False Alarms and Real Fear: How Immigration Enforcement Impacts Santa Barbara

Eleven Arrests Reported as Rapid Response Hotline Flooded With Calls in First Weeks of Trump Administration

Hundreds packed along the sidewalks surrounding the Milpas Street roundabout on January 31 in a show of solidarity with the city’s immigrant community. | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom

During the first few weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term, the wide-reaching impacts of his administration’s aggressive plan to deport millions of undocumented residents have already hit the Latino communities of the Central Coast, where false alarms and confirmed reports of immigration enforcement in Santa Barbara County have brought a sense of uncertainty to the estimated 44,000 undocumented people living in the county.

According to the latest figures provided by 805 UndocuFund — an organization that helps run the regional Rapid Response Hotline (805) 870-8855 to report confirmed presence of immigration enforcement in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties — there have been nearly 1,100 calls and more than 5,600 text messages asking for information or reporting suspected U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) activity from January 20 to February 3.

Out of those reports, there were confirmed cases of immigration enforcement activity in 14 different cities on the Central Coast, including the cities of Santa Barbara and Goleta. In that same timeframe, there were 11 confirmed arrests made in Santa Barbara County. ICE has not provided details as to how many of these 11 individuals were being sought on a criminal warrant.

More than 12,600 different phone numbers have signed up to receive alerts from the Rapid Response Hotline, which has been staffed 24/7 by members of several local organizations focusing on immigration protections. In the first three weeks of Trump’s presidency, the hotline has already received a “high volume of calls and texts,” according to a representative from 805 UndocuFund, “showing the critical need for rapid response and community support.”

The hotline has also helped dispel misinformation about false reports, and to alleviate fears about law enforcement activity that can be mistakenly confused for ICE presence.

On Wednesday morning, reports of a white-and-blue SUV with “U.S. Customs and Border Protection” insignia parked near Santa Barbara Harbor sparked panic in nearby businesses when photos of the vehicle began making the rounds on social media. According to an employee at a restaurant at the harbor, some staff members — after hearing that “ICE” was in the parking lot — hid in a cramped office until they felt it was safe to come out.

But a text message from the Rapid Response Hotline clarified that this was a false alarm. While the CBP vehicle was in fact at that location, the white-and-blue SUVs used by customs agents are “usually seen around ports, airports, and federal buildings” to regulate imports and exports, the message stated, and “they have no history of making any arrests.”

Despite false alarms being spread on social media, there have been enough confirmed sightings of ICE agents in unmarked vehicles in Santa Barbara’s Eastside and Westside neighborhoods — home to the city’s largest concentration of Latino residents — to heighten the sense of fear, even among those with legal resident status, of potential deportation.

“Many of us continue to reel from the chaos, uncertainty, fear and dramatic changes coming from the White House,” County Supervisor Laura Capps wrote in her weekly newsletter to constituents. “The presence of ICE throughout Santa Barbara County continues to raise alarm bells and cascade terror and anxiety throughout our community. These issues and more put a microscope on the need to reaffirm our commitment to supporting all of our residents and ensure they feel safe.”

The County Board of Supervisors recently adopted a resolution in support of protections for immigrants and migrants, and the city of Santa Barbara made a similar announcement in response to the “fear and uncertainty” felt in the community.

“I also want to express my concerns over the recent activity that has occurred and to reassure our community members that our local government does not participate in immigration enforcement,” City Administrator Kelly McAdoo said during a recent City Council meeting.

McAdoo was adamant that city government and the police department are committed to serving “all community members, regardless of immigration status,” and that Santa Barbara Police officers “do not ask about, collect, or keep information about the immigration status of anyone they serve.”

The Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee (SBWPC) also released a statement to “express deep concern and strong opposition to the current administration’s actions.”

Red “Know Your Rights” cards distributed by community groups give tips on how to deal with interactions with immigration enforcement | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom

“These policies not only violate our core values as an organization, but also undermine the fabric of our diverse community,” said SBWPC Co-President Elsa Granados. “It is troubling to see policies that perpetuate fear, suffering, and the criminalization of individuals seeking safety and opportunity. These actions run counter to the values of compassion, justice, and equality that we hold dear in our community.”

While the bulk of reports of immigration enforcement occurred during the last week of January, and confirmed sightings of ICE agents have slowed down in recent days, community organizations have jumped into action to provide accurate information and legal advice for the immigrant community. Several public demonstrations have been organized to speak out against ICE activity, and volunteers have banded together to distribute donated goods and hand out red “Know Your Rights” cards with advice on how to handle interactions with ICE agents: Do not open the door; ask for a warrant signed by a judge; do not answer questions about immigration status; and do not sign anything without a lawyer.

On Thursday, February 27, the League of Women Voters will host a community event, “Protecting Our Immigrant Community: How Santa Barbara Can Help,” at noon in Santa Barbara Public Library’s Faulkner Gallery. At the event, a panel of representatives from the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office, Immigrant Legal Defense Center, Public Defender’s Office, and 805 UndocuFund will provide updates and discuss how the public can assist in protections for immigrants.