Regarding the July 13 article, “Rep. Salud Carbajal: ‘Brown People’ are Targets Now, but Next ‘It Could be You’,” I would like to offer a suggestion regarding ICE in our community.
As we saw July 10, the raid on the Glass House Farms in Carpinteria and Camarillo rescued 14 minors from slave labor in the cannabis industry.
I’m sure that when Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, attempted to intervene, he did not realize it was a rescue mission.
This event has stirred many people in the community. It cries out for the need for collaboration between local law enforcement, like the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, to work with ICE officers.
Local law enforcement can direct ICE to known criminals. ICE used to have a desk at the County Jail. The county needs to return it.
Remember the victims of the MS-13 gang members and the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang? These criminals have committed rape, murder, child trafficking and illegal drug dealings that have hurt many families in our county.
Remember Marilyn Pharis, the 64-year-old retired veteran who was raped and brutally murdered in her own home in Santa Maria. She is one of many victims.
Although we have sympathy for those undocumented immigrants who came here for the American Dream, let’s request that the county Board of Supervisors demand the state allow local law enforcement to work with ICE.
Bobbi McGinnis
Santa Barbara County Republican Party chairwoman
• • •
The Noozhawk article about Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, is just another love letter to the coastal California far left. This is not journalism.
If Noozhawk is going to take a stand, are you not just a little bit concerned about the details of that stand, about where that stand might be leading your unassuming, uninformed readers?
A single phrase mentions “conservatives and liberal(s) slinging arrows” but then the rest of the article, in its entirety, continues this ridiculously biased reporting on the complaints of a single Donald Trump-hating zealot.
Additionally, in the paragraph about “agents carrying rifles, deploying tear gas and smoke canisters,” you are lacking the integrity that would insist you consider WHY they are carrying such items. These protesters have been and were in this case violent!
These are simple facts. Available everywhere. Happening daily. Put two and two together. We were literally waiting to see how you would handle the reporting of this incident.
Lynelle Paulick
Santa Barbara
• • •
Regarding the July 14 article, “Authorities Report 361 Immigrants Detained in Federal Raids in Carpinteria, Camarillo,” a recent conversation with my MAGA cousin who touts “law and order” as the reason for ICE’s outrageous attacks on our migrant communities, prompted this question, “What is the proper response to laws that are clearly morally wrong?”
When people are targeted because of their skin color, or religion, or any identifying attribute without just cause or warrant, we are all shamed.
It is not too hard to impose our understanding of the rise of fascism in Germany and the targeting of the Jewish population then on masked ICE agents’ present tactics.
The “law” just passed by Congress allots an extraordinary proportion of our tax dollars to ICE. The law” is morally abhorrent. Those who believe we must live by it are wrong.
We must protest it with our most forceful creative energy or we will be complicit in the harm and horror being exacted on our neighbors and friends.
Marianne D’Emidio Caston
Goleta
• • •
Federal agents raided two cannabis farms in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, arresting 361 illegal immigrants, rescuing 14 trafficked children and capturing a convicted child predator.
Instead of celebrating, Gov. Gavin Newsom and local leaders condemned the operation. Protesters blocked agents. Shots were fired.
What are they defending? A shadow system: undocumented labor, silence and exploitation.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said, “We need them to pick our crops.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, cried, “We’re not going back to the plantation.”
Newsflash: You never left, you just renamed it.
Why no outrage for the kids? Because calling them trafficked children interferes with the narrative.
Shame on officials who blocked justice. This wasn’t militarization. It was a rescue.
“Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” — Psalm 82:4
Emmett Jordan
Santa Barbara
• • •
Regarding Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch’s July 12 commentary, “Appalled, Disheartened by ICE Actions,” with all due respect, he needs to stay in his lane and not take sides on debatable political discussions, such as the efforts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Otherwise, his status as a trusted and objective law enforcement official must come into question.
There is a very large faction of the Santa Barbara County population that disagrees with his expressed views, including many Hispanics, which I am one. He is taking the typical approach of many: shoot first and ready, aim later.
The number is unclear, but at least 10.8 million unvetted illegal migrants entered the United States during the Biden administration. Inadequate and poor record keeping suggests the number could be much higher.
Unvetted means the worst of the worst could enter, too. It is estimated that at least 5.25% of the world’s population are known as criminals. This excludes the potential for suspected terrorists and spies.
It is highly probable that at least around 600,000 individuals having the intent and desire to do harm have entered the United States and California, and do pose a threat to the citizens.
Thousands of crimes against our citizens by illegal immigrants are already documented. Some of the worst include the enslavement of undocumented children.
A higher threat to the citizens living on the Central Coast exists, given the status of California as a declared sanctuary state.
Speaking for myself, I support the efforts of ICE. My involvement in our Hispanic community says I am clearly not alone.
Given the unprecedented and huge magnitude of the problem, statistics unfortunately suggest unintended collateral impacts to righteous and well-intentioned illegal immigrants will happen.
Mr. District Attorney, please stay focused on the job you were entrusted to carry out and quit your political banter.
Ramon Elias
Santa Maria
• • •
Thank you to District Attorney John Savrnoch for his powerful and straightforward support of the rule of law and the Constitution.
I stand with the other members of our Santa Barbara County community who are shocked and saddened that federal agents in paramilitary dress and equipment descended on multiple licensed Central Coast businesses.
When Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, sought to simply inspect the situation and check on the welfare of his constituents, he was denied access by armed federal agents.
These actions should anger and scare everyone who believes in justice and the principles that this great nation was founded on. These raids were not a response to a direct threat to the safety of the citizens of the United States or the Central Coast.
The actions of July 10 can rightfully be viewed as an attempt to fulfill some xenophobic quota, at the expense of disrupting the lives of hard-working immigrants who have become part of the fabric of our society.
William Cirone
Solvang
• • •
I am “appalled, disheartened” by District Attorney John Savrnoch’s blanket condemnation of ICE operations enforcing immigration laws of the United States, of which California is one.
He writes that “the actions of July 10 can rightfully be viewed as an attempt to fulfill some xenophobic quota, at the expense of disrupting the lives of hard-working immigrants who have become part of the fabric of our society.”
Does the district attorney have any evidence to support that?
It has also been reported in Noozhawk that the Camarillo division of the raided cannabis company in Carpinteria allegedly was exploiting underage children — ON A MARIJUANA FARM! Many of these children had entered the country as “unaccompanied minors.” ICE also detained a convicted child molester who was working among them.
Savrnoch states that “supporting victims is one of the primary functions of the District Attorney’s Office.” Maybe he could enlighten us on whether child slave labor and the exploitation of vulnerable immigrants qualifies, or is that just fulfilling “some xenophobic quota”?
G. Chavez
Santa Barbara
• • •
District Attorney John Savrnoch claims the ICE raids on local pot farms are extralegal and unnecessary actions against innocent people who just want to work.
Well, American citizens want to work, they want housing and they want education and health care, too.
Has Savrnoch forgotten about the rule of law? While he gushes on in support of illegal immigrants’ rights to work in the United States, he’s forgotten the main purpose of a district attorney is to prosecute law breakers and enforce the law.
Instead, apparently we have a DA who supports illegal child labor; supports cartel infiltration of local pot farms; supports flooding in illegals to violate labor laws, violate employment tax, health and safety, and workers comp laws; and supports dilution of citizens voting rights and voices. All to enhance Democrat power with illegal body counts.
Due to a misreading of the 14th Amendment, these illegal immigrants in our country automatically grant electoral, apportionment and congressional power to the district and disenfranchise citizen voters.
It’s also unfair to make local citizens pay for the health and welfare of illegal pot farm employees and their children in the fields, while the employers get a giant tax and insurance “deduction.”
These employers ought to be prosecuted and made to pay back taxes on all these illegal employees, for two years at least. That includes back FICA, SSI, workers comp, everything.
It’s a shame and a sham to use illegal migrants as political pawns and for national census manipulations.
Thomas Cole
Montecito
• • •
I came to Santa Barbara from western Pennsylvania in 1995.
At that time, Santa Barbara was represented by Republicans in the House of Representatives and California Assembly. The mayor was a Democrat, along with the state senator. One of California’s two U.S. senators was Republican, as well as the governor.
That all changed by 2000. In this century, only Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and a couple of lesser statewide offices have been held by Republicans, none in the last 17 years.
Carbajal votes 100% according to Democratic Party leadership but campaigns somewhat to the right of that voting pattern every two years. There are few “moderate” Democrats in the district, so there is no pressure from the right in a Democratic primary.
It must be strange, then, for Carbajal in 2025. His party is staunchly in control in California but the party and its out-of-fashion left-wing policies are anathema to Republicans in control across the nation and in Washington, D.C.
Republican administrations before President Donald Trump’s didn’t pose the enigma to Democratic states that it does now. Armed with polls showing much of the America First agenda popular with Americans, federal agencies are in a position to punish Democratic states and constituencies in ways undreamed of in the past.
At the political/regulatory level as well as in the area of law enforcement, Republicans can push back against Democrats in their own backyard, forcing humiliation on Democratic Party leaders with their own voters witnessing it from front-row seats.
In Carpinteria last week, Carbajal looked weak and disheveled in front of his own constituents. This is not a good posture or playing field for Democratic leaders in a Blue state.
David Samuel McCalmont
Santa Barbara
• • •
Regarding Justin Shores’ July 13 commentary, “Carpinteria City Council’s Misguided ICE Defiance Fuels Division, Excuses Exploitation,” one can appreciate the emotional response evoked by the council’s recent vote on immigration enforcement and local nongovernmental organization funding.
It’s crucial to approach these matters with a clear understanding of underlying policy and community dynamics. The council’s decision, far from being a “betrayal,” appears to be a considered effort to uphold the safety and justice of all residents, reflecting a more nuanced grasp of community well-being.
The assertion that the council’s vote to “resist” certain U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and to allocate funds to local Democratic NGOs constitutes an endorsement of “lawlessness” is a simplistic interpretation.
This action is a strategic move to foster a community in which individuals, regardless of immigration status, feel secure enough to engage with local authorities and access essential services without undue fear.
The funding for NGOs is not a handout due to a lack of COVID-19 funding but a proactive, informed investment in legal aid and support, crucial for preventing exploitation and ensuring due process, which are fundamental tenets of a just society.
The comparison to the Obama administration’s deportation numbers, and the rhetorical question “Where were the protests then?,” demonstrates a limited understanding of how public discourse and advocacy evolve.
Differentiating between focused operations against serious criminal organizations and broader sweeps that can inadvertently disrupt communities and impact innocent individuals is a distinction that has become increasingly critical in modern immigration discussions.
Regarding the serious allegations against Glass House Farms concerning worker exploitation and illicit cannabis markets, there is no disagreement: such practices are unequivocally reprehensible and demand rigorous investigation and prosecution.
In reality, relying on immigration raids to address labor abuses often backfires, making vulnerable workers less likely to report exploitation due to fear of deportation.
A more informed approach, which the council’s decision implicitly supports, focuses on holding employers accountable through robust labor law enforcement, ensuring all workers have access to legal protections, irrespective of their immigration status.
The valid questions about Glass House Farms sponsoring workers and the alleged exploitation of unaccompanied minors are precisely why state and federal labor and cannabis regulatory bodies, not solely immigration enforcement, must take decisive action.
The burden of ensuring fair labor practices should rest squarely on the employer, not taxpayers.
Thomas Stretz
Carpinteria
• • •
Regarding Noozhawk publisher Bill Macfadyen’s July 11 column, just so he knows, there’s a large part of our community that is not “thrilled” about the rodeo.
Rodeo is animal abuse, pure and simple. It’s amazing that in 2025 some people support such abhorrent behavior toward innocent animals.
Sad to see Macfadyen’s excitement and joy about this unfortunate event. Even more sad that Noozhawk has chosen to sponsor it.
Joe Guzzardi
Santa Barbara
• • •
Regarding the July 11 article, “Santa Barbara County Fair in Full Swing with Rides, Games, Food and Fun,” years ago, we had the opportunity to visit the Santa Barbara County Fair in Santa Maria.
Traveling to the fair always included a stop by the home of Jack and Estelle Baldwin, the grandparents of my best friend, Sherri. While we never had much money of our own to spend at the fair, Jack always had an extra $20 to add to our spending budget — which was pretty significant back in the early 1970s.
These trips to the fair were accompanied by several days of camping at Refugio or El Capitán State Beach. There is no better way to spend your summer, than camping at the beach.
Clare Westfall, our neighborhood mom, always made these adventures a summer priority. How lucky can a kid be, to have such a wonderful person contribute so much to their childhood. Thanks, Clare!
Patrick Cooper
Goleta
• • •
Regarding the July 1 article, “Santa Barbara OKs Ordinance Regulating Business Signs in Public Right-of-Way,” I applaud the City Council’s decision to restrict sidewalk signage, in addition to enforcing the longtime ban in El Pueblo Viejo.
Businesses may feel the public’s right of way is prime advertising space, but it remains the public’s property under the management of city government.
Fortunately, I have no mobility issues that might be aggravated by the signage, but I strongly sympathize with those who do. It was a major discussion point in the council’s decision.
I respect — but take issue with — City Councilman Oscar Gutierrez’s concern for the plight of local commerce. Street-side shops are a cannibalistic group, always competing with one another for every sale.
Removal of unsightly and obstructive sidewalk signage will level that battlefield and reduce the incentive to cover every last foot of access with messaging.
Richard Closson
Santa Barbara
• • •
Regarding the July 15 article, “California Schools Face Avalanche of Sex Abuse Claims, Including Carpinteria, Montecito Districts,” the payout amounts to victims should be capped by a new law and not be millions of dollars.
Second, prosecuting lawyer fees should be capped at whatever the yearly fee the local city attorney makes.
Third, the teachers union should be responsible for at least half of any payout for making it so difficult to fire such abusers in its ranks.
J.W. Burk
Santa Barbara
• • •
I attended a July 11 ribbon cutting ceremony in Guadalupe sponsored by the Housing Authority of Santa Barbara County for an affordable and state-of-the-art 80-unit housing complex called Escalante Meadows.
It was built to replace 52 outdated and deteriorating public housing units erected in the 1950s for marginalized residents and families.
I commend the recognition given to a need that exists not only in Guadalupe, but in many other parts of Santa Barbara County where 28% of the population lives in severe housing conditions.
Unfortunately, Escalante Meadows reflects questionable planning and administration. Here’s why:
Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann originally championed the effort when it was located in her district before the redistricting.
At the ceremony she said it took about nine years of persistence and hard work for the project to finally come to fruition. It still takes years for a new project to be completed. WHY SO LONG?
On completion, the total cost of the project was $78.6 million, $59.8 million for the residential units and $18.8 million for a 20,000-square-foot community center intended to serve all of Guadalupe.
A walkthrough of the center suggests it will fall short of the latter, in particular the child care facilities.
In short, public funds were used to build the Escalante residences at an overall cost of about $1 million per residential unit having an average size of 1,000 square feet.
The fact of the matter is about the same unit cost and size applies to all new county “affordable” housing units. WHY SO MUCH FOR SO LITTLE?
The affordable housing advocacy for our marginalized citizens is truly necessary and commendable, but this effort managed by government remains grossly inadequate and financially inefficient.
A reassessment of our elected state and county decision makers is a good place to start.
Ramon Elias
Santa Maria
• • •
On July 15, the Lompoc City Council held another public hearing to approve an agreement with the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce for business assistance services. It didn’t go well.
To start, the staff report says, “Staff recommends a demand letter be sent to the chamber requesting the full financial audit that was due to the city by March 31, 2024, and the accounting review that was due to the city by March 31, 2025, as required by the FY 23-25 chamber contract.”
The chamber is also required to provide “a comprehensive budget, including a detailed and itemized list of expenses that have been charged against the monthly payment received by city and chamber’s contribution to the expense item.”
Mayor Jim Mosby asked the city manager if the chamber was “in breach of contract.” His answer was “yes,” but the city hadn’t specifically requested the required submittals.
The chamber says it can’t find a CPA to prepare the reports, but there are at least a dozen CPA firms in Santa Barbara County. Could it be there isn’t sufficient data (a budget, receipts, contracts, pay records) for the firms to prepare a report?
Something smells funny about this deal; the council wisely continued the item for further discussion.
Ron Fink
Lompoc
• • •
Mail Calls
Noozhawk welcomes and encourages expressions of all views on Santa Barbara County issues. Click here to submit a letter to the editor.
Letters should be BRIEF — as in 200 words-BRIEF — and letters under 150 words are given priority. Each must include a valid mailing address and contact information. Pseudonyms will not be accepted, and repeat letters will be skipped. Letters may be edited for clarity, length and style.
As a hyperlocal news site, we ask that you keep your opinions and information relevant to Santa Barbara County and the Central Coast. Letters about issues beyond our local region have the absolute lowest priority of everything we publish.
With rare exceptions, this feature is published on Saturdays.
By submitting any content to Noozhawk, you warrant that the material is your original expression, free of plagiarism, and does not violate any copyright, proprietary, contract or personal right of anyone else. Noozhawk reserves, at our sole discretion, the right to choose not to publish a submission.
Click here for Noozhawk’s Terms of Use, and click here for more information about how to submit letters to the editor and other announcements, tips and stories.