Members of the U.S. Coast Guard tell protestors to stay off the bridge that leads to Base Alameda as about 100 people gathered in Oakland on Oct. 23. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)
Update 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24: Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said in a press release Friday morning that her office received confirmation that President Donald Trump’s planned immigration crackdown was called off across the Bay Area — not just San Francisco as Trump said on social media on Thursday.
“Border Patrol operations are cancelled for the greater Bay Area — which includes Oakland — at this time,” Lee said.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY >> An immigration enforcement crackdown is possible in the Bay Area as federal agents from Customs and Border Protection were deployed to Coast Guard Island in Alameda County on Thursday.
The arrival of border patrol to the Bay Area comes after President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to crack down on San Francisco with the National Guard, and follows federal deployments in Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Ore.
In a social media post Thursday morning, Trump said he would hold off on a planned “surge” to San Francisco after speaking with his friends in the area. Specifically, Trump named Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who had called for the National Guard to be deployed to the city, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
But Bay Area leaders are not ruling out the possibility of actions in the region.
“The federal administration has escalated its rhetoric and its enforcement posture in the Bay Area,” said Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee in a press conference Thursday morning. “We are fully prepared, we’re monitoring developments closely, and we’ll keep our residents informed.”
While there are no indications of planned enforcement in Santa Cruz County, local rapid response networks and immigration advocates are closely monitoring the situation and have been preparing for similar scenarios for months.
Paulina Moreno, a volunteer with Your Allied Rapid Response, or YARR, advised residents to stay “vigilant and informed” and emphasized the importance of the slogan “power not panic.”
“One of our biggest challenges is misinformation and so what we’re trying to do is keep the community informed,” Moreno said. YARR has trained volunteers who show up to verify reported sightings of immigration officials. A hotline is available 24/7 to report possible sightings in the county or to seek emergency help if someone is detained.
“As a rapid response network, we’ve been working to just really strengthen our system to be prepared for big emergencies like this,” Moreno said.
Your Allied Rapid Response (YARR)
Call to report potential sightings of immigration officials in Santa Cruz County.
(831) 239-4289
What do we know so far?
The San Francisco Chronicle first reported the deployment Wednesday morning and by Wednesday night protestors had gathered at the entrance to the base, which is on an island in the Oakland Estuary. Early Thursday morning, attendees of an interfaith vigil and other protesters clashed with police as vehicles from Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, headed to the island.
Protesters gather at the entrance to Coast Guard Island in Oakland on Thursday. Some hold signs that say ‘No ICE or troops in the Bay.’ (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)
In an email to the San Francisco news organization El Tecolote, shared with Santa Cruz Local, Coast Guard spokesman Ryan Graves said the agency is “providing facility support to CBP as requested, in a supporting role. The Coast Guard is focused on ensuring safe and secure operations in support of federal partners.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security oversees the Coast Guard, CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
Late Thursday morning, more than 100 protesters remained blocking the road that leads to Coast Guard Island. Santa Cruz Local spoke with several people on the ground. Rev. Drew Paton, a pastor at First Presbyterian in Berkeley, called the issue a “faith matter”.
“The one I follow lived and died for people in need and didn’t want a world where people live in fear,” Paton said. “It’s really important that we protect and cherish each other and do whatever it takes to keep each other safe.”
Rev. Drew Paton, right, and others joined an interfaith vigil that began outside Coast Guard Island at 7 a.m. on Thursday. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)
Kendra Ferguson attends a protest to show her opposition to the actions of the federal government. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)
Kendra Ferguson said she had been at the site since about 7:30 a.m., protesting as a clown. She has also been regularly protesting outside the immigration courthouse in San Francisco where people showing up for asylum hearings and other appointments have been taken by ICE.
She said she does not agree with the Trump administration “taking away rights and resources” while “putting energy into active kidnapping and oppression.”
She said tensions were high earlier in the morning after the clashes between protestors and federal agents and she “started making balloon hats for people, which I think was helpful to kind of ease the tension and bring some levity back in the situation.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom took to social media Wednesday to decry the deployment of CBP, and said the move was part of an “authoritarian playbook.”
While CBP has traditionally focused immigration enforcement on areas near the U.S.-Mexico border, border patrol agents have played a key role in recent immigration crackdowns in Los Angeles and Chicago.
While Santa Cruz County is more than 70 miles from the Coast Guard base where CBP is stationed, local residents may want to know their rights when interacting with federal agents and connect with resources for immigrants.
Coast Guard Island is home to Base Alameda and sits in the Oakland Estuary between the cities of Alameda and Oakland. The base is more than 70 miles from Santa Cruz County. (Map by Nik Altenberg)
How can Santa Cruz County residents prepare? Know your rights.
If approached by immigration enforcement:
- You have the right to remain silent.
- You do not have to open their door for immigration officials or law enforcement unless presented with a judicial warrant — that means it’s signed by a judge.
- You have the right to see a lawyer before signing documents, although if arrested by immigration enforcement you do not have the right to a public defender.
- Businesses have a right to decline immigration officers access to private areas, unless the agents have a judicial warrant.
Stay informed.
- Save the phone number for Your Allied Rapid Response (YARR) to report potential sightings of immigration officials or for emergency assistance if you or a loved one is detained. Call (831) 239-4289 for sightings or detentions in Santa Cruz County. The phone line is available 24/7.
- Monterey County has a rapid response hotline to report possible sightings of immigration officials at (831) 643-5225 and see the American Civil Liberties Union for other counties.
- Follow YARR on Facebook and Instagram to learn about verified sightings.
- Do not repost unverified information from social media. Misinformation can cause unnecessary fear.
- Bay Area news outlets like El Tecolote, Mission Local and Oaklandside are following developments locally.
Make a plan.
- People at risk of immigration enforcement can plan for possible arrest, detention or deportation.
- Memorize the phone number for an emergency contact, like a family member or attorney.
- Ensure emergency contacts have your immigration number (A-number) to help find you if you are detained or arrested. An ICE locator can search for detainees by name or immigration number, but the information may be delayed.
- Make sure a trusted friend or family number has copies of your documents in case of detention.
- Parents can fill out a child care safety plan with details of who will care for their children in case a parent is arrested, deported or otherwise needs help.
See more information on immigration resources and legal help on Santa Cruz Local’s resource page.
Questions or comments? Email [email protected]. Santa Cruz Local is supported by members, major donors, sponsors and grants for the general support of our newsroom. Our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Learn more about Santa Cruz Local and how we are funded.
Nik Altenberg is a bilingual reporter and assistant editor at Santa Cruz Local. Nik Altenberg es reportera bilingüe y editora asistente para Santa Cruz Local.
