Community members gathered in Mission Plaza to hold a vigil for 37-year-old Renee Good and standing families separated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The vigil was organized by local volunteers and advocates like Butterfly Mackay-Gill.
“It’s really scary. There are a lot of emotions,” Mackay-Gill said. “It’s really disheartening to see people treated that way, but it’s also been incredible seeing my community come together.”
Cesar Vasquez, an organizer with 805 UndocuFund, shared his personal experience with KSBY.
“My uncle was taken last week in the raids in Santa Maria,” he said. “So I am mourning that life, but I’m also mourning the lives of over 144 people.”
A press conference was held on January 2 by Santa Maria City Councilmember Gloria Soto after an increase of reported ICE activity in the Central Coast. According to Soto, organizations such as 805 UndocuFund recorded an estimated 150 detentions in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since December 27.
KSBY contacted ICE the day of the press conference but did not receive a response.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Vice President JD Vance have publicly defended the ICE agent.
“The Department of Justice is going to investigate this. The Department of Homeland Security is already investigating this,” Vance said. “But the simple fact is, what you see is what you get.”
Organizers say they will continue educating and informing community members.
“We’re talking about it right now, but we’ve had to have this conversation months in advance because we know the risk going into this," said Vasquez.
