A wealthy coastal community in California has taken the drastic step of cancelling its beloved annual Christmas parade, citing profound fears within the immigrant community that the large public gathering could attract a raid by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A Tradition Ended by Fear
On Tuesday, organisers announced that Santa Barbara’s Milpas Street Holiday Parade would not go ahead this year. This decision ends a cultural tradition that has been a cornerstone of the town’s Eastside for more than seven decades. The Santa Barbara Eastside Society, which runs the event, spent weeks in consultation with families, volunteers, local leaders, and immigrant-rights partners before concluding that proceeding would heighten community vulnerability.
"Many have reminded us that although ICE raids may no longer dominate daily headlines, the threat to our Latino families – documented or undocumented – remains very real," the society stated in a news release. They added that the presence of immigration enforcement in the region, and the fear it generates, is "real, immediate and deeply felt." After deliberation, they deemed pausing the parade "the most compassionate and responsible path."
Escalating Enforcement and Local Impact
The backdrop to this decision is a significant escalation in immigration enforcement. Six months after assuming office, President Donald Trump ordered ICE to increase deportation efforts in California, with a focus on the Los Angeles area. This has had a direct impact on Santa Barbara.
According to the Santa Barbara Independent, ICE agents have been reported as active near Santa Barbara City College, UC Santa Barbara, and Franklin Elementary School as recently as October. From January through October this year, over 600 immigration-related arrests occurred on the Central Coast, with more than 100 of those taking place in Santa Barbara County. Local advocacy group 805UndocuFund ranks the county as the second hardest-hit area in its region for federal enforcement operations.
Disturbing individual cases have also fuelled anxiety, such as that of Katie Paul, a 33-year-old British mother detained by ICE in San Diego during a routine green card appointment, in front of her infant child and American husband.
Community Safety Over Celebration
The Milpas Street parade typically draws thousands each December, featuring school groups and community organisations. Organisers described it as "a space of joy, unity and cultural pride." However, they revealed that many long-time participants have felt increasingly nervous for months and now "feel unsafe" attending a large public gathering.
"To move forward without honoring those concerns would contradict the very values that this parade was built upon," the society wrote. "Our priority is, and always has been, the wellbeing, dignity and safety of our community." The cancellation was made "with heavy hearts," but with a commitment to rebuild the event by 2026 as an inclusive celebration, free from fear.
This is not an isolated incident in California. Other local cancellations this year attributed to immigration enforcement concerns include Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days Fiesta and a festive procession at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Public sentiment appears to be shifting. A recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found 71% of state voters disapprove of ICE’s performance. Furthermore, a CNN exit poll indicated six in ten Californians believe the Trump administration has gone too far on immigration enforcement, reflecting a growing unease with policies that are now directly impacting community life and long-held traditions.
