Discussion to focus on access provided to federal immigration authorities

(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – Santa Barbara County residents are invited to participate in a community forum about a California law called the TRUTH Act and the access local governments may provide to federal immigration authorities.

The TRUTH Act Forum will take place during the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at the County Administration Building Board Hearing Room at 511 Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria, CA 93454. This item will be heard at 2 p.m.  The public may participate virtually, or in person. Information on Methods of Participation can be found on the County website.

The TRUTH Act’s full name is the Transparent Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds Act. Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 2792 into law on September 28, 2016. It pertains to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and its access to individuals who have come into contact with law enforcement. The TRUTH Act requires local governing bodies in jurisdictions which local law enforcement has provided any ICE access to an individual, to hold a community forum to receive and consider public comment.

At the forum, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office plans to share data it maintains regarding the number and demographic characteristics of individuals to whom the agency has provided any ICE access, the date ICE access was provided, and whether the ICE access was provided through a hold, transfer, or notification request or through other means. Data may be provided in the form of statistics or, if statistics are not maintained, individual records, provided that personally identifiable information shall be redacted.

For the year 2025, ICE made inquiries or requests for access to 221 inmates. 193 of these inquiries did not qualify per SB 54 as exceptions to the TRUST Act and, accordingly, no response was provided to ICE. The remaining 28 inmates qualified for notification per SB 54 as exceptions to the TRUST Act, and responses were sent to ICE. Of these 28 inmates, 12 were transferred to ICE officers after they were released from Sheriff’s Office custody.

In accordance with Government Code section 7283.1(d), notification of the forum was provided to the public on May 21, 2026, in the Santa Maria Times and the Santa Barbara Independent.  Additionally, notification was provided via the Sheriff’s Office social media platforms as well as posted to the Sheriff’s Office web page.

Please see the posted agenda, board letter, and related documents for this item available online.

On-site Spanish translators will provide interpretation services for Spanish-only speaking individuals through headsets available for real-time interpretation of the TRUTH Act forum. Spanish translators will also be available to interpret public comments that may come in in- person or via Zoom.

Anyone interested in this item may follow the proceedings via the County’s website, YouTube or on cable TV channel 20. To watch in Spanish, Cox and Comcast subscribers can enable SAP in their language settings, or watch in Spanish via the County’s YouTube español.  The Public may participate virtually, or in person at the County Board Hearing Room in Santa Barbara or Santa Maria, information about Public Participation can be found on the Clerk of the Board’s website or by calling (805) 568-2240.