How to Help Immigrant Families in Santa Barbara County

There’s a saying in Spanish, “Solo el pueblo salva el pueblo,” which essentially means “Only the people can save the people.” Typically used in times of crisis or natural disaster, the phrase has popped back up in public meetings, protest signs, and social media callouts in reaction to the aggressive immigration enforcement witnessed across the Central Coast in recent weeks.

The July 10 raids in Camarillo and Carpinteria — the largest coordinated immigration operation since President Donald Trump took the office in January — resulted in more than 360 undocumented workers being detained by federal agents who used rubber pellets, flash-bangs, and smoke grenades on protesters who arrived on scene at both locations. The aggressive nature of the raids, with more than 50 federal agents deployed to arrest 10 workers in Carpinteria, lit a fire for many community members who jumped at the opportunity to stand with immigrants and support families who have been impacted.

Del Pueblo Café in Goleta, a family business recently taken over by Giselle Cuevas and Victor Camargo, hosted a fundraising event Friday, July 18 in response to the recent raids. “This past week has been filled with tears, pain, and loss. The devastating raids and kidnappings affecting our community have been truly tragic,” the owners wrote in an Instagram post about the event. 

All during the evening, the pop up sold homemade tamales and aguas frescas with 100 percent of the proceeds going to support the family of Ruby Aguilar, who was swept up in the raids at Glass House Farms. Santa Barbara–based photographer Cher Martinez was at Del Pueblo Café offering her popular glamor shots with 50 percent of proceeds toward legal fees for the families.

La Casa de la Raza has revitalized its immigrant support programs, collecting and distributing food, toiletries, and supplies directly to families that have been affected by recent deportations. Businesses such as Fox Wine Co. (120 Santa Barbara St.) have begun hosting donation drives to collect canned food, basic ingredients, medicine, cleaning supplies, and more to help La Casa de la Raza meet the growing demand from hundreds of families in need.

“It’s been a wild time here at Casa de la Raza,” food pantry coordinator Jennifer Sanchez wrote on Instagram. “So many deliveries going out to families, and an overwhelming wave of community support. We are living through incredibly difficult times, but we remain committed to more than just delivering groceries. We are building a network of care. Every delivery is also an opportunity to connect with families, enroll them in the 805 UndocuFund hotline, and support them in creating emergency family separation plans. We’re not just dropping off food — we’re showing up with love, resources, and a long-term commitment to our community’s well-being.”

The 805 UndocuFund, the leading organization of the 805 Immigrant Coalition, is hosting a number of donation drives, fundraisers, and community training events in the coming weeks. The organization’s 24/7 Rapid Response Hotline has been essential for communicating real-time alerts to its 30,000 enrolled numbers, and there are now more than 400 community volunteers signed up to work as dispatchers, legal observers, and first responders to suspected ICE activity on the Central Coast.

The coalition will be hosting three community defense training events in Santa Barbara County over the next week: In Santa Maria on Saturday, July 19 (6:30-8:30 p.m.) and Monday, July 21 (6-8 p.m.), and in Carpinteria on Thursday, July 24 (6-8 p.m.). Register online at 805undocufund.org/alerts.

For those who wish to donate food or other supplies to 805 UndocuFund, there are collection locations at Santa Maria City Hall and at the Community Arts Workshop (CAW) in Santa Barbara. Community members are invited to CAW (631 Garden St.) to help collect, organize, and package supplies for the 805 UndocuFund and Carpinteria Children’s Project from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, July 21.

Alex Ramirez of Desmadre Media, who organized the volunteer-driven CAW collection center along with 805 UnducuFund, said he hopes to help provide relief to the families who have been left in “scared, isolated, and unsure where to turn.”

“We are lucky and deeply grateful that the Community Arts Workshop (CAW) has opened its doors to us, allowing us to collect and distribute donations from their space,” Ramirez said. “But this is not a long-term solution. We’re taking it day by day, and we don’t yet have a permanent home for this work. I really hope an established organization or group can step in and make this happen for the community. This has personally affected my family, friends, and so many members of our community. I’m grateful that we have people showing up and getting things done, but we need more.”

On both Saturday and Sunday, August 2 and 3, the Mujeres Makers Market will be hosting its own donation drive for families impacted by immigration enforcement. All donations of unopened and packaged supplies will go toward 805 UndocuFund. The collection booth will be open both days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Immigrant rights activists are asking for basic necessities — beans, rice, flour, cooking oil,  diapers, and feminine care products — or for monetary donations to the 805 UndocuFund’s Emergency Assistance Fund, which has raised more than $105,000 this year for direct financial support directly to families impacted by immigration enforcement.