Across Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, a deeply disturbing pattern is unfolding — one that echoes the violent immigration enforcement actions taking place in Los Angeles. Just days ago, ICE agents made arrests after an elementary school graduation. What should have been a joyful moment for children and families instead became a traumatic display of fear and disruption.
Even more disturbing is that this is not an isolated incident. A Massachusetts high schooler was detained after appearing in court. A 9-year-old child from California is now in deportation proceedings. And here, in our own neighborhoods, youth who should be learning, playing, and growing are instead bracing for the next knock on the door.
As the executive director of a youth-led and youth-serving organization, I see firsthand the pain and fear inflicted on young people simply for existing in the only home they’ve ever known. These ICE raids, carried out without due process and driven by politically motivated quotas, violate the most basic standards of dignity and justice.
The federal response has only intensified this crisis. The use of military resources — including National Guard deployments — has escalated trauma in our communities, particularly among immigrant youth who are already disproportionately vulnerable to poverty, displacement, and systemic neglect.
We cannot remain silent.
Youth are not collateral damage. They are our future. And when a government treats their lives as expendable, it’s not just a policy failure — it’s a moral one.
In this moment of crisis, we must act:
- Donate to the 805 UndocuFund and the Immigration Legal Defense Center to ensure families have access to emergency resources and legal support.
- Call on our elected leaders to do more than issue statements — demand they advance policy that protects immigrant families and halts these violent enforcement tactics.
- Volunteer with the 805 Immigrant Response Network to support rapid response efforts and offer aid directly to impacted families.
- Amplify the truth. Lift up the voices of youth and families who are speaking out and demanding justice.
To the immigrant youth and families who are watching this unfold: You are not alone. You are not invisible. We see your strength, your fear, your joy, and your dreams. We will keep fighting — relentlessly — until you are safe, until your rights are respected, and until your future is secure.
We belong to one another. And no matter how loud the injustice, our unity and resistance will always be louder.
