ICE raids California beach town, ‘mariachi band’ detained

Federal immigration agents detained as many as 11 people during a series of early morning raids in upscale California beach enclave Santa Barbara on Father’s Day, according to local activists.

The raids unfolded before 7 a.m. Sunday on the city’s Westside and Eastside neighborhoods, where multiple vehicles believed to be operated by ICE were seen conducting enforcement activity, Santa Barbara Independent reported.

Activists with S.B. Resiste, one of several organizations that track immigration enforcement activity throughout the region, told the outlet between nine and 11 people were detained.

Among those taken into custody were three mariachi musicians encountered near San Pascual and Mulberry streets in the early hours, according to activists.

Katia Trujillo claimed the musicians were connected to a Father’s Day tradition known as a “serenata to our father.”

Witness accounts differed on whether the musicians were actively participating in the tradition or traveling to do so when they were detained. A fourth musician reportedly avoided arrest.

Activists also alleged that a US citizen was detained during the operation before later being released in Oxnard.

The California Post has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.

Santa Barbara Police Chief Kelly Gordon said local law enforcement were not notified in advance of the operation and had not received calls related to the reported activity.

“We did not get any notification ICE was in town. We didn’t have any calls for service from 1 a.m. … that were remotely close to what was being alleged on the Westside,” Gordon said.

“Of course that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, just that we didn’t get notified by ICE or the community.”

Federal authorities had not publicly released details about the operation, including the identities of those detained or the specific immigration-related allegations involved, as of Monday morning.

Earlier in May, ICE agents boarded a Disney cruise ship in San Diego and arrested multiple crew members as passengers looked on.

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