ICE rushed into SLO County jail to grab inmate. Then jail staff intervened
Suspected U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents rushed into a secure portion of the San Luis Obispo County Jail to grab an inmate on Sunday — and jail staff intervened, witnesses say.
While about 40 protesters with the nonprofit organization Indivisible gathered at the corner of Highway 1 and Kansas Avenue at 9 a.m. to protest ICE, three familiar vehicles drove into the jail parking lot.
805 UndocuFund volunteers have seen those vehicles on the scene of ICE operations and entering and exiting the Santa Maria ICE Facility, volunteers told The Tribune. ICE did not respond to a request for comment about the incident.
According to protesters at the scene, four men exited the vehicles wearing face masks, sunglasses and vests that said “police.” They filed into the jail lobby at 9:15 a.m. alongside a handful of protesters and 805 UndocuFund rapid responders.
A protester named Del and a rapid responder named CJ said they both entered the lobby with the ICE agents. Del and CJ declined to share their last names with The Tribune for fear of retaliation.
The ICE agents stood near the large, blue jail release door, which separates the jail from the lobby, Del told The Tribune.
Del said she heard the door “click” and prepared for an inmate to step out.
“Whenever that blue door is about to open, and we’re unsure of who’s coming out of that door — a brown person or a white person — that’s when it escalates,” she said.
Del said she’s watched ICE agents treat white people differently than people of color. If a white person walks out of the jail, the officers move aside to let them pass. If a person of color walks out of the jail, ICE pounces on them, she said.
When the jail door opened, the protesters yelled, “La migra está aquí,” or “ICE is here,” to warn the inmate.
Then, the man stepped into the lobby, and the officers handcuffed him without presenting a warrant or identifying themselves, Del said. The officers then escorted him to a vehicle in the parking lot and closed the door, she said.
CJ echoed Del’s statements.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Del told The Tribune. “It feels cruel. It makes me angry that we allow this to happen without due process, without being shown a warrant, right under the noses of the sheriff in a public space.”
Suspected ICE agent pushes protester
Three of the officers then returned to the lobby, where about 20 protesters from Indivisible and 805 UndocuFund had since gathered, witnesses told The Tribune.
Tension escalated in the room as the officers and activists argued with each other, Indivisible protester Sue M. said. She declined to share her full last name for fear of retaliation.
Sue and CJ said they positioned themselves near the jail release door with signs that said, “ICE está en la carcel,” which means, “ICE is in the jail.” The sign also included 805 UndocuFund’s rapid response hotline number, 805-870-8855.
The pair said they planned to flash their signs at the inmate before he entered the lobby as a warning.
The officers then told Sue to move away from the door if it opened, and she said she told them she would. She heard the inner door click and prepared to walk away, but two officers grabbed her arms and another pushed her on the back — causing her to stumble forward, she said.
CJ said the officers then ordered her out of the way, and she said, “Yes, I’m moving,” and started walking away. Then one of the officers pushed her, she said.
“He’s got guns, pepper spray, taser, baton — and I’m a 4-foot-11 girl,” CJ said. “I don’t know why he feels the need to do that.”
Then, a white man walked out of the jail release door. The officers stepped aside so he could walk out of the lobby, according to CJ, Del and Sue. This happened twice, they said.
Suspected ICE agents rush secure portion of jail
The inner door “clicked” once again at about 10:30 a.m., and the protesters yelled “ICE está aqui” as the door opened, a video showed.
805 UndocuFund shared the video with The Tribune to corroborate the story, but The Tribune will not publish the video to protect the identity of the inmate.
Two of the suspected ICE agents immediately entered the secure portion of the jail where the inmate was standing. The inmate, who wasn’t white, started walking backwards, then the agents grabbed him and pressed him against the wall, the video showed.
Then, jail staff placed themselves between the officers and the inmate.
The officers returned to the lobby, and jail staff closed the blue door without the man leaving the jail.
Eventually, the suspected ICE agents left the jail, according to CJ, Del and Sue.
The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident, agency spokesperson Tony Cipolla said on Tuesday.
“Our understanding is that there was a confrontation between protesters and ICE agents in the lobby and we are investigating to see what occurred,” he said in a statement. “At this time, we don’t have any further comment until we receive more information on the incident.”
