By admin 
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained the father of a college student Monday morning at a California community college campus — an enforcement action that may be unprecedented in California.
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ICE officers arrived at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria around 9:45 a.m. and detained the parent before immediately leaving campus, according to the college. Santa Maria Councilmember Gloria Soto, who spoke with the person’s family, said he was a father and longtime city resident who was dropping off his daughter at school. He remained in ICE custody as of Monday afternoon, Soto said.
Santa Maria, a predominantly Latino city on California’s Central Coast, is about 30 minutes south of San Luis Obispo.
“Our schools should not be places of fear or anxiety,” Soto told The Sacramento Bee on Monday afternoon. “They’re places of learning so we need to make sure that ICE is out of the 805 and, quite frankly, the state of California.”
ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Under President Donald Trump’s second term there has been a surge of immigration enforcement against immigrants, including people without criminal records and those following the legal pathway. Arrests near schools or colleges have increased, though enforcement actions on campuses are extremely uncommon.
Last year, the Trump administration rescinded a longstanding guideline that prevented arrests in so-called “sensitive” areas, including schools and churches. Even so, ICE told The New York Times last month that officers did not target schools.
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UC Davis Law professor Kevin Johnson, a national expert on immigration law, said he hadn’t heard of agents conducting arrests on any school campus.
“Under this administration, no place is off limits from immigration enforcement,” he said.
An Allan Hancock College spokesperson confirmed the detention and said college officials were not notified in advance. The incident has caused concern across the college community, the spokesperson added in a written statement.
“We remain united in supporting our undocumented students and students from mixed-status families,” the college spokesperson said. “Allan Hancock College strongly condemns immigration enforcement actions that create fear and uncertainty for our students and their families. Our campuses should be places where every student can learn, grow and pursue their goals without fear.”
In a news conference at college campus on Monday afternoon, the man’s daughter — identified only as Mayrin — gave brief remarks. She called her father a hardworking man who wasn’t “doing anything wrong” and merely trying to drop his daughter off at school.
“When ICE started showing up throughout the 805, I promised my dad I would protect him,” said the woman, while crying. “I couldn’t. I broke my promise, today.”
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This story was originally published October 5, 2026 at 5:03 PM.