Concerns are growing within the local immigrant community after several people said they saw what appeared to be Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents making an arrest in Paso Robles this week.
Emails, meetings, and conversations among business owners and their workers — and social media forums — all talking about what to do if approached by an ICE agent.
“There's nothing worse than having a kindergartner asking you, is grandma and grandpa legal?” Carmel Del Real, the Link Family S.A.F.E Coordinator.
The Link Family Resource Center, a bilingual organization that helps connect families with resources across SLO County, recently held a forum for immigrants in Shandon.
Red cards, affidavits for children if their parents are deported, and knowing your rights were among the topics discussed.
"So the big topic, right, is talking about our rights as immigrants in this beautiful country of ours," Del Real said. "And kind of breaking down the barriers that we don't have rights and we really do. A lot of it was education on that where you can find this information out."
The 10 Boys and Girls Clubs across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties see 900 kids a day, but CEO Maria Fabula says due to growing anxiety over deportations, enrollment has dropped over the past few weeks.
“We provided training to our team members who are directly serving young people and their families to make sure they are aware of their rights," Fabula said. "We have provided families with information to reduce anxiety about potential immigration activities that might be in the area.”
San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau Director Paul Clark says misinformation about major sweeps is being spread around the community.
"It weighs on their minds," Clark said. "It weighs on the growers' minds. Because if the workers start staying home, or, not wanting to come out for fear of getting caught up in a sweep, it would it will really devastate the ag producers in this county and along the Central Coast.”
Although fear and anxiety are present, Clark says there hasn’t been an issue with farm workers showing up to work.
KSBY News has reached out to ICE several times to confirm that operations are happening locally, but officials have declined to share any information.
