Updated: May 19, 2026
Have a question we didn’t answer, or want to share your experience with immigration enforcement in Santa Cruz County? Email us at [email protected], or send a text, WhatsApp or Signal message to 831-291-3456.
Leer en Español
As immigration enforcement increases across the country, Santa Cruz Local is tracking when and where federal immigration enforcement agents, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, have entered the county.
Though it’s not legally required, immigration officials often contact local law enforcement before entering the county. Santa Cruz Local is filing ongoing public records requests with all five jurisdictions within Santa Cruz County to track these notifications. Local law enforcement leaders have said they do not assist in immigration enforcement.
Santa Cruz Local is tracking this activity to help give communities affected by immigration enforcement more information about what’s happening in their community, and help separate facts from rumors. This tracker will be updated as records are provided.
Where and when ICE has visited:
What the records show
ICE notified local law enforcement of activity in Santa Cruz County 23 times between Jan. 25, 2025 and Jan. 26, 2026.
Most notifications were in the early morning, between 5 and 5:30 a.m., and often ICE reported they were leaving the area by 10 a.m.
ICE officials often went to the same address multiple times, and said they were surveilling the area. On some occasions, separate teams of agents visited different areas of the county on the same day. The records don’t include information about who ICE was looking for, or if they arrested or detained anyone.
Agents were in groups of two to seven, with two to four cars. The cars range in make and model, but were often Hyundai, Nissan or Dodge models.
What the records don’t show
The records don’t show if anyone was detained or arrested when federal officials entered the county. Local law enforcement officials have said they are not provided that information. At least three people have been arrested by immigration enforcement officials since January 2025, according to Your Allied Rapid Response for Santa Cruz County.
The records also may not reflect every time immigration enforcement officials entered the county. A Santa Cruz man was arrested on Jan. 28, 2025, as first reported by Lookout Santa Cruz, but records from Santa Cruz Police don’t list a call from federal officials on that day.
What to do if you see ICE vehicle or reports of immigration activity:
- Do not repost unverified information from social media. Misinformation can cause unnecessary fear.
- 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.
Know your rights. Make a plan. Get legal help.
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.