At least 40 farmworkers from Santa Maria, Ventura and Oxnard were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on Tuesday during workplace raids on agricultural fields.

Erica Diaz, senior policy advocate for the Central Coast Alliance United for Sustainable Economy, said it was one of the worst workplace raids they’ve seen on the Central Coast in 15 years. 

On Tuesday, a crew leader on a field on the west side of Santa Maria noticed three unmarked vehicles parading through the fields and suspected that they were ICE officers, according to Diaz. The crew leader alerted other supervisors, and while some employees fled the fields, some were taken into custody, Diaz said.

“One of our contacts had shared with us that she had gone directly to the site right after, and she had seen shoes left scattered around, she had seen people’s lunchboxes just left there,” Diaz said. “It was kind of like a ghost town.”

ICE also conducted workplace raids in Ventura County on Tuesday, with Oxnard seeing the biggest impact out of the two counties, Diaz said. 

Diaz said CAUSE received reports of ICE agents trying to enter other workplace facilities but were denied entry by employers. Diaz said they want to educate more employers about their rights to deny entry and prevent raids, and also encourage employers to let their employees go home if they need to. 

In recent months, Diaz said there have been ICE officer sightings in Lompoc and Santa Maria.

805UndocuFund has reported that more than 80 individuals from the Central Coast are in custody or have been deported in ICE operations since January. That was before the 40 farmworkers were taken into custody on Tuesday. 

“We do see that there are ICE agents starting to enter these workplaces,” Diaz said. “Before, they were kind of just doing the door-to-door knocking or pulling some vehicles over.”

Some farmworkers have even reported that they feel that they’re being followed to their workplace, according to Diaz. 

No details were immediately available on the individuals or workplaces targeted in these raids.

CAUSE, The FUND for Santa Barbara, the 805 Immigrant Coalition and other community organizations are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to provide financial assistance to immigrant workers so that they can shelter in place during heightened ICE activity. 

They are also asking local elected officials such as the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors to support immigrant communities. 

“They deserve to not live with fear,” Diaz said. “They deserve to go to the workplace with dignity. They deserve to go to their children’s ceremonies or graduation without having the fear of being stripped away from their families.”

On Tuesday, about 300 people gathered at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse to protest recent ICE raids and deportations.

‘Know Your Rights’ Efforts

With an increase in ICE activity, community groups including La Casa Founders Holding Company, also calling itself Casa de la Raza, are preparing immigrant families for the worst-case scenario — getting separated. 

One of the biggest concerns the group is hearing from immigrant families is what they should do if they or a loved one gets picked up by ICE, according to representative Jacqueline Inda.

“It’s important that the families have a safety plan set in place, and that they could find their loved ones, because it’s taking people so long to be able to find somebody in custody,” she said. 

In recent months, Inda said they have heard from family members left behind and employers wanting to know how they can protect their immigrant employees. La Casa de la Raza worked with the Mexican Consulate to host “Know Your Rights” and family preparedness workshops for community members.

“People are really desperately looking for potential solutions and getting prepared in case they do get picked up for some reason, but it’s a challenge for us and it’s a challenge for the community because there isn’t the one space that people trust,” Inda said.

Inda said they had done a few workshops before they lost access to the building at 601 E. Montecito St. in May after city officials found safety hazards in the century-old structure.

If an individual is taken into custody by ICE, Inda said they recommend asking to speak to a Mexican Consultant representative immediately because it gives them a better chance at getting in touch with a family member. 

“It’s disheartening to see how challenging it is to locate somebody,” Inda said. “It’s anxiety driven, and it’s saddening to see children’s faces. I’ve seen grandparents come in looking for somebody. I’ve seen parents come in looking for their adult children, spouses of people who are just trying to find where their loved one is.”

An emergency family planning packet and additional resources can be found here.

805UndocuFund has an immigrant rapid response hotline at 805.870.8855 and additional resources on the website.

The National Immigration Law Center has a guide on how to find someone after a immigration arrest. 

Click here for a guide on what to do if you are detained by ICE.

Click here for a “Know Your Rights” guide from the American Civil Liberties Union.