More than 300 UC Santa Barbara students gathered on Wednesday at the campus’s Eternal Flame to carry out a walkout and protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and current government policies they say endanger immigrant communities in Santa Barbara County.
Holding signs reading “Immigrants Are Welcome Here” and “ICE Out,” students chanted slogans including “Chinga la migra.” Volunteers distributed face masks to help participants avoid identification, as well as flyers with chants, protest signs, and water and snacks. Compared with previous years, organizers said this year’s turnout makes it one of the largest immigration-focused protests on UCSB’s campus and among colleges in the region.
Cesar Vasquez, a Rapid Response organizer for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, addressed the crowd, urging students to stand closer together and remain united. He spoke about recent ICE detentions in the region, emphasizing that the walkout was meant to show solidarity with community members and families affected by the arrests who could not be present.