SANTA BARBARA — On Sunday, Jan. 26, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in plainclothes and unmarked vehicles carried out operations in Santa Barbara and Goleta. The 805Undocufund Hotline and Alert system intervened to prevent an arrest.
“What we witnessed yesterday was clear evidence that ICE is not targeting individuals with judicial warrants but instead engaging in widespread intimidation tactics to fulfill the administration’s new quota policies,” said Primitiva Hernandez, Executive Director of 805Undocufund.
Through the Rapid Response Hotline and Alert System, the community intervened after an employer reported that their employee was being questioned by ICE agents while in their car. Executive Director Julissa Peña from the Immigrant Legal Defense Center (ILDC) provided assistance, ensuring the individual’s constitutional rights were upheld and facilitating their release from further questioning.
“Yesterday, ICE came into our communities without warrants, dressed in plainclothes, and driving unmarked vehicles. They resorted to verbal and physical intimidation, flagrantly attempting to violate people’s rights,” said Primitiva Hernandez. “One such incident involved ICE agents surrounding an individual’s truck, mocking him, and shouting degrading comments like ‘come out and be a man.’ Thankfully, the ILDC intervened over the phone while outside the individual’s vehicle, empowering the individual to assert their rights and preventing further abuse.”
Based on reports from the hotline, 805 Undocufund informed the community by sending a mass text and updating its social media pages. Local representatives later confirmed the activity in the afternoon. Today, January 27, we learned of additional arrests in Oxnard, Fillmore, and Santa Paula.
“Now more than ever, it’s essential that we stand together as a community – sharing information, staying calm, knowing and asserting our rights. By reporting ICE activity to our hotline, you’re protecting yourself and empowering others with the information needed to prevent mass deportations. If you or someone you know needs immediate help, contact the hotline at (805)870-8855. For general questions about the system or information on your rights, we encourage you to visit our website at 805undocufund.org and social media channels. Share this information far and wide because the more people who join this collective effort, the stronger we are in keeping our communities safe and reducing fear.
“We also call on our elected officials to stand with us and defend our communities. Right now, the panic is real—people are afraid to go to work, students fear attending school, and patients hesitate to seek medical care or even buy groceries. The spaces that once felt safe no longer do. We urge our leaders to take bold action to ensure that no one in our community has to live in fear of leaving their home. Together, we can create a future where safety and dignity prevail for everyone,” said Primitiva Hernandez.
805 Undocufund is aware of multiple individuals impacted by the ICE activity and is working with the Immigrant Legal Defense Center and other Community Based Organizations to gather more information and provide support.
— 805Undocufund mobilizes resources when disaster hits, providing short-term financial relief to undocumented residents, and advocates for long-term systems change to ensure that our undocumented communities are effectively included in disaster planning, preparedness, response and recovery. https://www.805undocufund.org/