Carpinteria council adopts proclamation denouncing recent ICE operations, reaffirms California Values Act

The Carpinteria City Council on Thursday unanimously adopted a proclamation condemning recent federal immigration enforcement activity in the city and reaffirming the council’s prior commitment to the California Values Act (SB 54).

The proclamation, read and considered as Item 1 on the special July 10 meeting agenda, states that the council “reaffirms its commitment to Senate Bill 54, the California Values Act,” and calls out federal operations that local speakers described as militarized and intimidating. The council then voted to adopt the statement and proclamation; the motion passed by voice vote.

Why it matters: Council members said the proclamation is intended to signal the city’s stance and to reassure immigrant residents and workers that city resources will not be used for federal immigration enforcement. Residents, educators and nonprofit leaders said the raids have created fear, interrupted work and school, and inflicted trauma that requires immediate response from local government and service providers.

The proclamation cites the council’s March 10, 2025, unanimous passage of Resolution No. 6,372 reaffirming SB 54 and lists a series of “whereas” clauses documenting community concern and reported tactics by federal agents including masked officers and limited identification.

Public comment was extensive. Erica Reyes, district director for U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, described a Carpinteria-area operation in which “Peaceful protesters who showed up to the site were fired upon with smoke bombs and other projectiles. A child was harmed during the confrontation.” Reyes said Rep. Carbajal had attempted to inspect the scene and was denied entry.

A range of elected representatives’ offices sent statements read at the meeting: a representative for Assemblymember Greg Hart called the raids “unnecessary, harmful, and fundamentally inconsistent with the values we share as a community,” and a staff member for State Senator Monique Limon said the state has allocated funds for litigation and that the attorney general’s office has filed suits addressing similar enforcement activity.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office provided a prepared statement during the meeting saying the sheriff’s office does not assist with immigration enforcement, that it had received a deconfliction notice from federal agencies in advance of an operation at one site in Carpinteria, and that deputies fielded community calls about the federal activity. The statement said California Highway Patrol provided traffic control and that the sheriff’s office did not report any local law-enforcement incidents requiring on-scene intervention by deputies.

Council reaction and next steps: Council members described the proclamation as an important public reaffirmation and said it was the first step of several, including considering additional measures discussed later in the meeting. The council directed staff to post the proclamation publicly and distribute it to local media, per the motion language.

Community leaders at the meeting urged the council to go beyond words by supporting legal action, coordinating with county partners, and funding local services that assist affected families.

The adoption of the proclamation concluded Item 1 and set the stage for subsequent agenda items on emergency funding and broader city responses to federal immigration enforcement.