Residents press Camarillo council for action after 'Glass House' ICE raids, cite family and economic harms

Dozens of speakers used the council's public-comment period on Dec. 10 to press Camarillo leaders for action after a series of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations described in public comments as the "Glass House" raid.

Joseph Dubzynski Jr., who identified himself as a Camarillo resident, said hundreds have been taken in Tri-County operations this year and alleged that roughly 406 people were taken in Camarillo alone; he described the local response as insufficient and called the enforcement "a public safety issue for everyone." Angel Marie Taylor, a Cal State Channel Islands student and organizer with several local groups, told the council she and family members had been detained and deported with "no criminal background" and urged tangible steps to protect vulnerable residents.

Multiple speakers cited neighboring cities that have taken concrete actions: Thousand Oaks approved $100,000 for a neighbor-support fund, Ventura contributed $175,000 and Santa Paula created a committee and funded $50,000. Commenters urged Camarillo to consider similar measures — from passing supportive resolutions to funding relief and establishing a city committee on immigration — noting that such steps do not change federal law but could help families and stabilize the local economy.

Speakers also cited economic estimates and social consequences tied to raids. Larry Potterschman said undocumented residents contribute roughly $3.3 billion annually to Ventura County’s GDP and warned that raids disrupt workforces and families. Other commenters described personal fear among children and community members, and several urged the council to revisit earlier proposals, match neighboring cities’ contributions and create direct supports for affected families.

Council members and staff noted existing city support efforts: the city previously allocated $70,000 to help address food insecurity through FoodShare and announced an upcoming nonprofit workshop and an emergency food drive on Dec. 19. Members of the public said those steps are insufficient and asked for a committee or task force to coordinate a local response.

The council did not take formal action on the requests during the meeting; public comment closed and the agenda proceeded to other items.