Press releases are posted on Independent.com as a free community service.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., December 18, 2025 - Santa Barbara City College would like to take a moment to acknowledge the fear, stress, and anxiety experienced by the Santa Barbara and SBCC communities including students and employees (faculty and staff) regarding recent events with law enforcement/ICE on Cliff campus. We want to ensure that our SBCC campuses remain safe places that prioritize learning, with dignity and respect.The series of events that occurred last week at SBCC are very concerning. SBCC was not informed in advance of law enforcement activities on our campuses, including the Department of Homeland Security’s visit to Antioch University (who rents facilities at SBCC), ICE staging in the SBCC West Cliff Campus parking lot, or the dignitary training by the County of Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office.
Since these events transpired, SBCC has been in communication with elected leaders and various community organizations and continues to be open to dialogue. Regarding the staging incident on December 11, Vice President of Student Services, Paloma Arnold, was in direct communication with a representative from 805Undocufund as the situation was unfolding. SBCC is grateful for their communication — and in the spirit of collaboration and supporting community, we are meeting with 805Undocufund’s Executive Director, Primitiva Hernandez, and team in early January.