There were tense moments at Tuesday's Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting, where more than 100 people came to speak and ask for more transparency in response to recent ICE arrests in Santa Maria and Carpinteria.
"What we have seen on the ground is a consistent escalation of violence and aggression," said Primitiva Hernandez, 805UndocuFund Executive Director.
Hernandez's organization wants the county to do more to protect immigrants, and they do not want local law enforcement assisting with ICE raids.
Sheriff Bill Brown says that's already not happening.
"The sheriff’s office would like to remind our communities that we do not participate in immigration enforcement, including ICE operations," Sheriff Brown stated.
Supervisor Roy Lee pressed the sheriff on what could be done to better protect immigrant residents. The sheriff explained that ICE and Homeland Security are federal agencies and local law enforcement cannot intervene.
Maura Mitchell believes more protection is necessary.
"They are critical members of our population, and to realize that they have to be treated humanely and that we have to have an actual path to citizenship," Mitchell said.
The majority of the attendees at the all-day meeting opposed the ICE raids, while some voiced support for stronger enforcement.
"We have a crisis of illegal drugs and human trafficking because of Biden’s open border happening right here in our county," said one speaker.
The sheriff noted that all complaints about ICE or HSI must be sent directly to those organizations.
KSBY has reached out to ICE several times this week, including on Tuesday, but has not received a response.
