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The Carpinteria Immigrant Rights Coalition, or “CIRC,” a non-profit bilingual organization founded in the spring of 2025 has won grants totalling $2500 to support a new initiative aimed at local employers and their employees.
The City of Carpinteria awarded $1,500 to support the project, and supplemental funding of $1,000 was awarded this week by The FUND for Santa Barbara’s “Emerging Needs” grant program.
“We are deeply honored to receive these funds,” said CIRC’s leaders in a press statement. “This money, together with generous contributions from local individuals and businesses, and what CIRC raises by distributing our popular window posters and buttons, means we’re well-positioned to launch the Business Survey Project.”
The project is designed to assess the impact of ICE activity on the economy of the Carpinteria Valley, which is highly dependent on tourist dollars, agriculture, and immigrant labor.
During the months of February and March, local businesses and workers will be asked about the impact of ICE raids on worker recruitment, absenteeism, sales and morale. Businesses also will be asked if they feel sufficiently informed about how to interact with ICE officers, should any appear in their establishments, and whether more services and information would be helpful.
The Los Angeles Times, in an article published Jan. 1, 2026, reported that weekly data analyzed by experts at University of California, Merced, show the impact of federal raids on the California economy has been “stark.”
(https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-01-01/immigration-raids-california-job-losses-analysis)
Tax receipts are down nearly 30% in many California towns reliant on immigrant labor, according to the nonpartisan, non-profit news organization, CalMatters.
(https://calmatters.org/economy/2025/11/immigration-california-farms/)
CIRC hopes to gain a more accurate picture of how ICE activity and the resulting anxiety in the community is impacting the local economy, to assist public officials, non-profits and educators better meet the needs of employers and employees.
Project Supervisor Isa Alarcón, a former Young Carpinterian awardee and recent college graduate whose family has deep roots in the community of Carpinteria, says she plans to recruit and train several part-time interns to conduct the survey in February-March. “Our interns will be known as the Carpinteria Woman’s Club Survey Team reflecting the Woman’s Club’s participation in helping obtain funding for the project,” said Alarcon.
“These are paid internships, perfect for post-high school students or those building resumes and exploring careers,” Ms. Alarcón said. “We hope to hear from people seeking experience in business, marketing, survey research, community organizing, labor or immigration law, or social justice careers.” She added that bilingual skills are a plus, but not required.
For more information, or to apply for an internship, contact CIRC via Instagram, email (CarpImmigrantCoalition@yahoo.com), or phone.
The mission of CIRC is to support, protect, and advocate for the rights, dignity, and well-being of immigrants in Carpinteria and surrounding communities through education, mutual aid, resources and collaboration with individuals, non-profit entities and government agencies.
