immigration

Central Coast leaders and immigration advocates gathered outside the Santa Maria ICE facility Friday calling attention to what they describe as a sharp surge in immigration enforcement during the holiday week.

Colectivo Mariposa 805 is a community-led organization giving mutual aid to families affected by immigration enforcement activity. The group is based in Santa Maria and serves over 70 families in the cities of Santa Maria and Guadalupe, and the unincorporated community of Nipomo.

The Santa Maria City Council has postponed a decision on forming an Immigration Ad Hoc Committee, pushing the discussion to Spring 2026. Council members said they want more clarity on what the proposed committee would do to support the city’s immigrant community.

Santa Barbara County might soon have to change the way it runs its public health clinics. The move could potentially affect local immigrant families that rely on them.

The Trump Administration is offering some unaccompanied migrant children $2,500 to voluntarily return to their home countries—a move that’s sparked concerns with Central Coast immigration experts.

The Santa Barbara City Council voted to give $500,000 to local immigrant organizations in response to recent ICE enforcement activities.Local advocates packed a Special Council Meeting urging lawmakers to support families impacted by raids and educate the immigrant communities on their rights.

Rep. Jimmy Panetta toured the privately run Adelanto facility days after ICE blocked other members of Congress from making surprise inspection visits.

Central Coast Congressman Salud Cabajal has re-introduced a bill that allows DACA recipients to enroll in the military.DACA is a program that allows undocumented children who were brought to the U.S. at a young age to temporarily stay and work here.

New details are emerging from last week’s immigration raid on the Central Coast. A U.S. Army veteran says he was wrongfully detained and violently arrested by federal immigration agents, even though he is a U.S. citizen.

A California State University, Channel Islands professor has been released from federal custody following an immigration enforcement operation in Ventura County last week.