Federal law enforcement agents, assumed to include personnel from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), were active in Santa Barbara on Thursday, December 11, with part of the activity centered at Santa Barbara City College’s (SBCC) West Campus.
SBCC officials said eight to nine vehicles with federal agents parked on the third floor of the West Campus parking structure around 5:45 p.m. The agents left their vehicles and later returned just after 7 p.m., according to the college. The West Campus Safety Kiosk was closed at the time, and campus security received no advance notice that law enforcement from any jurisdiction would be staging on campus, SBCC added.
An alert was issued to students, staff, and the public regarding the presence of federal agents. SBCC said it does not believe any federal enforcement operations occurred on campus.
On Thursday evening, local nonprofit and advocacy group 805 Rapid Response, shared several posts on social media regarding ICE and FBI agents seen in Santa Barbara’s westside neighborhood. Agents and unmarked vehicles were seen on W. Arrellaga and San Pascual Streets.
On Friday, December 12, SBCC issued a statement emphasizing the college had no involvement with the federal activity and was not notified beforehand that its parking lot would be used as a staging area.
The Central Coast Immigrant Rights Coalition posted a video on social media from December 9 showing masked agents in about four unmarked vehicles blocking an intersection on San Pascual on the Westside around 6:45 a.m. Nearby residents could be heard saying, “La Migra, ICE is here, no warrant.”
In another video from the same incident, a masked federal agent was captured on camera taking photos of residents recording ICE activity and their vehicle.
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The following day, on December 10, the same group posted a video on social media showing another batch of masked ICE agents in unmarked cars again on the Westside at W. Arrellaga Street around 6:30 a.m.
Photos depict a similar scene with various vehicles in the roadway and a broken gate that may have been related to an arrest.
There is no report of the number of arrests related to federal activity. ICE has previously said it does not comment on ongoing operations.
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Fascist bastards.
That’s good to see our taxpayers dollars put to good use
Nice to know that sociopaths are being made happy. Wait until it’s your turn.
You like to see people harassed because of their skin color and watch families terrorized as they’re ripped apart during the holidays? That sucks Jizmo. The people who cheer on ICE are the only ones who deserve misery. Here’s hoping you get everything you’ve earned.
These terrorist thugs can rot in Hell