There’s a saying in Spanish, “Solo el pueblo salva el pueblo,” which essentially means “Only the people can save the people.” Typically used in times of crisis or natural disaster, the phrase has popped back up in public meetings, protest signs, and social media callouts in reaction to the aggressive immigration enforcement witnessed across the Central Coast in recent weeks.
The July 10 raids in Camarillo and Carpinteria — the largest coordinated immigration operation since President Donald Trump took the office in January — resulted in more than 360 undocumented workers being detained by federal agents who used rubber pellets, flash-bangs, and smoke grenades on protesters who arrived on scene at both locations. The aggressive nature of the raids, with more than 50 federal agents deployed to arrest 10 workers in Carpinteria, lit a fire for many community members who jumped at the opportunity to stand with immigrants and support families who have been impacted.
Del Pueblo Café in Goleta, a family business recently taken over by Giselle Cuevas and Victor Camargo , hosted a fundraising event Friday, July 18 in response to the recent raids. “This past week has been filled with tears, pain, and loss. The devastating raids and kidnappings affecting our community have been truly tragic,” the owners wrote in an Instagram post about the event .