U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were spotted around Santa Barbara and Goleta Sunday afternoon, according to a social media blast sent out by the 805 UndocuFund, an organization that helps run the Rapid Response Hotline to notify the public of confirmed immigration operations.
In video obtained by the Independent, plainclothes agents driving unmarked vehicles could be seen taking at least one man into custody on the corner of Sola and San Pascual streets, in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Westside neighborhood. Agents in the same unmarked vehicles — a black Chevy Tahoe, gray Dodge Charger, and blue Ford Explorer — were also spotted in Old Town Goleta and near Milpas Street in Santa Barbara’s Eastside neighborhood.
Shortly before 1 p.m., 805 UndocuFund posted the alert on its Facebook and Instagram pages. In the post, the organization urged the public not to panic and to remember their rights: remain calm and silent; ask to see a warrant signed by a judge; and ask if you are free to leave. ICE agents cannot enter on a property without a signed warrant.
According to 805 UndocuFund, at least one arrest was prevented Sunday thanks to the help of legal representatives with the Santa Barbara County Immigrant Legal Defense Center. “Thank you all for reporting these incidents,” the post stated. “Help us share to keep our communities informed.”
The post was shared widely on social media, sparking a wave of panic among not only undocumented immigrants but also many legal residents and members of Santa Barbara and Goleta’s diverse Latino community.
“Many individuals, including U.S. citizens, now feel unsafe simply walking outside,” said one Santa Barbara resident, who wished to remain anonymous. “My wife, who is Latina and a proud American citizen, is terrified of potentially being racially profiled by ICE agents during these operations. The fear is palpable, and it is outrageous that such tactics are creating an atmosphere of suspicion and anxiety, targeting an entire community.”
The increased presence of immigration enforcement, and the Trump administration’s flurry of executive orders to accelerate deportations, have prompted a full response from local organizations such as IMPORTA SB, the Immigrant Legal Defense Center, and CAUSE, which are all working together to staff the Rapid Response Hotline (805) 870-8855 to investigate potential ICE sightings.
Sunday’s ICE sightings were the first time the Rapid Response Hotline confirmed the presence of immigration enforcement in the cities of Santa Barbara and Goleta since the announcement of the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation plans. ICE has not yet confirmed how many individuals were arrested or detained in Santa Barbara county Sunday. Nationwide, ICE detained 593 people on Friday and 286 more on Saturday, according to single-day statistics posted on the agency’s official social media accounts.
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