Immigration enforcement escalations within the past nine months have propelled local entities to share their stances on Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Nexus has compiled a list of these statements and actions in an effort to promote transparency for the local community.
Over the past several months, local officials have spoken out against I.C.E., including a Jan. 30 press conference. Wynne Bendell / Daily Nexus
Since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, over 1,600 people have been arrested across Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties.
The increase in United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) activity has led to several escalations across Santa Barbara County (SBC). A local man was taken into custody on Feb. 20. During the encounter, a federal agent pepper-sprayed an 80-year-old attorney. In January, agents pepper-sprayed a woman recording an arrest.
UC Santa Barbara
In January, UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Dennis Assanis stated in a campus-wide message that state laws Senate Bill (SB) 98 and Assembly Bill (AB) 21 require that the University notify the campus community about policies and procedures in place regarding immigration enforcement.
SB 98 requests schools, from K-12 to postsecondary institutions, to send out alerts of confirmed immigration enforcement on campuses. This applies to the University of California and California State University systems, as well as California Community Colleges.
While Assanis said the University has no indication or reports that I.C.E. activity will occur on campus, if federal immigration activity is confirmed, the University will send an email to all students, staff and faculty. An “SB 98 Notification” message will also be sent to provide information about the time and general location of the enforcement action.
CAB 21 requests that California public colleges and universities — including the UCs, CSUs and CCCs — establish policies to protect undocumented students, staff and faculty from federal immigration enforcement. UCSB offers a variety of resources to help undocumented members of the community, such as Undocumented Student Services (USS).
USS assists prospective and current undocumented students by committing to “fostering a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment.” They also offer Immigration Legal Services in collaboration with the UC Immigrant Legal Services Center for currently enrolled students and their immediate family members.
Isla Vista Community Services District
The Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD), the sole governing body of Isla Vista, has been vocal against I.C.E. activity in the area. The IVCSD passed a resolution condemning I.C.E., stating the federal agency has created a “climate of intense widespread fear” and has been “undermining the rule of law” and “endangering public safety.”
In August 2025, the IVCSD also adopted a resolution requiring a judicial warrant for I.C.E. to gain access and entry to I.V. district facilities. The resolution was passed as a clarification of federal policies that require agents to have a judicial warrant to enter non-public areas of district buildings, as well as supporting the California Values Act, which prohibits law enforcement from collaborating with federal immigration enforcement officials.
The IVCSD has a page on its website dedicated to immigration support resources available for community members. While the IVCSD emphasized they are “not aware” of immigration enforcement happening in I.V., the page contains a list of “trusted local organizations” which offer legal assistance and emergency support for undocumented community members.
Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors
In October, the SBC Board of Supervisors requested that they be apprised of specifics relating to I.C.E. activities in SBC, which Santa Barbara Sheriff and former President of the Major County Sheriffs of America, Bill Brown, declined to do, as it could be “constructed as obstruction of justice under federal law.”
Second District Supervisor Laura Capps has expressed her concerns with I.C.E. activity in recent board meetings. During their Jan. 27 meeting, Capps highlighted that I.C.E. had removed 350 people in local neighborhoods and streets during public comment, and alleged many were removed without due process. Additionally, Capps announced the Board of Supervisors is working to designate I.C.E.-free zones on county property.
Following the I.C.E. raid which took place at a cannabis farm in Carpenteria, the Board of Supervisors approved $105,000 in funding for the Immigrant Legal Defence Center and $240,000 for additional mental health services by those who were affected by the raid.
Capps, in addition to several local elected officials, demanded that Brown speak out against I.C.E. actions and asked the SBC Sheriff’s Office (SBSO) to speak in ways to protect the community from immigration enforcement.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
In an article written by Brown and published by the SBSO, he argues that regarding immigration enforcement, “two viewpoints can both be valid.” He clarified that SBC law enforcement does not enforce or assist in I.C.E. activity, “except as sparingly permitted by state law in our jails.” He also emphasized that law enforcement does not have authority over federal agents carrying out deportations in the county.
Brown expressed that the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal agents were “gut-wrenching tragedies,” and that “anger at the aggressiveness” of the federal government’s immigration enforcement is understandable. However, Brown said while many immigrants are “law-abiding” citizens who have come “in search of a better life,” he argued that there have also been “many serious crimes committed by unlawful entrants.”
While Brown believes the current law should be changed so that long-term residents who are undocumented could be “properly vetted” and offered an easier pathway to citizenship and work approval, he quoted former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama by saying “we are a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of laws.”
Brown concluded his article by saying the “key” to meaningful change is to engage in issues with one another respectfully and “seek common ground.”
Additionally, Brown expressed that he would not comply with SB 627, which requires I.C.E. agents to wear identification badges and not wear face coverings. He cited previous court cases, which affirm that state and local law enforcement cannot interfere with federal officers while acting in their official capacity.
Associated Students
UCSB Associated Students (A.S.) held its “Protect Your Peers” week in January to provide resources and raise awareness for the rights of undocumented people. These resources included rapid response training and legal workshops.
The 76th A.S. Senate recently unanimously adopted a resolution in support of AB 1650, which helps combat the federal government from “violating the rights of American citizens and residents” by restricting rental car companies from renting vehicles to I.C.E.
The Senate passed a resolution last fall that reifies federal, state and UC Regents precedents in “protecting every student’s right to education,” including undocumented and international students. The resolution passed in a 12-0-3 vote.
Santa Barbara City College
On Dec. 11, I.C.E. and the Federal Bureau of Investigation used a Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) parking lot as a staging ground before conducting an operation in a nearby neighborhood. A week later, SBCC said they were not informed of this in advance and acknowledged the “fear, stress, and anxiety” that community members may have faced due to I.C.E.’s presence.
The following month, the SBCC Board of Trustees discussed the presence of law enforcement on their campus and how they can make community members feel safe from immigration enforcement at their Jan. 22 meeting.
According to SBCC Board of Trustees President Jonathan Abboud, school officials met with members of community defense groups such as 805UndocuFund and SBResiste for input to ensure their “next response is better than [their] last.”
Board of Trustees Vice President Kyle Richards called the presence of I.C.E. on the SBCC campus “vile and shameful,” and clarified that “I.C.E. is not welcome here.” The board then unanimously voted to direct staff to return with a resolution on legal policies to ensure safety for all students on campus.
A version of this article appeared on p. 4 of the Feb. 26, 2026 edition of the Daily Nexus.
