Early Survey Results on Immigration Enforcement Impacts

Recently, the Chamber, in partnership with Visit Santa Barbara, reached out to our members and the community to better understand the potential effects of recent immigration enforcement activity on our local economy. Thank you to the 174 respondents who participated in the survey. If you haven’t had a chance to respond and would like to, you can access the survey here. 

In response to their proactive requests for this information, we’ve shared the early results with our local government jurisdictions to aid them in their response. However, we are continuing to gather feedback so we can remain up to date as we measure the impacts to our community. 

The response so far has shown a clear impact on the South Coast economy. 49.5% of respondents said that their business has been directly impacted by recent immigration enforcement activity in the region, with 16.1% responding they have been significantly impacted. 48.9% reported no impact on their business. This trend of an impact on approximately 50% of business was consistent across jurisdictions, with very little variance. A few other notable results from the survey are that 20.8% reported 10-40 employee hours were lost/impacted and 57.7% reported notable levels of fear or anxiety among their staff related to immigration enforcement. 

These results showcase that recent immigration enforcement activity has caused notable disruptions to our local economy. Businesses depend upon a consistently available workforce, predictable operating conditions, as well as the general wellbeing of their employees and the community they serve. All members of our community, employees, customers, or neighbors, should be able to go about their daily lives with a basic expectation of dignity and due process. Whatever one’s views on immigration policy, most of us share common goals of safe neighborhoods, thriving local businesses, and a community where families can plan for their future. 

The Chamber remains dedicated to our role of listening to the community and our members and providing support however we can. We are continuing to encourage our members to review our shared resources and information regarding employer rights and requirements regarding immigration enforcement. Staying informed and having a plan can ensure you have a safe workplace and a confident workforce.