The Five-Spot: Tariffs, Deportation Threats, Federal Cuts and Gun Violence Awareness Month

How new federal actions on trade, health, immigration and weapons safety are impacting Santa Barbara County.

(Editor’s note: Newsmakers intern Shelby Appice, who will graduate from UCSB in June with a major in Communication and minor in Professional Writing, is tracking the local effects of the Trump Administration in her “Five Spot” column).

By Shelby Appice

Five ways that Santa Barbara is plagued by Trump policies, right now:

1. Steel and Aluminum Tariffs to Double?
   Trump announced that steel and aluminum tariffs will double from 25 percent to 50 percent starting Wednesday, June 4, a move he says will protect American industry and boost the industries, but that experts warn could have widespread economic fallout.

   The increased tariffs, particularly on imports from key partners for the materials — like Canada, Mexico, and Brazil — are expected to drive up costs for industries that depend on steel and aluminum such as construction, automotive, manufacturing and hospitality infrastructure.

   In Santa Barbara, local contractors and small manufacturers already dealing with labor shortages and inflation may face higher material costs, delays, and project cancellations. And already under pressure, affordable housing construction could become even more expensive to deliver.

   While the tariffs could benefit some U.S. steel producers in the short term, they’re also expected to raise prices for downstream industries and hurt consumers, with potential job losses in sectors outside of steel as well. Experts warn the unpredictability of Trump’s tariffs and trade policy makes it hard for businesses to plan or invest long-term and ultimately disrupt global trade.

2. Supreme Court Rules on Humanitarian Parole Protections to Migrants
   On May 31, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to allow the Trump administration to revoke humanitarian parole protections for over 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV). These individuals had entered the U.S. legally under the Biden-era CHNV parole program, which granted two years of lawful presence and work authorization. The ruling, while technically temporary, effectively paves the way for widespread deportations of those who legally entered the country.

   Though exact local numbers of CHNV beneficiaries are unavailable, Santa Barbara has been a destination for Central American migrants due to existing family ties, employment opportunities and community support networks. Santa Barbara County has a significant immigrant population, many of whom work in critical sectors such as agriculture, hospitality, domestic services and construction.

   The county’s over $1 billion agriculture sector — reliant on labor-intensive crops like strawberries and wine grapes — could face labor shortages and production delays under mass deportations. The same applies to hotels and restaurants who face a busy tourism season ahead in summer.

   The CHNV program was explicitly designed to reduce unlawful migration by providing legal alternatives for those fleeing political instability, violence and economic collapse. Migrants paid their way, found sponsors, flew into the U.S. legally and often integrated quickly into local economies. This Supreme Court ruling is disruptive and jeopardizes sectors of the economy that depend on immigrant labor.

3. Federal Public Health Cuts Threaten Local Health Services
   A weakened public health system means higher risks of uncontrolled outbreaks, delayed care and worsening health disparities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Barbara County reported 777 COVID-19 deaths — a reminder of the importance of a robust public health system in managing infectious disease outbreaks and protecting community health. Now, the recent deep cuts to the U.S. public health system threaten to erode critical infrastructure that local health departments rely on to serve their communities.

   Santa Barbara County’s public health infrastructure includes the Santa Barbara Health Care Center, a county-owned Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving thousands of patients with essential services including primary care, women’s health, behavioral health and infectious disease testing and treatment. The Care Center offers vital programs including family planning, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, STI testing and tuberculosis screening. These services offer a critical safety net, especially to vulnerable populations like low-income residents, women, seniors and people living with chronic diseases.

   Nationally, the Trump administration’s abrupt withdrawal of $11 billion in direct federal support, coupled with layoffs of thousands of workers at national health agencies (which support local departments), reduces the capacity for disease surveillance, outbreak response, vaccination programs and community outreach.

   These cuts come at a time when community health needs are rising due to ongoing threats from COVID-19 variants, rising rates of other infectious diseases like measles along with with increased mental health challenges. The Santa Barbara Health Care Center and the broader Santa Barbara County Public Health Department depend on stable funding to provide the comprehensive care and prevention services essential to community well-being.

4. Gun Violence Awareness Month
   As Trump continues to unravel gun safety measures including defunding violence prevention programs, gutting the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and allowing forced reset triggers (machine gun-like devices) back into circulation, Santa Barbara residents are taking a stand.

   From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 7, local advocates from Moms Demand Action Santa Barbara will host a “Wear Orange” Beach Cleanup at Chase Palm Park to honor lives lost to gun violence.

   June is recognized as National Gun Violence Awareness Month and National Gun Violence Awareness Day takes place on the first Friday in June — marking the beginning of Wear Orange Weekend. Now acknowledged nationally, the event is part of a broader movement sparked by the death of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton in Chicago, Illinois in 2013.

   Gun violence is the leading cause of death in the United States for children and teens. The most recent crime statistics report released by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office notes a slight increase in violent crimes. Policies that weaken background checks, dismantle mental health funding in schools or allow high-capacity weapons back on the streets increase risks everywhere.

5. ‘No Kings’ Mass Protest
   Indivisible Santa Barbara will hold a mass protest on Saturday, June 14 at 10:30 a.m. for the community to stand up for their rights, protect democracy and emphasize they do not support a monarchy. The organization defines “No Kings” as part of a national day of action in response to the increasingly authoritarian and corrupt actions of of the Trump regime. The event will take place on the beachside of the sidewalk of Cabrillo Boulevard across from Chase Palm Park where participants will begin by linking arms to create a “human chain” stretching along Cabrillo.

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Five-Spot: In Other News…

1. Santa Ynez Valley Pride Parade & Festival
   The Santa Ynez Valley Pride Parade & Festival returns for its third year. Kicking off at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, the parade marches through downtown Solvang with colorful floats, live music and a celebration of diversity and inclusion. The festivities continue at noon in Solvang Park, where the community is invited to enjoy an afternoon packed with live performances, local food trucks, a beer & wine garden, bounce houses, face painting, artisan vendors and more.

   Produced by Santa Ynez Valley Pride, this event is the highlight of a month-long series of Pride celebrations across the Santa Ynez Valley. The parade begins at Alisal Road and Oak Street — all are welcome.

2. World Ocean Day Celebration
   World Ocean Day is a global movement dedicated to ocean conservation and collective climate action. It takes place annually on June 8 to raise awareness for healthier oceans and a stable climate. This Sunday, June 8, the Santa Barbara Zoo will honor World Ocean Day with interactive exhibits, educational activities, up-close wildlife experiences and special presentations on beloved coastal animals like penguins, otters and snowy plovers. The event supports the worldwide goal of protecting 30 percent of Earth’s land and water by 2030 to ensure a thriving future for wildlife and people.

3. Saturday’s Fishermen’s Market
   Shop local at the Fishermen’s Market recurring weekly on Saturdays, 6-11 a.m. Local commercial fishers sell fresh seafood at the Santa Barbara Harbor with their selections changing by the season: from rockfish and halibut to spiny lobster, sea urchin, and ridgeback shrimp.

   This direct business to consumer “dockside” market runs year-round and allows you to meet the fishermen, pre-order and have your seafood filleted on-site.

4. New UCSB Research for Lowering Carbon Emission in Maritime Shipping
   A new study out of UC Santa Barbara offers a surprisingly straightforward strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from one of the world’s largest polluters: the global shipping industry. Researchers at UCSB’s Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory discovered that by adopting digital queueing systems at busy ports, container ships can cut their emissions by 16–24 percent per voyage.

   Instead of racing across the ocean only to wait outside congested ports to unload, ships are assigned an arrival order based on when they left their previous port — much like making a reservation instead of waiting in line. Slower, steadier travel means ships burn less fuel and emit significantly less CO₂.

   The study analyzed 47 million miles of traffic over the Pacific Ocean, looking at over 10,000 voyages of container ships between 2017 and 2023, comparing data before and after the 2021 launch of the digital queueing system at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Implementing the system took just one month, proving it requires minimal investment or time to roll out compared to other technological solutions.

5. Paint at Paseo
   Unleash your inner artist with a free, hands-on painting class at Paseo Nuevo during Downtown Santa Barbara’s 1st Thursday Art Walk. Held by Santa Barbara’s Museum of Contemporary Art from 5-7 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month starting June 5 to December 4, talented local artists will guide participants through a 90-minute acrylic painting session. Designated for all ages and skill levels, the event provides the materials and is open to anybody regardless of experiences.