The City of Santa Barbara awarded $330,000 in grants to organizations providing immigrant support services on the Central Coast, as part of a partnership with the Fund for Santa Barbara to distribute money the City Council set aside for immigrant resources earlier this summer.
From January through July, federal immigration sweeps hit nearly every city in the region, with 805 Immigrant Coalition’s Rapid Response Hotline confirming more than 620 arrests in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties before the end of July, including more than 300 arrested in a coordinated raid of two cannabis facilities on July 10.
In the weeks after the raids, immigrant rights advocates appealed to local governments, packing public meetings and calling on leaders to step up and support the groups on the ground working with families who have been impacted by the increase in immigration enforcement.
In response, Santa Barbara City Council agreed to set aside $500,000 from its flexible housing fund to be distributed to nonprofits providing relief or resources for immigrant families. On August 19, the council approved the plan to dole out the funds, donating $130,000 directly to the Immigrant Legal Defense Center — which provides legal representation and mental health support for those in deportation proceedings — and working with the Fund for S.B. to distribute the rest of the money through an accelerated grant process.
After processing the applications, the city and the Fund for S.B. approved six grants totalling $330,000. These grants include $100,000 to 805 Undocufund for emergency financial assistance to undocumented families; $100,000 to IMPORTA S.B. to help pay for immigration applications and medical exams; $58,000 to the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County; and $25,000 grants each to the Future Leaders of America, Immigrant Hope Santa Barbara, and the Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP).
These funds will go directly to helping undocumented individuals and mixed-status families as they navigate the complicated immigration process, and will help to address the growing waitlists for organizations that have struggled to keep up with the growing demand for resources in recent months.
“All people, including immigrants, deserve safety, dignity, and the opportunity to thrive in the place they call home,” said Eder Gaona-Macedo, executive director of the Fund for S.B. “At a time of increased violence, when fear and division shape national policy, these organizations embody the best of our community — standing up for our undocumented neighbors through legal defense, housing, advocacy, and emergency care, and helping keep families together while protecting the promise of a just and inclusive democracy.”
According to City Administrator Kelly McAdoo, the recipients were each chosen based on their history of “demonstrated impact, community trust, and capacity to deliver culturally responsive services.”
“This significant level of support reflects the city’s continued commitment to equity, safety, and dignity for all residents — regardless of immigration status,” McAdoo said. “We are grateful to The Fund for S.B. for their leadership in administering this process and to the organizations who work tirelessly to serve our immigrant communities.”
