Recent Immigration Raids Could Impact Key Economic Months in Carpinteria
John Palminteri
CARPINTERIA, Calif. – The small coastal town of Carpinteria relies on its summer tourism and loyal local residents to keep its economy bolstered, but that could be threatened.
This week there have been at least three high profile immigration actions and the fall out is already being felt.
Some business owners say they are already seeing a drop in customers about the same time as the raids began. One owner said she is getting calls before customers come in to make sure the area is safe.
Sue LaBadie is a host at the Carpinteria Visitor Center table. She said by the middle of the day Friday she had over 50 people stop by. The message has been positive with those coming to the site looking for information on shopping, food and historical locations. “You have to be safe to do that. You know, you don’t feel happy if you’re not safe,” she said. LaBadie has watched the immigration coverage from a cannabis farm located just outside of the Carpinteria city limits and wants to make sure it doesn’t represent the city overall.
“The last time the town was really under any kind of stress was fires and floods. And there wasn’t this kind of stress, ” she said.
Jill Castro was enjoying lunch on Linden Ave. and said, “I’ve lived here 44 years and having so many friends in this community and seeing the fear that’s actually happening at this point is it’s painful.”
She does not want the local economy to suffer. “These small businesses and you have the arts center, we thrive on tourists coming into town to bank us to be able to get through the winter. “
This weekend is the 68th St. Joseph’s Carnival at a Catholic Church in the city with a large field that is annually one of the summer highlights. Thousands usually attend for the rides, homemade food and entertainment for three days. It is also a significant fundraiser. Claudia Meza is the festival coordinator. She said, “this is a safe, private, area to come together with family once again, for this year.”
Castro doesn’t go to festivals much anymore but, “absolutely I’m going to go. I’m going to go out tomorrow and Sunday supports Saint Joseph’s.”
The organizers have 18 rides, games including Lotteria, live entertainment, an electric bike raffle and many on site homemade food items. It has been called heartwarming and welcoming to families in a protected environment.
It is still to be seen if the area will be impacted by the Homeland Security raids, two that targeted individuals in private vehicles, one downtown and one in a neighborhood.
Thursday at a confrontation with immigration agents residents who were legally in the U.S. said they were becoming afraid based on the unpredictable nature of the raids.
There are residents who are in favor of the actions to remove someone in the country who is here illegally and has committed a crime. Those voices have not been in the forefront of the rallies which have been highly emotional, and at times violent. They are speaking out with that side of the community reaction, mainly on social media.
(More details, video and photos will be out later today.)
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