The Times is exploring immigrant stories in America. Here’s what we’ve learned so far

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, Sept. 19. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.

• Inside a new Times project on immigrants in America
• A suspect was arrested in the killing of a L.A. County sheriff’s deputy
• Indulge in Carpinteria’s retro, family-friendly vibe
• And here’s today’s e-newspaper

The Times is exploring immigrant stories. Here’s what we’ve learned so far

What if we could give you a window into the lives of one-sixth of the U.S. population? What would we find out?

I’m David Lauter, a senior editor at The Times. That window is what we set out to create with Immigrant Dreams, our project on the lives of America’s huge and growing immigrant population, who make up 1 in 6 adults in the U.S. — close to a record for the past century.

For years, immigration has been one of the hottest of political hot buttons. The U.S. has been stuck in a seemingly unending debate over a broken immigration system, featuring stalemates in Congress, disorder at the southern border and a lot of heated rhetoric.

Much of that debate, however, has ignored the voices of actual immigrants. So we set out to ask immigrants to tell us about their lives and put their voices and stories at the forefront.

That’s not only an important American story, it’s a crucial story for California, which is home to the nation’s largest immigrant population.

We partnered with the nonprofit KFF, formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation, to do a large-scale poll of U.S. immigrants to find out how their lives are going, what they’ve experienced since coming to America and what their expectations are for their futures.

Planning and conducting that poll took almost two years. We tested extensively in advance to make sure we had polling methods that would work to get a representative sample of immigrants. Then we drafted a questionnaire and translated it into nine languages. Pollsters spent more than 13,000 hours interviewing people and mailed more than 75,000 surveys.

You can take some of the poll questions yourself and see how your views compare with the people we surveyed.

Once the data came back this spring, Times reporters and photographers went to work looking for individuals and families with whom we could spend time to illuminate the findings of the survey.

So what did we find out?

Optimism. That’s one of the clearest findings and the theme of our initial story, told beautifully by reporters Brittny Mejia, Jeong Park, Jack Herrera and Tyrone Beason and photographers Irfan Khan, Dania Maxwell and Brittainy Newman. Columnist Gustavo Arellano weighed in, as well, with his own story of immigrant optimism.

And because our poll told us that many immigrants feel they don’t have enough information about how the U.S. system works, our project also includes pieces about important issues like the public charge rule and how to protect yourself against scams.

For the rest of the fall, we’ll be rolling out additional stories about aspects of immigrants’ lives. We hope you’ll come along with us on the journey.

Today’s top stories

Sheriff’s deputies attend a vigil Sunday for L.A. County Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, who was fatally shot in his car outside the Palmdale sheriff’s station Saturday.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

The killing of a L.A. County sheriff’s deputy

• A 29-year-old man was arrested in the killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who was shot in the head near the Palmdale station.
• The suspect heard voices and had attempted suicide, his mother says.
• The ambushed L.A. deputy was newly engaged and looking forward to big things.

California climate stories

• Are seafloor desalination pods the answer to California’s drought woes?
• California is among the states that will share in more than $1 billion in federal funding to help plant trees in an effort to mitigate extreme heat and combat climate change.
• SoCal has the worst smog in the nation. So how do major polluters avoid paying fines?
• The Los Angeles Times has earned two honors in the 2023 Covering Climate Now journalism awards.

Housing problems and possible solutions

• L.A.’s first legal 3-D-printed house is here. It was built by students in just 15 months.
• The California conundrum: Fewer people, more homes, but an acute housing shortage.
• Millennials and Gen Z can’t afford homes. Is this prefab ADU a solution?

More big stories

• Five Americans were freed in an Iran prisoner swap after years of captivity.
• With free screenwriting workshops, striking Hollywood writers look to raise spirits and funds.
• Much-needed nurses are flocking to California — for some of the same reasons others are fleeing.

Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here.

Commentary and opinions

• Gustavo Arellano: These chefs-in-training have overcome a lot. Now, they’d like a job.
• George Skelton: A rare win for Republicans, triumph for labor and dilemma for Gov. Gavin Newsom.
• Op-Ed: Pickleball, surfskating, sandboarding ... Teqball? Why hybrids are the future of sports.

Today’s great reads

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

In an increasingly pessimistic era, immigrants espouse a hallmark American trait — optimism. Maria Del Pilar Barradas-Medel’s salary is humble, and her family of five has to squeeze into a one-bedroom mobile home in Azusa, Calif. But it’s a better life than she could have imagined back home. And it has allowed her to help her extended family in Valle de Chalco, Mexico. “I would do it again,” she said of her trek north half a lifetime ago. “Definitely.”

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.

For your downtime

(Christopher Reynolds)

Going out

• 🏖️ Go back in time at one of California’s last great beach towns.
• 💿 After a ‘hectic’ few years, Chance the Rapper — performing at the Kia Forum Thursday — finds new life in a 10-year-old mixtape.
• 🏠 Bluey’s house is coming to L.A. — and fans can play inside it.

Staying in

• 📺 On PBS’ ‘Alma’s Way,’ Sonia Manzano welcomes ‘the other Sonia from the Bronx’: Justice Sotomayor.
• 📙 Comic Aparna Nancherla makes comedy out of self-doubt. In her new memoir, it’s a way of life.
• 👩🏽‍🍳 Here’s a recipe for Bricia Lopez’s refried black bean puree.
• ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.

And finally ... a great photo

Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they’re important to you.

Mission San Luis Rey de Francia

(Gerald Francisco)

Today’s great photo is from Gerald Francisco of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii: Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside, Calif. Gerald writes:

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Elvia Limon, multiplatform editor
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Laura Blasey, assistant editor

Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.