‘Demand oversight.’ SLO County supervisor criticizes local ICE raids | Opinion

ICE tactics violate the Constitution

As a lifelong resident, local elected official and attorney, I don’t speak lightly about constitutional matters. But what we’re seeing from ICE on the Central Coast is deeply troubling and unlawful.

Just weeks ago, a local strawberry worker was detained in Santa Maria, mistaken for someone else. Across our region, masked ICE agents in unmarked vehicles are detaining people at work, at home and outside courthouses, often without arrest warrants, identification or due process. This resembles authoritarian tactics, not democratic governance.

These actions appear driven by racial profiling, targeting Latino and immigrant communities rather than actual threats to public safety. This dragnet approach violates not only community norms but core constitutional protections.

The Fourth Amendment protects everyone — citizens and non-citizens — from unreasonable searches and seizures, requiring probable cause and, in most cases, a warrant. The Fifth Amendment guarantees that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law. These rights apply to all individuals on U.S. soil.

A militarized, secretive response to civil immigration matters undermines our constitutional order. It is not enforcement, it is intimidation — and it contradicts the values of San Luis Obispo County and our country.

Legislation like SB 627, the “No Secret Police Act,” which requires officers to identify themselves, is a good start. But we must go further. Now is the time to speak up. Contact your legislators. Demand oversight. Because silence in the face of clearly unconstitutional behavior is complicity.

County Supervisor Jimmy Paulding

Arroyo Grande

Program doesn’t need Oceano Airport

Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Adam Verdin and Supervisor Jimmy Paulding, Arroyo Grande High School will soon offer a new Aviation Career and Technical Education Program. While we applaud the addition of this valuable educational program, we take issue with the claim that it depends on the Oceano Airport or that it benefits the Oceano community.

This assertion is a misleading effort to justify continued operation of an airport that primarily serves a small group of out-of-town private pilots.

Upon closer examination, the “You Can Fly” program is primarily a classroom-based curriculum that does not require access to an airport. Only advanced coursework might include the use of a flight simulator or small drone. Materials needed to complete the course cost $1,500 and $2,000 and can be purchased at any big box store.

So what’s the role of the Oceano Airport in this program? Field trips? Students interested in aviation would benefit far more from a visit to the SLO Airport, which features daily commercial operations and comprehensive aviation services. The Oceano Airport sees minimal activity and offers little meaningful engagement for students.

We are not opposed to the CTE program, but 60 acres of valuable coastal land might serve Oceano better as a park, soccer fields, community gardens, wetlands and more. In fact, in December 2023 the California Coastal Commission directed SLO County to conduct an Independent Land Use Preference Study and Vision Plan of the Oceano Airport. So far the county has done nothing to meet that request.

Oceano Beach Community Association

SLO should look to New York

A few weeks ago, I stood outside the San Luis Obispo government building with fellow CODEPINK activists to mark the Nakba and mourn the over 15,000 Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces. We held signs with names of the dead and carried shrouded dolls labeled with causes of death — starvation, freezing, bullets.

Most passersby were indifferent, a few curious. One man shouted, “Jew haters.” How does mourning dead children equate to antisemitism? This dangerous smear silences dissent and deflects from real atrocities.

New York Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani has faced far worse — threats and slurs — for condemning Israeli war crimes. But public opinion is shifting. A recent poll found nearly 70% of Democrats view Israel’s government negatively. Among American Jews, 30% overall — and 38% under age 44 — believe Israel is committing genocide. Biden’s former spokesperson, Matthew Miller, now admits Israel is committing war crimes.

If New York can elect leaders with moral courage, so can San Luis Obispo. Our Democratic representatives must reject weapons transfers to Israel and reflect the values of their voters. Silence is complicity. It’s time to speak clearly, no more arms for war crimes.

Jill Stegman

Grover Beach

The end of the world as we know it

Are you ready for either subservience to or extinction from artificial intelligence? Corporate America is rushing to “perfect” electronic computers and androids and have bestowed on them the one key ingredient that once gave humans dominion over the rest of the animal kingdom: language.

These new creatures have been given a store of words, concepts and information, which far exceeds any individual human’s. They have immediate, instantaneous access to everything the human race has entrusted to that virtually omniscient creation called the Cloud (everything except guilt or empathy!).

Far too many of the technocratic geniuses behind this development are surprisingly blasé about the long-term effects of their demonic work on our future. They seem to care only about the success and safety of their nascent demonic offspring. One of the major Frankensteins in today’s A.I. industry, Sam Altman, was asked whether these new creatures will lead to the end of the world. His (paraphrased) response was, “Very possibly, but in the meantime, vast corporate wealth will be created.”

This is an example of the mindset we are dealing with. As for all you survivalists out there – well, I’m sorry, but there are no bunkers that will protect you from this.

Gene Strohl

San Luis Obispo