City Leaders Gather in Response to Immigration Enforcement in Ventura County
Patricia Martellotti
VENTURA, Calif. – Leaders across Ventura County came together with a sense of urgency.
Their message was straight forward: How to protect the immigration community.
“When fear prevents hard-working community residence from getting critical health care services they are being denied a fundamental human right,” said CEO Felix Munez of Gold Coast Health Plan.
An owner of a family-run farm shared her concerns over immigration enforcement affecting her business.
“Just a few hours of disrupted operations … a few days … is enough to really push the operations over the edge,” said farmer Helen McGrath of Ventura County.
Leaders highlighted the importance of supporting immigrant communities from all industries.
“Undocumented people are part of our families our schools our communities … and an essential part of all of our operations … not just agriculture … but the trades construction healthcare,” said McGrath.
“If people forgo preventative services in the clinic setting they’re going to end up in the emergency with much more serious illnesses … and we don’t want anyone to have to go through that,” said Munez.
Leaders highlighted the importance of inclusion, justice and support for Ventura’s immigrant community.
From Brooke Primero:
Stand in Solidarity Press Conference:
In Support of Our Immigrant Families,
Impacted Businesses and the Ventura County Community
A Leadership Response to Protect Families and Defend Rights in Ventura County
What: In response to rising fears around unjust immigration enforcement, local elected officials from across Ventura County will join to acknowledge the urgency, reaffirm the community’s values of inclusion and justice, and speak directly to Ventura’s immigrant community and the broader public. The event will highlight local leadership’s commitment to humane policy, community protection, and civil rights defense for all.
Who: Officials and city leaders from Ventura, Camarillo, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Fillmore, Port Hueneme, and Santa Paula, alongside community leaders from law enforcement, education, faith and more.
Expected Speakers:
Vianey Lopez, County Supervisor, District 5
David Newman, Mayor, City of Thousand Oaks
Gabe Teran, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Oxnard
Dr. Martita Martinez-Bravo, PsyD, Councilmember, City of Camarillo and Executive Director, Friends of Fieldworkers
Dr. Felix Nuñez, CEO, Gold Coast Health Plan
Helen McGrath, Director, Farm Bureau of Ventura County and fifth-generation member of the McGrath farming family
Bruce Stenslie, President/CEO, Economic Development Collaborative (EDC)
Rabbi Lisa Hochberg-Miller, Temple Beth Torah
Father Tom Elewaut, Mission Basilica San Buenaventura
Additional Expected Attendees:
Christina Villasenor, Mayor, City of Fillmore
Luis McArthur, Mayor, City of Oxnard
Pedro Chavez, Mayor, City of Santa Paula
Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios, Ed.D., Mayor, City of Ventura
Gabriela Basua, Councilmember, City of Oxnard
Michaela Perez, Councilmember, City of Oxnard
Tie Gutierrez, Councilmember, City of Thousand Oaks
Bev Dransfeldt, Chair, Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District
When: Friday, June 27, 2025, 9:30 am – Press Check In, 10:00 am – Press Conference
Where: County of Ventura Government Center
Outdoors, adjacent to the Carmen Ramirez Memorial Garden – 800 S. Victoria Avenue, Ventura, CA 93009
More: This movement is coordinated by local elected officials and community partners to oppose recent unjust and disruptive immigration enforcement in Ventura County. This effort aims to ensure that all members of our community, especially immigrants, feel safe, supported, and defended during this unprecedented period.
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