Santa Barbara County Supervisor Raises Alarm Over ICE Activity, Demands Sheriff’s Response

Expressing concern over the recent actions of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Santa Barbara County, Supervisor Laura Capps asked the Sheriff’s Office how the community can be kept safe from federal immigration agents during the January 27, 2026, meeting of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. 

ICE had been active in local neighborhoods and streets, resulting in more than 350 people being removed, Capps said during the public comment period. She alleged that many were removed without due process.

Highlighting the rapid expansion of federal immigration enforcement, Capps said ICE more than doubled its ranks within the past year, growing from 10,000 to 22,000 agents. 

Federal agents do not receive “exceptional training” or de-escalation skills that local law enforcement officers have, she said. 

Capps pointed to a recent ICE activity in Carpinteria, where around 200 people had gathered to protest and federal agents used smoke bombs and flashbangs to disperse the crowd. The incident was evidence that federal activity poses a safety risk to the community, including innocent bystanders, she said. 

The presence of masked agents with guns on streets was described as alarming to bystanders and raised fears of violence and threats to the general public peace, she said.

Capps demanded a “constructive answer” from the Sheriff’s Department about what could be done to ensure that the community was safe from federal agents. She framed the request as an open-ended question that she said the community still needs an answer for. 

Although the Board Chair initially requested that the board not “unnecessarily wade into national issues,” Capps said the impact of federal agents on local families makes it a matter of county safety.

Noting that she had spoken with the Sheriff privately about this, she emphasized the significance of a public and transparent response. 

During public comment, Jonathan Martin, a member of the public, proposed an ordinance to designate places of worship, schools, and hospitals as “ICE-free zones.” 

Such protections would prevent children from being used as “bargaining chips” and ensure residents continue to seek medical screenings and attend religious services without the fear of deportation, Martin said. 

Martin cited other jurisdictions, including San Francisco, San Jose, and Alameda County, as examples that have implemented similar policies to protect vulnerable individuals. 

The Sheriff did not address the safety concerns during the meeting. 

Capps’ remarks came ahead of confrontation of residents by ICE agents at Santa Barbara’s Eastside neighborhood. According to video footage shared on social media, a masked ICE agent appeared to grab a woman and spray her in the face with pepper spray at close range.