A convoy of vehicles, believed to be with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), used a Santa Barbara City College parking lot as a staging ground Thursday evening before taking a coordinated action in the nearby Westside neighborhood.
SBCC representatives confirmed that there were at least eight vehicles “with individuals in federal law enforcement attire” gathering in the third floor of the West Campus parking lot from 5:45 p.m. until around 7:10 p.m. SBCC’s Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications Jordan Killebrew sent out an alert shortly after informing students and faculty of the presence of ICE on campus.
“It appears they were using the SBCC parking lot as a staging area for their next action,” Killebrew said. “SBCC will continue to communicate and ensure our community is informed of any activity that pertains to immigration officers on our campuses. We hope to keep our campuses focused on our goal to provide a place of learning for all who seek it.”
The 805 Immigrant Rapid Response Hotline, which keeps track of reports of immigration enforcement on the Central Coast, began to issue community alerts about the presence of federal law enforcement at SBCC shortly after 6 p.m. “ICE is at SBCC,” the first alert read. “We are out in the streets alerting and gathering information.”
Federal agents were spotted outside a residence near the area of Arrellaga and San Pascual streets around 7 p.m. According to legal observers at the scene, several agents wore masks and vests with “FBI” across the back.
By 7:20 p.m., the vehicles were seen driving away from the area of Loma Alta Drive and Shoreline. Rapid Response volunteers continued patrolling the Westside neighborhood Thursday night, and community alerts were issued asking people to avoid the area if possible.
There is no estimate to how many people were arrested in the coordinated federal action Thursday evening. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for more information, and ICE representatives have previously stated that the agency does not comment on current operations.
Westside Santa Barbara, which is home to a large percentage of Latino residents, has been hit with roving sweeps of unmarked ICE vehicles on several consecutive days this week, starting with an early-morning operation reported near the area of San Pascual and Valerio streets on Tuesday, December 9.
In one video taken by Rapid Response volunteers, masked agents in unmarked cars refused to identify themselves to witnesses at the scene. 805 UndocuFund Executive Director Primitiva Hernandez said at least four community members were arrested the morning of December 9, including one U.S. citizen who was since released from custody.
The Rapid Response hotline reported at least two more arrests in the Westside neighborhood on Wednesday, December 10, just after 6 a.m. near Arrelaga and San Pascual streets.
Many of the arrests in the Westside neighborhood have occurred in public areas such as parking lots and city streets. Hernandez reminded community members that ICE and federal law enforcement cannot enter private property without a warrant, and she said that multiple arrests have been avoided due to people reaching a protected space — either their home or a nearby business.
“ICE or any federal agency still needs a federal warrant signed by a judge to enter those spaces,” Hernandez said. “So if you see ICE and you’re able to put yourself in safety by going into a private space, this is something that is still protected under the U.S. Constitution.”
On December 12, SBCC sent out a statement to the campus community to make it clear to the public that the college had no direct involvement with the federal operations on campus the previous night, and that FBI and ICE did not notify SBCC officials prior to using the West Campus parking lot as a staging area.
Executive Director of Public Affairs and Communications Killebrew said that SBCC administrative staff responded as soon as they heard federal enforcement was on campus. When staff arrived to the parking lot, the agents had already departed, though some of their vehicles remained in the parking lot. SBCC officials waited to speak with the federal agents and ensure they left the campus.
“SBCC has no connection with U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement,” Killebrew said. “SBCC was not informed in advance that they would be on our campus or using our parking lot. We have asked Congressman Salud Carbajal to please advocate for us on the federal level not to use SBCC, as this disrupts students’ right to learn, especially during final exams.”
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect additional comments provided by SBCC representatives.
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