‘ICE out of 805’ Press Conference in Santa Maria Urges Protection for Farmworkers
Jarrod Zinn
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – A coalition of immigrant-advocacy groups gathered in Santa Maria this morning to denounce recent immigration raids.
Several organizations including: CAUSE, MICOP, FLA, The FUND for Santa Barbara, the 805 Immigrant Coalition, and other community partners gathered at the Joseph Centeno Government building in Santa Maria on Thursday.
The small, peaceful rally aimed to raise awareness about the impacts of recent ice raids.
“We are urging our elected officials at the city level, at the county level, calling our governor to take action and protect our community,” says Fernando Martinez, community organizing manager for MICOP.
At least 40 farmworkers from Santa Maria down to Oxnard were detained two days ago, and it could have been more if the employers hadn’t denied ice’s entry.
“I think it’s an issue that it’s affecting us one way or another,” says Martinez. “If there’s no farmworkers, most likely the cost of produce, it’s going to go up.”
Speakers brought up that some immigrant workers are dealing with errors, delays and miscommunications from immigration offices.
In some cases, the logjam dates back to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think the narrative that they’re only pursuing criminals or people with criminal histories is completely false,” says Maria Salguero, Immigrant Legal Defense Center senior attorney. “And I see it with the people that I’m consulting with that are being detained in our community.”
Salguero says a significant number of immigrants have been unaware they missed a hearing, hence the surprise when ICE comes to detain them.
“Under immigration law, if you don’t go to your hearing, you’re ordered deported in absentia, in your absence,” says Salguero. “And I want to emphasize that immigration enforcement is not criminal enforcement. Immigration proceedings are not criminal in nature. They’re civil in nature.”
In a social media post the same day, President Trump acknowledged his aggressive immigration policies are taking workers from the farming and hospitality industries, who are difficult to replace.
He wrote, in part, “we must protect our farmers, but get the criminals out of the USA.”
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