CBS News reported on growing concerns about conditions in immigration detention facilities, saying its team discovered that 15 of the 45 facilities with populations of at least 500 were not inspected in the last year. “A lot of facilities have deficiencies, and it takes frequent reassessments to ensure that those deficiencies are being addressed,” said Annette Dekker, an assistant professor at UCLA's medical school who has studied health outcomes among immigration detainees and co-authored a 2024 paper calling for inspection reforms. Read more about UCLA in CNN, the Associated Press, ScienceDaily and more.

More highlights from UCLA in the News: July 9, 2026

Gene-edited babies are now closer to becoming a reality | CNN

Research has discovered it is possible to edit DNA in human embryos, suggesting this could happen in the future. But scientists warn there are significant obstacles before it is possible to edit viable human embryos safely. “Six years ago, I thought the use of gene editing in human embryos was a non-starter,” said Amander Clark, a professor of molecular cell and developmental biology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and director of the UCLA Center for Reproductive Science, Health and Education. “This work restores the possibility that gene editing for therapeutic purposes could be possible with IVF embryos in the future,” Clark, who wasn’t involved in the research, said via email.

Administration ramping up pressure over election practices | Associated Press

“The overall point is that Trump is trying to use whatever levers of power and persuasive power that he might have to try to interfere with how states and localities are going to conduct the 2026 election,” Rick Hasen, a UCLA law professor and the director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project, told the Associated Press. “Some of this is aimed at changing how the rules are conducted. Some of it appears to be aimed at undermining voter confidence in the integrity of the election process.”

Groups see shifting landscape after Supreme Court rulings | CBS News

In Trump v. Casa, the Supreme Court found that universal injunctions likely exceeded the authority that Congress had given the federal courts, limiting lower courts' ability to block enforcement of Trump's policies nationwide."The landscape is complicated. There are a lot of moving parts," said David Marcus, a law professor at UCLA. "There has been real success after Trump v. CASA of plaintiffs turning to the class-action option in ways the justices anticipated. But there have also been some interrelated legal developments … If you look at where things are June 2026 relative to June 2025, it is absolutely true that federal district court power is more bounded than it was a year ago."

Creatine may help fight cancer | ScienceDaily

Creatine is widely known as a supplement used by athletes and bodybuilders to improve strength and performance. Now, new research from UCLA suggests it may have another surprising role: helping the immune system mount a stronger attack against cancer. (UCLA’s Lili Yang and Elliot Kang were quoted. Also: KTLA-TV.)

The latest on the conflict in Iran | KNBC-TV

“The issue is centered around Iran's insistence on maintaining sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Now, this is an important waterway for oil and gas transit that remained free and open prior to the start of the war. But since then, Iran has seized the opportunity to take control of it and is not ready to relinquish it. And that's what brought us to where we are now,” said UCLA’s Benjamin Radd (Also: KCAL-TV.)

What’s it like to travel for medical care? | California Health Report

Cost is the main reason to travel for medical care for 60 to 70% of patients, said Arturo Vargas Bustamante, a professor at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. “They cross the border mostly because cost is lower or they cannot access health care in the U.S. They have no insurance or are minimally insured,” he said. “They are saving their U.S. coverage for emergencies … They simply cannot afford high deductibles or high copays.”