Eastside Santa Barbara holiday parade canceled over fears of ongoing ICE raids

""Although ICE raids may no longer dominate daily headlines, the threat to our Latino families documented or undocumented remains very real," Santa Barbara Eastside Society, which organizes the parade, said in a statement."

""The presence of immigration enforcement in our region, the fear it generates, and the uncertainty families continue to face are real, immediate, and deeply felt.""

""many longtime participants have shared that the level of fear and vulnerability they are experiencing makes joining a large public event feel unsafe.""

""We know there are hundreds of people that are not going out of their homes if they [don't] have to because of the fear of being spotted, reported or identifi"

The decades-old Milpas Street Holiday Parade in Santa Barbara's Eastside was canceled because community members fear immigration enforcement. Organizers cited the ongoing threat to both documented and undocumented Latino families and said the presence of enforcement agencies creates tangible fear and uncertainty. Increased anti-immigrant rhetoric and visible enforcement practices have produced a chilling effect, reducing public participation. Community groups that typically join the parade, including those assisting families facing deportation, withdrew due to safety concerns. Organizers reported that many longtime participants avoid leaving their homes to reduce the risk of being spotted, reported, or identified.

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