CATCH AND RELEASE’ ALLEGEDLY KILLS DRIVER IN POLICE CHASE

Federal officials say Tortolero-Arriechi was first encountered by U.S. Border Patrol in 2023 and then released into the country. The case is adding new fuel to the fight over California’s sanctuary policies.

Earlier this year, ICE revealed that more than 33,000 criminal illegal immigrants are currently in custody across California with active detainers, including individuals accused or convicted of serious crimes such as homicide, sexual assault and drug trafficking.

Despite that, officials say thousands have been released.

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Since January 2026 alone, California jurisdictions have declined to honor ICE detainers in more than 4,500 cases, according to the agency. Those releases included individuals tied to dozens of homicides, hundreds of assaults and a wide range of other violent and drug-related offenses, ICE said.

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The latest push from federal officials builds on earlier warnings. In February, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons sent a letter to California Attorney General Rob Bonta urging him to “put the safety of Americans first” by honoring detainers for more than 33,000 criminal illegal immigrants in state custody.

Lyons warned that “no community serious about keeping its residents safe will tolerate a clear aberration of the law,” pressing California officials to cooperate with ICE and take “the worst of the worst off the streets.”

Meanwhile, Alberto Rangel’s death is now being used by federal officials to underscore what they argue are the real-world consequences of those policies.

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Newsom’s office pushed back on that characterization, saying the state’s approach prioritizes accountability and public safety.

“If someone commits a serious crime, they should be held accountable in our justice system,” a spokesperson for Newsom’s office told Fox News Digital. “Allowing someone to evade responsibility simply by being deported undermines the rule of law and completely disrespects the victims harmed by that crime. Our focus must always be to ensure those who commit violent acts face their consequences here.”

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The governor’s office also pointed to California’s record of cooperating with federal immigration authorities in certain cases, noting that, since 2019, the state has coordinated the transfer of more than 12,000 individuals, including those convicted of serious and violent crimes, into ICE custody.

Officials added that state law allows coordination with ICE for individuals convicted of serious felonies or those facing credible charges, and said California does not interfere with federal immigration enforcement.

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They also argued that federal authorities do not always take custody of individuals when detainers are issued, claiming ICE fails to pick up roughly one in eight people released from state prisons who have immigration holds.

Tortolero-Arriechi remains in custody at the San Francisco County Jail, where he faces homicide and weapons charges, as pressure mounts on California leaders over whether they will comply with federal requests to keep him there.

In a statement issued after his death in December 2025, SEIU Local 521 Chief Elected Officer Riko Mendez said, “Our hearts are with the family, friends, and coworkers of Alberto Rangel,” remembering him as a dedicated social worker.

SAN FRANCISCO – More San Francisco families will soon have access to free or discounted childcare thanks to an expansion of a city program announced Thursday by Mayor Daniel Lurie. 

Who’s eligible for free or discounted childcare in San Francisco?

Dig deeper:

Under the mayor’s expansion of the city’s Family Opportunity Agenda, nearly 750 more children will have access to free or discounted care. To be eligible for free childcare, families must earn less than 150% of the city’s annual median income, $230,000. Families who earn under 200% of the median income – $310,000 – will receive a 50% subsidy for childcare.

The program expansion will offer more than 700 childcare spots, with a focus on infants and toddlers in the Sunset, Parkside, Richmond, Mission, Bayview, Portola, Mission Bay, Excelsior, Glen Park, and SoMa neighborhoods, the mayor’s office said.

“The new slots will expand the city’s early childhood system for infants and toddlers by more than 8%—broadening access to affordable, high-quality childcare for working families,” the city said, in part, in a statement Thursday.

What is San Francisco’s Family Opportunity Agenda?

Big picture view:

The mayor’s Family Opportunity Agenda was launched in January to make housing, childcare, education and more necessary resources affordable for San Francisco residents. 

“When families have access to quality, affordable childcare, they can stay and build a life in San Francisco,” Lurie said. “For children, it supports their academic and emotional growth long before kindergarten. And for our entire city, it strengthens our future—helping families stay and keeping our communities strong.”

For more information on the city’s childcare program, click here.

How much does childcare cost?

According to the Public Policy Institute of California, full-time childcare for pre-school-age children can cost anywhere between $9,000 and $24,000 per year. For children under the age of two, the cost rises from $11,000 to $29,000, research shows.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau in 2024 shows California has the third-highest costs for childcare across the U.S., at an average $16,945 per year.