Patricia Martellotti
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Hundreds gathered outside the Santa Barbara Courthouse Tuesday as The FUND for Santa Barbara hosted a press conference and rally in response to a surge in federal immigration raids and a growing military presence in Southern California.
Chanting “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now,” demonstrators called for an end to targeted immigration enforcement and what organizers described as the criminalization of immigrant communities along the Central Coast.
“We want ICE out of the 805 and we wanna make sure that our community members know that we’re here to support them,” said Eder Gaona, executive director of The FUND for Santa Barbara.
The rally, themed “ICE Out of the 805,” drew support from over a dozen organizations including Indivisible Santa Barbara, the League of Women Voters, 805 UndocuFund, Future Leaders of America, MICOP, and the Immigrant Legal Defense Center.
According to 805 UndocuFund, 81 individuals have been detained or deported so far this month during four targeted ICE operations in the region.
Adding to community concerns is the presence of military forces deployed to the south. The number of National Guard troops stationed in the Los Angeles area has doubled to 4,000, and an additional 700 U.S. Marines have been deployed to assist with response efforts following protests and civil unrest.
Goleta Councilman James Kyriaco expressed concern about the military’s visibility in local communities. “We’re very concerned about safety,” he said. “You’ve got people wearing masks … that are wearing very vague … very intimidating clothing. It’s hard to tell if they’re really law-enforcement officers.”
He added that National Guard vehicles were seen in Goleta over the weekend. “On their way to point south and they stopped in Goleta to do whatever they felt they needed to do.”
While most at the rally denounced the show of force, former Santa Barbara City Councilman Dale Francisco defended the federal response, pointing to violent incidents during recent demonstrations.
“What they can’t do, however, is set cars on fire… attack the police, attack ICE agents with fireworks,” Francisco said. “That is way, way beyond peaceful protest. That’s a riot.”
Despite the charged political atmosphere, Tuesday’s rally remained peaceful and focused on community solidarity. Demonstrators held signs reading “ICE Out of the 805” and urged local leaders to protect immigrant families.
“My main concern is the deportations. It’s not right — everyone has their rights to be here. We just need to be around them and support them,” said Jose Martin, community engagement coordinator for Future Leaders of America in Carpinteria.
“We wanna make sure that our neighbors are safe and that’s why we’re doing this,” Gaona said.
Organizers say the rally was not just a protest, but a call to action aimed at ensuring safety, dignity, and due process for all members of the community.
From The FUND for Santa Barbara:
In response to escalating federal immigration raids, the deployment of National Guard troops at peaceful protests in Los Angeles, and confirmed ICE activity across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties, The FUND for Santa Barbara, the 805 Immigrant Coalition, and community partners will host a press conference on Tuesday, June 10, at noon in front of the Santa Barbara Courthouse (Anacapa Street side).
“ICE Out of 805” is a call to action against the ongoing criminalization and militarization targeting our immigrant neighbors.
“Family separation is no longer something we can think of as happening only at the border,” said Eder Gaona-Macedo, Executive Director of The FUND for Santa Barbara. “It is happening right here in our neighborhoods, in the 805. Our immigrant community is living in fear—parents afraid to drop their children off at school, workers afraid to get to their jobs, and whole communities silenced through fear and surveillance.”
As of June, 805 UndocuFund has reported 81 individuals still in custody or already deported across four confirmed targeted ICE operations. “Immigrant-serving organizations and attorneys are at full capacity, providing services to families navigating detention, deportation, and separation,” said Primitiva Hernandez, Executive Director of 805UndocuFund. “This is a dire and escalating crisis in our region and our communities cannot face it alone.”
The FUND will be joined Tuesday by its community partners: 805 UndocuFund, Indivisible Santa Barbara, the League of Women Voters, the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, Future Leaders of America, MICOP, the California Immigrant Policy Center, Voces Sin Fronteras, and the Immigrant Legal Defense Center (ILDC).
This moment is part of a long and ongoing history of state-sanctioned violence that targets Brown, Black, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ communities alike. Our struggles are interconnected, as is our power. We call on all communities to stand in solidarity in defense of our dignity, safety, and rights. We urge nonprofits, student groups, labor unions, faith communities, and all justice-minded individuals and organizations to get plugged in and show up for our collective liberation. To coordinate efforts or join local response networks, contact executivedirector@805undocufund.org.
About the Fund for Santa Barbara:The FUND for Santa Barbara is a local 501c3 foundation that provides grants and support to organizations that advance progressive change by strengthening movements for Economic, Environmental, Political, Racial, and Social Justice. More information about The FUND can be found at fundforsantabarbara.org. Help The FUND meet the moment by making a donation at fundforsantabarbara.org/donate
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