Dozens of people protest ICE presence at Monterey County Jail.

About 50 people, including legal observers, immigration lawyers, protesters and politicians gathered outside of the Monterey County Jail's sallyport gate on Tuesday, Oct. 27 where unmarked vehicles were parked, lining a gravel area. Some federal officers’ uniforms had “ICE” lettering, for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

Eventually, because of the pressure of the protesters on scene, ICE agents left the area around 6:30pm, after several hours. 

“ICE is not wanted here. ICE is here to intimidate,” says Chris Barrera, president of LULAC Council #2055.

The encounter grew more heated toward the end as about 30 protesters drew closer to the federal officers’ vehicles, with some grabbing rocks and throwing them at the vehicles as they drove away toward Constitution Boulevard. The protest featured honking horns and chants of “Fuck ICE.”

For the past two days, Oct. 26-27, legal observers have documented ICE agents parked outside the gate where inmates are released. (The same has happened in neighboring counties including Santa Clara and Santa Cruz. The activity in Salinas also comes just days after ICE arrested two individuals in Seaside on Sunday, Oct. 28.) 

According to Solidarity Network Monterey County Rapid Response, up to a dozen ICE vehicles have been seen in the area, sometimes parked, others patrolling nearby parking lots including at Natividad Medical Center and County health clinics. The Solidarity Network confirmed one individual was detained on Tuesday at about 4:30pm while leaving a county health clinic, on the government campus adjacent to the jail. 

About 10 legal observers were present at the jail documenting activity during the Tuesday evening protest.

At 5:40pm on Oct. 27, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced the jail was on lockdown as a precautionary measure, meaning no inmates were being released. 

“The Monterey County Jail is not accepting any new bookings, all inmate releases have been temporarily suspended, and the facility is closed to all public visitation, with the exception of attorneys visiting their clients,” the Sheriff’s Office said. 

In September, the Board of Supervisors adopted a policy prohibiting County of Monterey property from being used for civil immigration enforcement activity.

"The use of County-owned facilities as staging areas, operational bases, or processing locations for federal civil immigration enforcement activities is not the intended use of these community assets and may undermine community trust, limit access to public spaces, and interfere with the County’s authority over its own property," according to the resolution, approved 5-0 on Sept. 29. 

View a short video of part of the protest on Oct. 27 at the jail below: