The tank at GKN Aerospace is estimated to contain 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a "highly volatile" substance used in the production of plastics, according to Orange County Fire Authority incident commander Craig Covey. It is not clear when the tank will fail, Covey said.

Firefighters may have found a crack in the tank during an overnight operation at the facility, "which could potentially be relieving some of the pressure in there," said Orange County Fire Authority interim chief T.J. McGovern on Sunday. He called the discovery "a step in the right direction."

Later Sunday, McGovern said firefighters would be conducting another mission beginning Sunday night.

"It'll be an all-night mission in order to confirm that the pressure in the tank has been released and that the BLEVE [Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion] threat is eliminated," he said. "The BLEVE threat is the worst-case catastrophic event that we've been talking about. We are not there yet."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is also responding to the leak. In an update early Sunday, the agency said a malfunctioning valve on the tank "remains unmitigated as the chemical reaction continues without a way to neutralize it." Two other tanks at the facility have also been affected, but both were deemed "structurally sound" as of the update.

Roughly 50,000 residents of surrounding areas are under mandatory evacuation orders, according to FEMA.

McGovern urged people on Sunday night: "Please help us. Stay out of the evacuation zone. Let us run our operation."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Orange County Saturday, saying he was "mobilizing every state resource available to support local responders and make sure the community has what they need to stay safe."

Methyl methacrylate is a flammable substance that generates heat on its own. That means if it leaks into the atmosphere, any spark or flash could lead to an uncontrolled fire or explosion, said Elias Picazo, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of Southern California. At the moment, fire officials are working to keep the tank cooled.

Authorities previously believed the temperatures inside the Garden Grove industrial tank were cooling. However, after crews embarked on a risky operation inside the danger zone, they learned that temperatures were increasing at about 1 degree per hour. It was at 90 degrees on Friday night after starting the day at 77, Covey said in a video posted to X on Saturday. As of Saturday night, firefighters said that the internal temperature of the tank was over 100 degrees, more than double the "happy place" for the substance.  

Earlier, Covey told CBS Los Angeles that this is "the most significantly dangerous event" he's been a part of in his decades in fire service. 

"This is bad as I've ever seen," he added. 

So far, no injuries or deaths have been reported. GKN Aerospace is in Garden Grove, a town about 38 miles south of Los Angeles. 

Health risks of methyl methacrylate 

Methyl methacrylate is a respiratory irritant, health experts told CBS Los Angeles. Exposure to the chemical can cause lung, skin and eye irritation, nausea and dizziness. 

Covey said there are "two options" right now. In one scenario, the tank could fail and spill thousands of gallons of "very bad chemicals into the parking lot and that area," he said. 

Because the chemical is heavier than air, its vapor would settle and sink. Covey said crews have used sandbags to build containment barriers so that any spilled chemicals do not leak into storm drains or nearby waterways. 

In the second scenario, the tank could blow up, Covey said. This would send methyl methacrylate particles into the air. Covey said it's unclear how widespread or dangerous such an explosion could be. An uncontrolled explosion would also affect surrounding tanks, which hold chemicals and fuel. 

Covey said he and other officials are working to determine other options to safely end the incident. 

"Letting this thing just fail and blow up is unacceptable to us," Covey said. "Our goal is to find something and not allow that to happen."

The cause of the leak remains under investigation.

In an incident update posted on X, Orange County Fire Authority Interim Chief TJ McGovern said that crews would conduct the mission overnight to confirm that the "BLEVE threat," or Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion, was eliminated. 

"The BLEVE threat is the worst-case catastrophic event that we've been talking about. We are not there yet; we need to run this operation tonight," McGovern said. 

He said that an update in the morning would reveal the results of the overnight tank inspection to determine if pressure was released or if there was a vapor buildup inside the tank.

In an earlier post, McGovern said that crews discovered a crack in the tank on Saturday night, which could be due to a pressure release. He said that it could alter the strategy as crews search for a solution to the crisis.

"With this new information, it could change our trajectory and our strategy to this event," he said at the time. "Last night was a successful operation for this emerging incident."

The Orange County Fire Authority told CBS LA on Sunday evening that multiple cracks existed in the tank. But in a post to X later that night, the agency qualified those reports, saying: "To clarify, there is one known crack on the tank. There is also peeling of weather stripping on the exterior, but this is not an additional crack."

OCFA Public Information Officer Wayhowe Huang later clarified that the constant hose stream on the tank was causing the peeling away of the weather stripping, which could have caused confusion about the number of cracks in the tank. 

The crisis, entering its fourth day on Sunday, remained without a clear solution as a tank estimated to contain 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate continued to leak at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove. As of Saturday night, firefighters said that the internal temperature of the tank was over 100 degrees, more than double the "happy place" for the substance.

The news comes as California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he requested that President Trump issue an Emergency Declaration. The action would activate FEMA to direct federal assistance at the scene and allow federal funding to flow in.

"California doesn't wait for disaster to unfold, we act early to protect lives and communities," Newsom said. "Working together with our local and federal partners, we're strengthening our ability to respond quickly and effectively in Garden Grove and across the surrounding communities and ensuring that first responders have the resources they need to keep people safe."

The action differs from a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration in that it comes as a preemptive measure, rather than as a response to a disaster that's already caused damage. It's not yet clear if Mr. Trump will grant the request.

After Newsom's request, Democratic U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, and Orange County Rep. Derek Tran, co-signed a letter to Trump urging him to approve the state's request for a Federal Emergency Declaration.

"The severity of this disaster requires additional coordination and federal support," said part of the letter. "The safety, security, and well-being of evacuated residents and the surrounding communities remain my absolute highest priority."

On Sunday, Newsom said that more than 785 state and first responders had been deployed to Orange County to assist local authorities and hazardous material experts, as well as support the communities that were evacuated by the incident. The deployment comes a day after he proclaimed a state of emergency in Orange County on Saturday.

OCFA Incident Commander and Division Chief Craig Covey said on Saturday that the temperature inside the tank was rising at a rate of about one degree per hour. That was contrary to the agency's thinking on Friday, just hours after the leak caused the first evacuation orders on Thursday night.

When speaking to reporters on Sunday, California State Sen. Tom Umberg, who represents the area, said the temperature read 100 degrees during Saturday night's operation, which is as high as the reading goes. He called the potential release of pressure "a good thing."

"That may avoid the two concerns that we all had," he said. "One was an explosion, the other was a leak of liquid material vaporizing into a toxic fume, a toxic plume."

OCFA officials confirmed with CBS LA that they were sending a crew in to assess why there were cracks in the tank, hopeful that it was because pressure was being released. They also said it's possible that vapor buildup caused the cracking, which would eventually lead to a rupture or explosion.

Firefighters said that the internal temperature of the tank could be even hotter than 100 degrees, as that was the highest number listed on the gauge. 

"It's very unsafe. We as firefighters, hazmat team, and all the experts, have to be very methodical when they approach this scene. It's very calculated, there's a lot of risk involved," said OCFA Fire Captain Brian Yau. "The experts are talking to each other and determining when the safest time to approach the tank and make these assessments. It's not something we can just rush into and try to get all the answers immediately."

Covey offered a stark message during a news conference on Friday — the last time that officials faced reporters as a group to answer questions — and he laid out potential outcomes of the crisis.

"There are literally two options left remaining: One, the tank fails and spills a total of about [6,000] to 7,000 gallons of very bad chemicals into the parking lot and that area," Covey said. "Or two, the tank goes into a thermal runaway and blows up, affecting the tanks that are around it that have fuel or chemicals in them as well."

On Saturday, he said they're evaluating potential third options.

"Letting this thing just fail and blow up is unacceptable to us," Covey said. "Our goal is to find something and not allow that to happen."

He added it'll take "out of the box" thinking and that the OCFA is speaking to experts across the country for help on the issue. It's not yet clear if state or federal authorities will come to Garden Grove to assist with the situation.

Accountability became a focus of the crisis on Saturday night. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced that his office had launched an investigation into the cause of the tank's failure, asking whistleblowers in the community to come forward with information.

"I am indicating to employees who work at GKN: If you want to come forward and you want to be interviewed and you want to tell us what you know, now is the time," Spitzer said. "When we launch an investigation, and we get to the bottom of what happened and why the system failed, if you haven't come forward, you're not gonna be treated the same as if you come forward early and you tell us what you know."

Spitzer used words like "irresponsible" and "horrific" to describe the situation. Some evacuated residents agreed, as The X-Law Group P.C. and Presidio Law Firm LLP filed a class-action lawsuit against GKN Aerospace, seeking accountability for the disruption and potential health risks.

GKN Aerospace officials shared an updated statement on Sunday, saying that they are " working round the clock to mitigate the risk of a leak."

"We are acutely aware of the uncertainty this incident is causing and sincerely apologise for the ongoing disruption to the local community," the statement reads. "Our priority remains the safe resolution of this incident, so that residents can return to their homes as quickly as possible."

Potential blast radius

 In a post to X, OCFA Division Chief Nick Freeman showed a map with the potential blast radius if the tank were to explode. Garden Grove Mayor Pro-Tem George S. Brietigam later posted a higher-quality image of the map to Facebook.

Though difficult to read in the image provided, officials said that the innermost circle would see major structural damage, while the secondary ring could see moderate damage. The third ring would possibly see some damage, while the orange and yellow streaks show where flash fires or dangerous vapors could be released. The large red-shaded area is the evacuation zone, and the surrounding yellow-shaded spots on the map are non-hazardous areas where residents could smell the chemical, but it wouldn't be harmful.

What is methyl methacrylate and what are the health impacts of exposure?

Health experts said that methyl methacrylate — a flammable plastic epoxy that generates its own heat — is a respiratory irritant and potential exposure could lead to lung, skin and eye irritation, nausea and dizziness. The chemical is heavier than air, so its vapor would settle and sink.

Air monitoring is ongoing, and drones are monitoring the temperature of the tank, officials said.

Experts say that the substance has a boiling point less than that of water and contains self-heating properties, which could lead to a "runaway effect."

"In an uncontrolled environment with a leak, you can potentially have a lot in the atmosphere, and any flash or spark or even temperature can cause what is known as a runaway reaction," said USC Assistant Professor of Chemistry Elias Picazo. "Where, when you begin the polymerization, it's exothermic, meaning that the reaction releases heat. ... Heat initiates the reaction, but the reaction releases heat, and so you get what we call 'runaway,' where it's uncontrolled. It can lead to, yes, fires, explosions, where pressure really builds up very quickly."

Orange County Health Officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong said those who deny evacuation orders could smell vapors coming from the chemical substance. It has a strong, fruity odor, she said, but smelling the odor doesn't mean symptoms could be present.

"If you are not in the evacuation zone, we don't expect any health impact," she said. "If you were told to evacuate, please evacuate."

In an update on Saturday night, South Coast Air Quality Management District Dr. Jason Lo reported that ongoing testing revealed that levels were "completely normal."

A representative with the Environmental Protection Agency also said that since Friday, they have deployed 24 stationary monitors that work around the clock to monitor the air, and that speciality equipment revealed no gas had leaked from the tank.

When did the Garden Grove chemical leak start?

Crews arrived Thursday afternoon at the GKN Aerospace facility in the 12000 block of Western Avenue in Garden Grove after receiving a hazardous materials call just before 3:40 p.m. that day, according to OCFA. 

The chemical in the industrial tank initially stayed at the same temperature, officials said. However, about four hours after firefighters arrived, the temperature rose, causing a relief valve and sprinkler system to activate near the tank.  Firefighters said the sprinkler safety system is designed to cool off the tank if it starts leaking. 

The OCFA said crews initially made progress toward removing the chemical product but determined Friday morning that the "tank that is in the biggest crisis is in fact unable to be secured and mitigated."

The cause of the leak remains under investigation. No injuries have been reported. 

Orange County evacuations

Orange County officials expanded evacuation orders on Friday to homes in a one-mile radius in several cities, including Garden Grove, Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park and Westminster. Evacuation orders were issued for people living in the zone that included: 

• Western border expanded to Valley View St.
• Northern border expanded to Ball Rd.
• Southern border expanded to Trask Ave.
• Eastern border expanded to Dale St.

There was no estimated timetable as to when the evacuation orders would be lifted. 

Evacuation centers, all of which also accept pets except Golden West College, are at the following locations:

Garden Grove: Garden Grove Sports & Recreation Center, 13641 Deodara Dr. 

Anaheim: Savanna High School, 301 N. Gilbert Street

Fountain Valley (FULL): Mountain Square Regional Park-Freedom Hall at 16801 Euclid Street

Fountain Valley (open overnight): Los Amigos High School at 16566 Newhope Street

La Palma (FULL): John F. Kennedy High School at 8281 Walker Street

Huntington Beach (FULL): Ocean View High School at 17071 Gothard Street

Huntington Beach (FULL): Golden West College at 15744 Goldenwest Street

Costa Mesa (RV evacuees): Orange County Fair & Event Center Gate 4 Lot E off Arlington Drive.

Los Alamitos: Los Alamitos High School at 3591 W. Cerritos Avenue

American Red Cross says its volunteers are staffing evacuation centers, where they're providing evacuees with food, water and health services if needed. More information about the American Red Cross's involvement can be found here.

World Central Kitchen, a not-for-profit organization that feeds people impacted by disasters, arrived to Garden Grove on Sunday to support evacuees, according to a post to X.

Safety information 

City of Garden Grove 24-hour call center (714) 741- 5444, or visit: ggcity.org/emergency

Orange County public information hotline (714) 628-7085.

The California Health & Human Services has a Disaster Distress Helpline available to provide counseling to people experiencing emotional distress. They can be reached at 1-800-985-5990.

Politician reaction

In response to Gov. Newsom's state of emergency declaration, Rep. Derek Tran (CA-45) urged the governor to submit a request for a federal disaster declaration in the event of a catastrophic incident. This would activate the full support of the federal government, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Orange County Supervisors Janet Nguyen, who represents Garden Grove, and Vicente Sarmiento have both been active in helping open additional evacuation centers for affected residents. Nguyen said that the Orange County Sheriff's Department had patrols in place for the neighborhoods that had been evacuated to protect them from potential looting.

On Sunday, OCFA Director and County Supervisor Katrina Foley announced that the OC Fairgrounds had been established as an evacuation site for people with RVs. 

"Families with RVs under evacuation order can head to the Orange County Fair & Event Center for a safe and secure place to stay awaiting removal of evacuation orders," said a statement from Foley. "After speaking to the CEO of the fairgrounds, the site can accommodate 25 RVs with utility hook ups at the campground, and 75 more in the parking lot. The site is patrolled by security and will offer access to restrooms." 

California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert on price gouging during the state of emergency. Anyone who believed they fell victim to price gouging was urged to report the incident to the Attorney General's Office.

"Amid the developing situation in Orange County, I urge residents in the impacted area to stay alert, follow all evacuation orders immediately, and monitor official channels for critical updates," Bonta's statement said. "California's price gouging law protects people impacted by an emergency from illegal price gouging on housing, gas, food, and other essential supplies."

County officials open investigation, tipline

On Saturday, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced that an anonymous tipline had been opened to the public as investigators sought information on the incident. 

Officials urged anyone with more information leading up to the incident, operations at the facility, maintenance of the tanks and systems or any other relevant information on GKN Aerospace to email tipster@ocdistrictattorney.gov, call the tip hotline at 714-347-8714 or fill out the anonymous form on their website.

"This is an incredibly volatile situation with extraordinary efforts being made by first responders to prevent a potentially catastrophic disaster," said a statement from Spitzer. "Given the very real risk to human life as a result of this event, it is crucial that anyone who has information about this incident or the industrial operations at GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, Inc. come forward and report it so that it can be thoroughly investigated by law enforcement."

Spitzer spoke with CBS LA about the investigation into GKN Aerospace on Saturday, asking any citizens living around the facility or whistleblowers working at the company to come forward. 

Cancelations and closures

Garden Grove Unified School District officials closed 15 campuses on Friday morning and said they would remain closed until further notice as they continued monitoring the situation. Several schools were also indefinitely closed in the Magnolia, Savanna, Westminster and Cypress school districts. A full list of closures can be found on the Orange County Sheriff's disaster resources website.

City officials said that the annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival would move forward as scheduled, but that the 5k marathon and parade on Saturday were canceled.

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley also said that the County of Orange Registrar of Voters had closed the Garden Grove Sports and Recreation Center Vote Center on Saturday, as it would instead operate as a care and shelter site.

In a post to its website, Disneyland said the park's operation is completely unaffected by the situation.

"At this time, there is no impact to Disneyland Resort due to this situation and the resort remains open to guests. We are actively monitoring the situation and taking guidance from local authorities," the statement reads. "The Disneyland Resort is approximately five miles from the incident and is not in the identified evacuation zone."

A spokesperson for Knott's Berry Farm also shared a statement on the situation. They said that the park would remain open and, if necessary, a safety team has been trained for emergency responses to help guide guests from the park.

"The safety and wellbeing of our guests and team members is a cornerstone of our business. We are working closely with our partners at the Orange County Fire Authority to actively monitor the situation," the statement said. "At this time, the park has not been impacted."

On Sunday, Cypress city leaders announced that their annual Memorial Day event at Forest Lawn Memorial Park would be canceled due to the incident in Garden Grove.

Services for evacuees

Several services were being provided for the nearly 50,000 people forced to evacuate from their homes and first responders dedicated to the ongoing incident. 

Uber has offered free rides to evacuees for up to $40 as they travel to temporary shelters. Those wishing to take advantage of the offer were advised to use the promo code "OCSAFE26" in the Wallet section of their Uber app to request a free ride to the shelter of their choosing. The offer is valid for two trips per rider through Monday, Uber officials said. 

Multiple hotels in Anaheim were also offering discounted rates for evacuees looking for another place to stay.  A full list of participating locations can be found on the Visit Anaheim website.

The Del Taco located at 11070 Garden Grove Boulevard was also offering free meals to first responders in uniform "as a thank-you for their efforts," officials said in a news release.

Southern California communities monitor the situation

Officials in surrounding Southern California counties also noted that they were monitoring the potential impact to their communities. 

"Based on the latest update from Orange County officials, including current wind conditions, there is not a current threat to LA County communities," said a statement shared on the Los Angeles County X account. "LA County officials are continuing to coordinate with public health, emergency management, and hazardous materials teams."

They also said that there was ongoing communication with city officials in Lakewood, Long Beach and Hawaiian Gardens and that authorities were ready to respond if needed. 

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement that she's closely monitoring the situation in Orange County.

"The Los Angeles Fire Department has confirmed that Los Angeles is not affected and there is no risk to the city," she said. "The LAFD remains in close contact with the Orange County Fire Authority and Cal OES and is sending a Hazmat Specialist who will serve as a subject matter expert. The LAFD is on standby, ready to offer any further assistance and resources should they be needed. All Angelenos should avoid the area."

In Riverside County, fire department officials said that there were no impacts that required proactive actions, but that they were closely following along. 

"As an all-hazard fire department, CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department regularly trains for a wide range of emergency incidents and maintains preparedness through ongoing training, planning, and interagency coordination," a statement from Cal Fire officials said.

San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Services officials said that they were in contact with Orange County Fire Authority and emergency management officials to maintain situational awareness, but that there was no direct plume threat and that gas would disperse many miles from the county.

The incident was reported just before 3:20 a.m. on Friday near E. Cesar Chavez Avenue and N. Eastern Avenue, Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said. The pipeline was ruptured in two places when a crew with Plains West Coast Pipeline was drilling in the area as they worked to install fiber optic cable 10 feet underground.

It took approximately 30 minutes for someone to shut off the valve, which is located near Dodger Stadium. In that time, officials estimate that 2,400 gallons spewed from the 16-inch pipeline that runs from Kern County to the Port of Long Beach.

The oil gushed onto the East Los Angeles intersection, some of which ended up running down storm drains and eventually into the Los Angeles River, firefighters said. 

While no injuries were reported in the incident, the California Department of Fish & Wildlife reported that oiled birds were collected from the Los Angeles River on Saturday. Team members from the Oiled Wildlife Care Network were deployed on Friday afternoon after the petroleum entered the waterway.

"The birds have been transported to the Los Angeles Oiled Bird Care & Education Center, where additional OWCN responders are providing initial care prior to cleaning," said a social media post from OWCN.

Los Angeles County officials said that the oil leak was fully contained on Saturday. 

In an updated post shared Sunday, the Office of Spill Prevention and Response said that 25 birds were recovered and in the care of wildlife officials after the oil spill. 

CDFW officials asked anyone who believes they have found oiled wildlife to contact 1-877-UCD-OWCN. They also urged the public not to approach or attempt to capture the animals, but wait for trained personnel to respond.

The incident began on Thursday, when firefighters were alerted to a chemical leak at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove. A day later, authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people in Garden Grove, Stanton, Buena Park, Cypress, Westminster and Anaheim. 

A number of evacuation shelters were opened up in the immediate aftermath of the evacuation orders, but since then, they have hit or neared capacity as Red Cross volunteers work to accommodate what they can and help ease the stress of those waiting in limbo to know when, or if, they can return home. 

"We're just waiting until something happens," said Israel Morales Jr., a Westminster resident who left his home with family after the orders were issued. "It was very stressful."

With shelters now open across Orange County, including in the communities of Garden Grove, Anaheim, Fountain Valley, La Palma, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa and Los Alamitos, officials say that nearly all have filled up extremely quickly and are nearing their limit. 

County officials say that they've been working around the clock to make sure that shelters have what evacuees need, including showers, food and basic supplies. On Sunday, an evacuation center for people in RVs was opened at the Orange County Fairgrounds, and later in the evening, another shelter was opened for overnight stays at Los Alamitos High School. 

Some other Orange County residents not placed under evacuation sprang into action, stopping to grab supplies to drop off at shelters. 

"We just decided to get the kids in the car and go straight to Walmart and start getting dog food, bowls, toiletries for people, wipes, feminine products," said Pamela Mann, from Huntington Beach. "When you are on the go, you need those things."

Small businesses in Orange County have also gathered their resources to help where they can. Adriana Montaya, who owns La Pawanderia, a dog bakery in Downey, has rallied the community to drop of donations for both people and pets. 

"It is very difficult for us not to do anything about it, considering that there's a lot of families and a lot of those families have pets and it's difficult to find locations where you can take your pets with you," Montaya said. "We have had a lot of families let us know they did get evacuated abruptly and they weren't able to get anything evacuated in the middle of the night and being told to leave."

Montaya has also set up an Amazon wishlist for families with pets, so if they're unable to make it to the store, they can have their supplies delivered directly to her business. 

In addition to helping residents evacuate their homes safely, Garden Grove Police Department officers said they were working to ease looting and safety concerns in the now-empty neighborhoods by actively patrolling streets and businesses inside the evacuation zone. 

Some of the evacuees hit the road to camp out at state parks like Bolsa Chica State Beach. Despite staying there for the last two nights, some people said that park officials told them they had to leave. Officials later posted on X to ask evacuees not to stay overnight. 

"State beach parking lots are not approved evacuation centers and do not have the facilities or resources to accommodate overnight guests," the post said. 

CBS LA spoke with several people who were upset with the news, which is added stress on top of having to leave their homes.

What is the reason for us to leave? I mean, if they're gonna lose money on parking spots, we're all spending extra money to stay," said one man. "Whatever it takes."

Another man, who pointed at the long line of RVs and cars still parked at the beach early Sunday evening, said that they had teamed up to support each other during the ongoing crisis and that they couldn't wait to go home.

California State Parks officials also shared a statement with CBS LA, which said, in part: "Thanks for reaching out. We recommend evacuees to go to designated evacuation shelters, including the Orange County Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa which today began providing temporary RV parking support for evacuees. This facility in particular has sufficient spaces with hookups, restrooms and on-site security to accommodate evacuees."

The blaze was reported just after 2:10 p.m. in the 11800 block of Industrial Avenue at a 75-foot by 75-foot commercial building, LACoFD firefighters told CBS LA. 

Crews said that the fire was designated as a Second Alarm as the flames continued to rip through the property.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn shared a post on X that said that a shelter-in-place order had been issued for people living in the surrounding community. The order was lifted at around 7:30 p.m.

South Gate Police Department officers said that Gardendale Street and Industrial Street were both closed to the public due to the fire and advised people to seek alternate routes or expect delays.

Aerial footage showed a massive plume of black smoke rising above the property. Large flames had engulfed what appeared to be salvaged automotive parts. Firefighters were seen using extended ladders to douse the flames from above. 

At around 4:20 p.m., LACoFD crews said that the fire was extinguished and that crews would remain on scene to fully contain the incident.

The property, which appeared to be SSSJJ Auto Service, was closely surrounded by other business and dozens of homes. It's unclear if any other structures had sustained damage in the fire. 

The cause of the incident remains under investigation and its unclear if any injuries have been reported.

Downey Fire Department officials said that their crews were assisting LACoFD with the firefight. They said there was no known threat to Downey.

This is a developing story. Check back for details. 

Orange County evacuations

Orange County officials expanded evacuation orders on Friday to homes in a one-mile radius in several cities, including Garden Grove, Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park and Westminster. Evacuation orders were issued for people living in the zone that included: 

• Western border expanded to Valley View St.
• Northern border expanded to Ball Rd.
• Southern border expanded to Trask Ave.
• Eastern border expanded to Dale St.

There was no estimated timetable as to when the evacuation orders would be lifted. 

Evacuation centers, most of which also accept pets, are at the following locations:

Garden Grove (Not overnight): Garden Grove Sports & Recreation Center, 13641 Deodara Dr. 

Anaheim: Savanna High School, 301 N. Gilbert Street

Fountain Valley (FULL): Mountain Square Regional Park-Freedom Hall at 16801 Euclid Street

Fountain Valley (open overnight): Los Amigos High School at 16566 Newhope Street

La Palma (FULL): John F. Kennedy High School at 8281 Walker Street

Huntington Beach: Ocean View High School at 17071 Gothard Street

Huntington Beach: Golden West College at 15744 Goldenwest Street

Costa Mesa: Orange County Fair & Event Center Lot E through Gate 4 off of Arlington Drive

Los Alamitos: Los Alamitos High School at 3591 W. Cerritos Avenue

Orange County Animal Care was also open to accept dogs, cats and other small pets from evacuees. The shelter is located at 1630 Victory Road in Tustin.

Safety information 

City of Garden Grove 24-hour call center (714) 741- 5444, or visit: ggcity.org/emergency

Orange County Sheriff's Department Disaster Resources Website.

Orange County public information hotline (714) 628-7085.

Services for evacuees

Several services were being provided for the nearly 50,000 people forced to evacuate from their homes and first responders dedicated to the ongoing incident. 

• The California Health & Human Services has a Disaster Distress Helpline available to provide counseling to people experiencing emotional distress. They can be reached at 1-800-985-5990.
• Uber has offered free rides to evacuees for up to $40 as they travel to temporary shelters. Those wishing to take advantage of the offer were advised to use the promo code "OCSAFE26" in the Wallet section of their Uber app to request a free ride to the shelter of their choosing. The offer is valid for two trips per rider through Monday, Uber officials said. 
• Multiple hotels in Anaheim were also offering discounted rates for evacuees looking for another place to stay.  A full list of participating locations can be found on the Visit Anaheim website.
• The Del Taco located at 11070 Garden Grove Boulevard was also offering free meals to first responders in uniform "as a thank-you for their efforts," officials said in a news release.
• All 24 Hour Fitness locations in Orange County are offering their restrooms and showers, as well as a place to charge phones in an air-conditioned setting.
• Senior citizen care centers were also available at the Ehlers Center at 8150 Knott Avenue in Buena Park and the Westminster Senior Center at 8200 Westminster Avenue. Both care centers close at 8 p.m. daily.
• U-Haul has offered 30 days of free storage for people displaced by the incident with their self-storage and U-Box container use options. They're also providing free delivery and pickup to shelter locations at 11 company facilities across northern Orange County.
• Along with evacuation shelters, the Elks Lodge in Garden Grove also opened its doors to evacuees. Though not an official shelter, officials at the location located at 11551 Trask Avenue said that they're welcoming anyone impacted by the evacuations, along with their pets. They said that blow-up mattresses, blankets and pillows would be provided to anyone in need, along with a laundry room and showers.  

"We understand we aren't an official evacuation center, but we have the space, we have the ability. That's what we're here for," said Jackie Page, the club manager of the Garden Grove Elks Lodge.

Cancelations and closures

Garden Grove Unified School District officials closed 15 campuses on Friday morning and said they would remain closed until further notice as they continued monitoring the situation. Those schools include:

• Barker Elementary School
• Bryant
• Carver
• Enders Elementary School
• Garden Park
• Lawrence Elementary School
• Wakeham Elementary School
• Patton Elementary School
• Bell Intermediate School
• Alamitos Intermediate
• Pacifica High School
• Rancho Alamitos High School
• Skylark Preschool
• Maintenance and Operations Facility
• Lampson Bus Yard

In the Magnolia School District, two campuses were closed indefinitely, including:

• Esther L. Walter School (with students relocated to Jonas E. Salk)
• Robert M. Pyles STEM Academy (with students relocated to Mattie Lou Maxwell Elementary)

In the Westminster School District:

• Finley, Johnson and Sequoia Schools were evacuated to Stacy Middle School
• Anderson, Fryberger, Mears and Schmitt were evacuated to Warner Middle School

Both Frank Vessels Elementary and Juliet Morris Elementary in the Cypress School District were placed on optional pickup on Friday.

Several schools were also indefinitely closed in the Magnolia, Savanna, Westminster and Cypress school districts. 

City officials said that the annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival would move forward as scheduled, but that the 5k marathon and parade on Saturday were canceled.

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley also said that the County of Orange Registrar of Voters had closed the Garden Grove Sports and Recreation Center Vote Center on Saturday, as it would instead operate as a care and shelter site.

LAFC (7-5-3) snapped a three-game losing streak and a four-game winless stretch.

LAFC has won six straight and is 9-0-1 at home against the Sounders in the regular season. Seattle has two wins at BMO Stadium in the MLS Cup playoffs, most recently a 2-1 victory in extra time to advance to the 2024 Western Conference final.

Tyler Boyd played a cross from the right side to the back post, where Tillman put away a sliding half-volley to give LAFC a 1-0 lead.

Hasal, who had his first shutout since 2022 for Vancouver, made his second consecutive start (his third this season) in the place the injured Hugo Lloris, who is out (leg) indefinitely. Lloris leads MLS with eight shutouts, including an MLS-record six straight to open the season.

Andrew Thomas had two saves for the Sounders (7-3-3).

Seattle has allowed 11 goals this season, tied with Nashville — the points leader in all of MLS with 33 — for the fewest in the league.

The Sounders are 3-2-2 and have conceded just four goals on the road this season.

Seattle's Danny Musovski subbed on for Paul Rothrock in the 69th minute and hit the crossbar with a shot from the center of the area in the 76th.

The Sounders lost 2-0 at home against the LA Galaxy on May 16 to snap a nine-game unbeaten streak dating to a 2-1 loss at Real Salt Lake on Feb. 28. The loss to the Galaxy also snapped Seattle's 22-game home unbeaten streak across all competitions.

The Riverside Police Department told CBS LA that it received multiple reports of a large fight that had spilled into the street from a house party in the 3500 block of Franklin Street around 12:39 a.m.

During that incident, a driver behind the wheel of a vehicle hit several individuals, police said. Video from the scene showed the suspect's vehicle still sitting in the middle of the street with a shattered windshield and smashed hood.

Upon arrival, officers determined that the suspect, who remains unidentified publicly, intentionally drove into the individuals. They are now investigating the incident as a homicide. 

A person who remains unidentified publicly was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said two others were transported to Riverside Community Hospital in critical condition, and a fourth victim was transported to the hospital for treatment of their unspecified injuries.

The suspect was later detained, police said, but it's unclear if a formal arrest was made.

Residents living in the surrounding area were shaken by the incident. 

"You don't want nobody to die, you don't want no shootings. It's dangerous for the neighbors," said Benjamin Cardenas.

Video from the scene showed the suspect's vehicle still sitting in the middle of the street with a shattered windshield and smashed hood.

One neighbor shared footage from their home security camera just moments after the crash happened, which showed a female who appeared to be in distress pleading for help.

They said that this is the second weekend in a row that a house party in the area has gotten out of hand, and they're hopeful that the latest incident can lead to an increase in police activity and a response from city leaders.

The move comes a day after Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to a tank at GKN Aerospace that had failed and was at risk of rupturing or exploding, which would release a toxic and highly volatile chemical known as methyl methacrylate. 

Now in its fourth day, and with approximately 50,000 residents in communities in and surrounding Garden Grove placed under mandatory evacuation orders, local and national experts are working to mitigate the leak and reach a solution that would prevent the tank from blowing. 

"California is mobilizing every available resource to protect impacted communities and support local response efforts," said a statement from Gov. Newsom. "We are working hand-in-hand with local officials and emergency personnel to keep people safe, support evacuations and sheltering operations, monitor environmental conditions, and ensure communities receive timely and accurate information."

In a news release shared Sunday, Newsom's office said that 785 state and local first responders were deployed to Orange County. Among those personnel deployed were:

• 473 law enforcement personnel
• 24 scientists, toxicologists and engineers
• 3 specialized hazmat teams
• 170 firefighters
• 20 air monitors
• 43 public health and sheltering experts
• 71 emergency managers
• 12 CalTrans maintenance trucks and staff

Newsom also requested a Federal Emergency Declaration from President Trump on Sunday, which would then allow for assistance from federal agencies and funding. 

"California doesn't wait for disaster to unfold, we act early to protect lives and communities," Newsom said upon announcing the request. "Working together with our local and federal partners, we're strengthening our ability to respond quickly and effectively in Garden Grove and across the surrounding communities and ensuring that first responders have the resources they need to keep people safe."

The move would also allow for further access to evacuation shelters for people who were forced to rush from their homes. As of Sunday night, many of those shelters are at or nearing capacity and people are left searching for a place to stay with the situation still developing. 

As of Sunday night, Orange County Fire Authority officials said that their efforts to cool the tank had been largely unsuccessful as the internal temperature reached more than 100 degrees, double the "happy place" for resting methyl methacrylate. In an update earlier in the day, they said that crews noticed a crack in the tank, which could mean that pressure had been released from inside. 

Detmers retired 24 of 25 batters, allowing a home run to Jake Burger on a changeup leading off the second. He induced 23 misses among 51 swings and his strikeouts tied Seattle's Emerson Hancock on May 2 against Kansas City for the most in the major leagues this season.

Mike Trout tied the score with a broken-bat RBI single off MacKenzie Gore in the third.

After Sam Bachman (1-0) struck out Burger to strand the bases loaded in the ninth, Jorge Soler singled against Gavin Collyer (1-1) with one out in the bottom half. Jo Adell was hit by a pitch, Donovan Walton pinch ran for Soler and Oswald Peraza flared a potential double-play, one-hopper over the mound.

Foscue fielded the ball near second and juggled the ball as pulled it out of his glove for a throw while stepping on the base. His throw to first bounced away from Burger, and Walton scored standing up.

Los Angeles' sweep followed a 1-9 skid.

Up next

Rangers: RHP Kumar Rocker (2-4, 3.60 ERA) will oppose Astros RHP Tatsuya Imai (1-3, 8.31) at Houston on Monday night.

Angels" RHP Jack Kochanowicz (2-3, 4.55 ERA) will face Tigers RHP Keider Montero (2-3, 3.83) at Detroit Tuesday night.

The investigation began on April 22, 2026, when San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department deputies were dispatched to the scene of a residential burglary in San Antonio Heights, an area in unincorporated Upland, according to a news release from SBSD.

"Through surveillance footage, investigative leads, and extensive information sharing between multiple law enforcement agencies, detectives identified several suspects connected to the crime," the release said. 

Detectives learned that the suspects were allegedly using fake license plates, WiFi and signal jamming devices, camouflaged wireless cameras and other burglary tools to disable home security systems and monitor homes before they broke in and committed the burglaries, deputies said. 

On May 5, 2026, Ventura County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested four suspects for an alleged burglary in Thousand Oaks. At the time, deputies said that they had ransacked a home and taken $100,000 in valuables. 

Ventura County deputies said that three of the suspects were arrested after their vehicle was spotted in the Calabasas area by California Highway Patrol officers. When they attempted to pull the car over, a pursuit took place. All three suspects were taken into custody after bailing from the car and running on foot.

Deputies said that the three suspects arrested at the time were identified as:

• Javier Ricardo Pulido Ramirez, 41, of Los Angeles
• Diego Fernando Paipilla Cuervo, 39, of Los Angeles
• Jesus Miguel Velez Hernandez, 35, of Simi Valley

"During that time, investigators learned of a second suspect vehicle involved in the burglary which had continued south into the greater Los Angeles area," the Ventura County Sheriff's Office release said. "Through shared information between law enforcement agencies, patrol officers with the LAPD located the second suspect vehicle."

They arrested the remaining suspect, who has since been identified as Sergio Alejandro Paez Cuervo, 27, of Los Angeles. All four of the suspects were booked for residential burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime, and had their bail set at $500,000 each. 

San Bernardino County deputies said that an additional suspect was also arrested. He was identified as 29-year-old Akssel Cadena-Diaz. Deputies said that all of the suspects are citizens of Colombia and members of a South American residential burglary crew wanted for burglaries across Southern California. 

Investigators shared photos of some of the items that were allegedly stolen, including cell phones, sunglasses, luxury watches, coins and high-end bags. 

Anyone with more information was asked to contact SBSD deputies at 909-356-6767 or Ventura County deputies via Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

Los Angeles won two of three in Milwaukee this weekend to cap a 7-2 trip. The Brewers had gone 6-0-1 over their last seven series before losing this one.

Yamamoto (4-4) allowed one run over seven innings while facing the Brewers for the first time since throwing a three-hitter in Game 2 of last season's NL Championship Series, another 5-1 Dodgers triumph in Milwaukee.

Will Klein worked the eighth and Tanner Scott pitched the ninth as Los Angeles' bullpen extended its modern-day franchise record streak of scoreless innings to 38. According to Sportradar, the last time any major league bullpen had this long a streak was in September 2017, when Cleveland relievers threw 39 straight scoreless innings.

The game was tied 1-all when Los Angeles' Mookie Betts led off the fifth inning with a single off Brandon Sproat, who then walked Freddie Freeman before leaving the game. Tucker greeted Shane Drohan by sending a 3-2 pitch just inside the right-field line to score Betts and Freeman.

Pages drove Drohan's next pitch over the left-field wall to extend the Dodgers' lead to 5-1. The 380-foot blast was the first homer Drohan has allowed, and it came on the rookie's 10th career appearance.

Sproat (1-3) continually pitched out of trouble until running out of gas in the fifth.

The Dodgers left two men on base in three of the first four innings. They got one run in the fourth when Teoscar Hernández scored on a wild pitch after Sproat hit Miguel Rojas with a pitch to load the bases.

Jake Bauers scored Milwaukee's lone run in the second inning.

Up next

Dodgers: Emmett Sheehan (3-1, 4.93 ERA) faces the Colorado Rockies on Monday in Los Angeles. The Rockies haven't announced their starting pitcher.

Brewers: Jacob Misiorowski (4-2, 1.89) matches up with St. Louis' Matthew Liberatore (2-2, 4.70) on Monday as the Brewers open a home series.

Cal Fire said the blaze, named the Burro Fire, was burning at a moderate rate of speed.

The fire was reported near the Burro Canyon Shooting Park, which calls itself the largest shooting venue in Southern California. The range was evacuated.

The Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management said it was monitoring the blaze at 12:58 p.m. 

Firefighters did not say if any structures were threatened and did not report any injuries. The cause is under investigation.

As of Sunday afternoon, the fire remained at approximately 30 acres and was finally 100% contained, firefighters said. 

No additional details were immediately made available.

Yamavaa   

Spring is, since time memorial, the most important season for the Yuhaaviatam tribe. It's a season of renewal and resilience, and the season of the yucca harvest – their main source of materials and food. It's also why they named the resort and casino, "Yaamava," which directly translates to spring and renewal. At Yaamava, you can see the story of the yucca everywhere. It's the visual that makes up the "Y" logo, and you'll find ornate displays all over the property depicting the yucca and tribal life. While you enjoy the resort amenities (a world-class spa and serious dining options) or perhaps take in a concert, take a look around and you'll see a glimpse into the beautiful story of the Yuhaaviatam.

Yaamava Resort & Casino

777 San Manuel Blvd

Highland, CA 92346 

yaamava.com

"The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications," according to the statement from the Busch family. 

Busch, who won more races in NASCAR's top three series than anyone in history, died suddenly on Thursday after passing out a day earlier in a driving simulator at General Motors facility in Concord, North Carolina.

Sepsis is a life-threatening medical condition that occurs when the body has an extreme response to an infection, causing damage to tissues and organs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This was the Busch family's first statement since Thursday, when they wrote on social media that he "experienced a severe illness resulting in hospitalization" and would miss this weekend's Coca-Cola 600, one of the biggest races of the season.

The 41-year-old experienced shortness of breath, felt he was overheating and was coughing up blood the day before his death, according to a 911 call obtained Friday by CBS News.

During the emergency call, an unidentified caller calmly told the dispatch: "I've got an individual that's shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he's going to pass out, and he's producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood."

Busch was lying on the bathroom floor inside the complex and the caller told dispatch, "he is awake," according to audio provided by the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office.

Two weeks ago, while competing in a Cup race at Watkins Glen, Busch was heard on radio telling his team to have a doctor waiting for him when the race ended. The TV broadcast said Busch had been dealing with a sinus cold.

Despite the issues, Busch won the Craftsman Truck Series race on May 15 at Dover Motor Speedway, less than a week before his death. 

Busch won Cup Series titles in 2015 and 2019 while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch is the all-time leader in wins in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series (102) and Craftsman Truck Series (69), considered the second and third tier in the sport respectively. Combined with 63 wins in the Cup Series, he holds the most wins ever by a driver in NASCAR's three top divisions (234).

Officials said they would eliminate the option for many immigrants seeking a green card to complete the process without having to leave the U.S. Instead, in most cases, those immigrants will be required to return to their home countries in order to apply for an immigrant visa overseas through an American consulate, officials said.

Current and former U.S. immigration officials told CBS News the memo published Friday would likely have wide-ranging implications, forcing groups like students, tourists and other temporary visa holders, as well as those who entered legally but overstayed their visas, to leave the country before trying to obtain a green card through sponsorships filed by U.S. citizen spouses or employers.

For many immigrants, going back home could make it difficult or impossible for them to return to the U.S. 

Citizens of 39 countries, most of them in Africa and Asia, currently face outright bans or restrictions from entering the U.S. under a proclamation, known as the "travel ban," signed by President Trump on national security grounds. A separate Trump administration policy has paused all grants of immigrant visas for people in 75 countries seeking to move to the U.S. permanently, arguing that they could become economic burdens. Additionally, in most cases, people who overstayed their visas and have lived in the U.S. illegally for some time would trigger 10-year bans from reentering the country if they leave.

Michael Valverde, who was a senior official at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under Republican and Democratic administrations until his departure last year, said Friday's announcement would "disrupt the plans of hundreds of thousands of families and employers annually."

"This is a largely unprecedented move that will limit lawful immigration to the U.S. greatly," Valverde said. "People who followed the rules faithfully now face tremendous uncertainty."

The memo published by USCIS on Friday seeks to dramatically restrict when the agency can allow immigrants to get a green card through the "adjustment of status" process. That allows eligible immigrants in the U.S. to get a green card, without having to return to the U.S. and seek permanent residency through a visa application at an American consulate.

The memo instructed USCIS officers to treat the adjustment of status process as an "extraordinary" relief and act of "administrative grace," arguing that Congress suggested in federal law that most green card applications should complete the process abroad. Officers were directed to treat someone's decision to seek adjustment of status, instead of the consular process overseas, as "adverse factors" in their applications.

While exemptions to the policy were not precisely outlined, the memo suggested that people with so-called "dual intent" visas, such as H-1Bs for high-skilled workers, as well as refugees and asylees, would still be allowed to apply for a green card in the U.S. through the adjustment of status process.

"From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances," USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said in a statement. "This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes."

Kahler said the policy would also reduce the "need to find and remove those who decide to slip into the shadows and remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency."

In a separate statement later Friday, Kahler suggested that green card applicants in the U.S. who will provide an "economic benefit" or serve the "national interest" would be allowed to complete their processing here, without having to leave the country.

Doug Rand, a former senior USCIS official under the Biden administration, said the changes could affect hundreds of thousands of cases, since half a million people get green cards each year through the adjustment of status process. Immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens who are in the country on student and other temporary visas, he added, will likely be among those most affected by the changes.

"The primary impact of this appears to be to make it difficult or impossible for very large numbers of U.S. citizens to get on with their lives with the people they've chosen to marry who came here legally," Rand said.

Many of those forced to leave the U.S., Rand added, may get stuck overseas.

"Imagine you fall in love with someone from Iran or Russia, or again, 114 different countries, where if you go back and try to apply for a permanent residency from that country, the Trump administration will not let you in," Rand said.

The storied service, launched in September 1927, was home to broadcast legends Edward R. Murrow, Robert Trout, Douglas Edwards, Charles Osgood, Dan Rather and many other familiar and trusted voices over its decades in operation. 

"It's been around for a long time. Really, an American institution is what we're losing here," said Steve Kathan, the longtime anchor of the CBS World News Roundup.

"CBS Radio should be remembered for becoming a national institution very important to the development of news other than newspapers," Rather recently told "CBS Sunday Morning." "It, for many, many years, was a part, and I would argue not a small part, of what held the country together." 

The decision to shutter the radio news service was announced in March, with the company citing "challenging economic realities." 

In a statement at the time, CBS News President Tom Cibrowski and Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss paid tribute to the historic role of CBS News Radio in covering major events worldwide since the dawn of the broadcasting era.

"For nearly 100 years, CBS News Radio has delivered original reporting to the nation — from Edward R. Murrow's World War II reports in London to today's daily White House updates," they said. "Our signature broadcast, 'World News Roundup,' remains the longest-running newscast in the country. CBS News Radio served as the foundation for everything we have built since 1927." 

CBS News Radio first hit the airwaves just seven years after what's been widely recognized as the first commercial radio broadcast.

The first broadcast of baseball's World Series could be heard on CBS News Radio in 1938, and in 1939 it aired an interview with Babe Ruth.

CBS News Radio brought millions of Americans coverage of major events including the attack on Pearl Harbor and the D-Day invasion, Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, the New York City blackout of 1977, the Gulf War, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.

Murrow's voice was first heard on air in 1938. As "CBS Sunday Morning" recently recounted, he was in Europe to recruit voices for radio, but after observing how dangerous Hitler was, he sent back a broadcast.

"This is Edward Murrow speaking from Vienna. It's now nearly 2:30 in the morning, and Herr Hitler has not yet arrived. No one seems to know just when he will get here. But most people expect him sometime after 10 o'clock tomorrow morning," Murrow said in that report. 

He later provided rooftop reports in London during the Blitz and from the Buchenwald concentration camp after the Germans had fled.

"I'm not searching for adjectives to make this sound dramatic," he said in one wartime report. "I'm just telling you what I've seen."

The legendary broadcaster was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1988.

CBS program host and correspondent Allison Keyes covered the news from Lower Manhattan on 9/11. 

"People needed to know what was going on that day," Keyes said, "in real time, no filter, no politics. Here's what's happening."

As the final days of CBS News Radio approached, she and her coleagues reflected on its legacy. 

"It leaves a huge gap in the field of news," Keyes said. "I want the listeners to know how proud and honored I am to have worked for this amazing place, with these amazing people."

U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw granted Abrego Garcia's effort to dismiss the criminal charges on the ground that the Justice Department's prosecution was vindictive. Crenshaw had already ruled that the Salvadoran man demonstrated that the prosecution may be vindictive, which left it up to the government to rebut that presumption. 

But in his decision, the judge concluded that prosecutors failed to meet that burden, writing "the evidence before this Court sadly reflects an abuse of prosecuting power."

The decision is a massive victory for Abrego Garcia, whose immigration case became a flashpoint in President Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown.

"Justice is a big word and an even bigger promise to fulfill; and I am grateful that today, justice has taken a step forward," he said in a statement following the ruling.

Abrego Garcia's criminal lawyer, Sean Hecker, said in a separate statement that his client "is a victim of a politicized, vindictive White House and its lawyers at what used to be an independent Justice Department. We are so pleased that he is a free man. Justifiably so. As this Administration continually chips away at our democracy, we remain grateful for an independent judiciary that will dispassionately apply binding precedent to the facts."

Abrego Garcia was charged last year with two counts of human smuggling stemming from a November 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee, where he was pulled over by state Highway Patrol and was found to have numerous people in his vehicle. He pleaded not guilty.

The indictment came after Abrego Garcia was removed from the U.S. in March 2025 and flown to El Salvador, where he was initially held at a notorious supermax prison. But an immigration judge had granted Abrego Garcia a legal status that forbade immigration authorities from deporting him to his home country, and a Trump administration official acknowledged his removal to El Salvador was a mistake.

Abrego Garcia filed a civil lawsuit in Maryland challenging his deportation, and a federal judge ordered the Trump administration in April 2025 to facilitate his return back to the U.S. The Department of Homeland Security, however, resisted doing so for months, but eventually returned him to the U.S. to face criminal charges two months later.

He has since been intertwined in civil and criminal legal fights, and held on separate occasions by federal authorities in Tennessee and immigration officials in Maryland. Abrego Garcia has remained out of immigration custody for several months while his cases proceeded.

The judge's ruling

"The Court does not reach its conclusion lightly," Crenshaw wrote. "The objective evidence here shows that, absent Abrego's successful lawsuit challenging his removal to El Salvador, the Government would not have brought this prosecution. The Executive Branch closed its investigation on the November 2022 traffic stop. Only after Abrego succeeded in vindicating his rights did the Executive Branch reopen that investigation."

A Justice Department spokesperson said in response to the decision, "Another activist judge has placed politics above public safety. The judge's order is wrong and dangerous, and we will appeal."

In the criminal case brought in Tennessee, Abrego Garcia and his attorneys argued that he was unfairly targeted by the federal government because of the civil lawsuit that successfully challenged his removal to El Salvador.

During a nearly six-hour hearing in February, members of Abrego Garcia's defense team questioned two government witnesses on when the Justice Department decided to move to indict him, and whether anybody at the White House, the Justice Department, or the Department of Homeland Security were directly involved in those discussions.

The U.S. attorney who was then leading the prosecution, Robert McGuire, said he decided to bring charges years after the initial traffic stop because "the evidence pointed to Abrego Garcia having committed a crime." McGuire also insisted it was his decision to prosecute Abrego Garcia and no one else's, adding that no one instructed him to do so or directed him to seek an indictment.

Abrego Garcia's legal team, however, showed internal emails from a high-level Justice Department official, Aakash Singh, that suggested there was significant interest in charging Abrego Garcia after he challenged his deportation, including one that referred to the case as a "top priority."  

In his opinion, Crenshaw said he found "insufficient evidence of actual vindictiveness," but concluded that "the Government has failed to rebut the presumption of vindictiveness."

The record in the case, Crenshaw said, "does not explain the Government's change in position to remove Abrego and not prosecute him to then prosecute and not remove him," adding there is a "retaliatory taint" that kicked off the renewed investigation into Abrego Garcia. 

The judge wrote that the "objective evidence" comes close to showing that "but for Abrego's lawsuit," the Justice Department would not have indicted him. Crenshaw wrote that statements by then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and the involvement of Singh, who is an associate deputy attorney general, "directly tie Main Justice" to reopening of an investigation into the 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee in response to Abrego Garcia's successful challenge of his deportation. Blanche is now the acting attorney general.

"The objective credible evidence shows that Main Justice was involved in the investigation before McGuire," Crenshaw said, adding Singh's involvement in the case "touched on everything from the timing of the indictment to the substance of the potential charges."

The judge said Singh's "sustained oversight" demonstrates the main Justice Department's connection to the indictment against Abrego Garica.

"Notwithstanding McGuire's purported belief that he was the sole decisionmaker, this Court cannot ignore the chain of command that McGuire reported to: Singh, Blanche, and then Bondi," he wrote, referring to former Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was ousted last month.