The Effects of Trump and DOGE on the People of Santa Barbara

The Effects of Trump and DOGE
on the People of Santa Barbara

Ongoing Survey Results Reveal
Wide-Ranging Impacts on Jobs and Lives

By Tyler Hayden | May 1, 2025

Read more from our Reign of Administrative (T)error cover story.

In the blink of an eye, Donald Trump and his friends at DOGE have dramatically reshaped our federal government through mass layoffs and scorched-earth funding cuts.

While the Santa Barbara Independent continues to cover how these actions are impacting local agencies and institutions that rely on federal support, we’re also asking our readers to share how they are affecting them as individuals, both professionally and personally.

These are their responses thus far. Many chose to remain anonymous, citing fears of harassment or professional retaliation. To submit your own story, visit independent.com/TrumpTales.

How have recent actions by the Trump Administration affected your job or livelihood, or those of your friends and family?

I lost my job due to Trump’s executive order on foreign assistance and the destruction of USAID. My former employer is a nonprofit with headquarters in D.C. that implements climate resilience and economic growth projects in developing and emerging markets. My portfolio included partnerships and investments co-created with local enterprises, NGOs, and public sector agencies to improve the resilience of livestock and food crop sectors to climate impacts. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara, Mission Canyon

The destruction of the National Institutes of Health (the staff cuts, the weaponization of funding) are devastating my ability to perform biomedical research at UCSB ― research into a revolutionary new technology that can measure drugs and disease diagnostic molecules in the body in real time, an advance that would radically improve the precision (personalization) of drug dosing and our ability to detect disease and monitor its treatment. ― Kevin Plaxco, Santa Barbara 

As a small business who carries the work of small-batch artists, I’m watching the cost of materials rise, which will impact the end cost of products. ― Hannah, Santa Barbara 

I own small businesses, and they are suffering as the economy has softened due to tariffs. Also, our expenses are rising under this administration. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara, Downtown

I work for a major importer of seafood, and we are very concerned about the impact of Trump’s policies on costs and the ability to continue providing U.S. consumers with one of the most sustainable and nutritious protein sources on the planet, at affordable prices. His policies are also making it very difficult, if not impossible, to make plans and business decisions due to their unpredictability and lack of clear strategic outcomes. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara

UCSB laid me off. I’m recovering from cancer, and I lost my medical insurance. COBRA is too expensive. ― PJ Schooter, Buellton

The freeze on my student loan has been removed. Having my wages garnished will significantly impact my ability to afford living. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara, Downtown

Our 401Ks have decreased dramatically because of Trump’s ridiculous, chaotic tariff threats. ― P. Mills, Santa Ynez

We took a direct hit on our retirement accounts ― 30 percent reduction in revenue in his first 100 days from our IRA. ― Anonymous, Goleta

Two of our sons own businesses, whose goods are imported from China, and they are very concerned that their products will become unaffordable. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara, Cathedral Oaks 

My brother works for a state organization that combats and educates about child abuse. Those funds are being cut. My daughter works for a nonprofit on issues related to sustainability and workplace training. Much of that funding comes through the Department of Education, which is also likely to be cut. She is a single mother with two young children. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara

My job is to work with local governments and nonprofits on the back end of programs that serve the public. So far, the funds that we rely on haven’t been cut off, but the threat has made everyone more risk-averse. Nonprofits want to get grant funds committed and spent quickly to reduce the risk of losing access entirely, which makes it harder to exercise due diligence in ensuring they’re spent effectively. Meanwhile, my contact at a federal agency, who I rely on to ensure I’m complying with laws and regulations, says that she’s finding out about major policy changes at the same time I do. None of this has affected the public-facing parts of the programs that I work with, as far as I know, but it contributes more difficulty and stress to an already difficult and stressful job. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara 

Following recent directives out of the White House, what changes have you noticed in Santa Barbara?

UCSB’s immediate hiring freeze, scramble to wind down ongoing research projects, and lack of ideas on how to make up for the withdrawal of federal funding. ― Harold Marcuse, Goleta

I work at UCSB and am seeing daily how the cruel and sudden cancelation of student visas is impacting the international student population. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara 

Working in local schools, I have witnessed fear and kids even not attending class. Events to celebrate specific ethnic groups at a family member’s workplace have also been canceled. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara, Mesa

I’m noticing higher prices at small businesses who fear tariffs will raise their costs. Nonprofits I work with having to cut programs because of DOGE slashing their funding. Increase in hostility from those who voted for this administration, as if they now have free rein to act out in unmitigated, sneering hate. Dear friends of over three decades of residency in Santa Barbara — friends who contribute to our economy by paying taxes and doing essential work that others deem too “low-class” — are now afraid to leave their homes because of ICE. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara, Eucalyptus Hill

More protests. I’m surprised how people go out of their way on such beautiful days in such a beautiful city just to complain and ruin everyone else’s day. Republicans never protested; they just took it and realized Biden was in office for the last four years. ― Anonymous, Goleta

We’ve come to rely on federal spending too much. There is a lot of complaining and shouting. California collects plenty of taxes but spends with poor accountability. Santa Barbara is also in this camp. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara

What are you most optimistic or concerned about for yourself and loved ones?

We’re stressed about Medicare and Social Security just as it becomes very important to us. We’ve paid into it all our lives. Now we have to worry our data has been stolen too! ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara 

I’m really worried about what they have done to the Social Security Administration (SSA). I’m worried that I won’t be able to get help from the SSA when I need it. I’m worried that the “Musk Bros” have screwed up the SSA software and that my payments will stop suddenly. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara 

My children are planning to leave the U.S., and my blood pressure has soared. ― Barbara Ruh, Santa Barbara

I was born into a country occupied by the Nazis. Our family had to flee and thus became refugees. When we were able to return to Denmark, we felt with all kinds of rationing of basic goods. Needless to say, the current atmosphere in this country where I am an immigrant has caused a huge amount of fear, anxiety, and depression. And not just for me but family, friends, and neighbors as well. ― Anonymous, New Cuyama

I was recently diagnosed with ADHD and placed on Adderall after decades of struggling to brute-force through my lack of focus. The difference was immediate and incredible — I could actually pay attention to my job without feeling the constant urge to check my phone, and to my surprise, my depression practically vanished overnight as well. I’ve been lucky enough that the medication shortages over the last few years haven’t affected me, but now I’m hearing alarming rhetoric from RFK Jr. about the supposed dangers of these well-proven first-line treatments. If I lose access to my ADHD medication, I’ll become a worse employee, a worse partner to my wife, a more dangerous driver, and a more miserable person overall. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara

What are you most optimistic or concerned about for Santa Barbara?

Although I am a retired teacher, I help test English learners in their end-of-the-year English test. While that funding hasn’t been cut yet, it would be on the chopping block if funding is held from the Department of Education. I worry about Special Ed cuts as well, and how that would affect so many teachers in our community who work with English learners and Special Education students. ― Colby Boss-Adamski, Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara County is home to so much beautiful and wonderful protected land, animals, and ocean. Seeing this administration relax logging rules, open the ocean to more drilling and fishing, take animals off the protected list ― it will impact these beautiful spaces we love and cherish here. ― Lauren G., Carpinteria

I’m concerned that almost 46 percent of Santa Barbara’s residents are barely making ends meet now. If we see inflation, recession, or cutback in federal funding that supports our services, those families will be under a lot of economic and psychological strain. I am optimistic, however, that Santa Barbara is a close-knit community that always comes together to take care of our own. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara, Cathedral Oaks

I’m optimistic about our community. I think Santa Barbara has such a friendly spirit to it, which I think will triumph. We can’t let our differences divide us just because we have different political views. It used to not be that way. I used to have more friends; now, they are blocking me simply over my opinion, and even family members have blocked me. Why? Why does my opinion constitute hate from my friends/family? ― Anonymous, Goleta

I’m concerned that the protest culture in Santa Barbara has diminished our quality of life by promoting division and intolerance of diversity of thought. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara

What are you most optimistic or concerned about for America?

I am very concerned about DOGE cuts to healthcare, alongside the malignantly negligent oversight in healthcare matters coming from RFK Jr. that will mean increased risk of infectious disease. The threats of ICE raids affecting essential, hardworking contributors to our local society is a constant source of concern and sadness. The economy has me much more worried than in 2008 or during COVID. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara, Eucalyptus Hill neighborhood

Immigration has been an issue for most of my lifetime, and I am 76 years old. Since the end of the Bracero program in the late ’50s/early ’60s, there has been no effective immigration/work visa system in place by any federal government, Republican or Democratic. … Grabbing people off the street is NOT saving the American people any money or reducing crime. It is only removing brave, productive people who were strong enough to leave a bad situation and try for a better life. Our country has done this to the Irish, the Italians, the Chinese, the Japanese, and now anyone from Mexico or South America. My heart is breaking. ― Kathleen Rodriguez, Santa Barbara

My largest concern is immigration. If you are here legally, I’m all for it. Otherwise, I believe you need to return to your country of origin. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara

You can’t just pause a major function of the federal government and then start it up again months or years later. While funding is paused, people still need to survive. That means employees will quit or be laid off, and when funding comes back, they’ll have jobs elsewhere. Nonprofits will be forced to cancel programs or shut their doors entirely. Studies will be ruined and forced to start again from scratch. Former program beneficiaries will go hungry or be evicted. We can rebuild in the long run, but that doesn’t make the short-term damage any less damaging or the waste any less senseless. ― Anonymous, Santa Barbara