Santa Cruz County ICE Watchdog Sees Surge in Volunteer Interest

Rapid response group experiences spike in training registrations amid growing community concern over federal immigration enforcement tactics.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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A local immigration enforcement watchdog group in Santa Cruz County, California called Your Allied Rapid Response (YARR) has seen a significant increase in volunteer interest and training registrations in recent months. Organizers say hundreds of community members have expressed interest in getting involved, with training sessions filling up within 48 hours. The group's work focuses on monitoring and documenting potential ICE activity in the area, as well as training volunteers on how to legally observe and record federal immigration enforcement operations.

Why it matters

The surge in volunteer interest for YARR reflects growing community concern in Santa Cruz over aggressive federal immigration enforcement tactics, including recent incidents where legal observers were shot and killed by immigration agents. The group's work aims to provide transparency and accountability around ICE operations, as well as offer support and resources to the local immigrant community.

The details

YARR is a rapid response group that has been active in Santa Cruz County since 2016. The organization operates a 24/7 hotline for reporting suspected ICE activity, and trained volunteers are dispatched to verify and document any enforcement actions. The group also provides training to community members on how to legally observe and record federal immigration operations. Organizers say the training program is based on criteria from other legal service organizations and is vetted by local experts.

  • YARR experienced a noticeable rise in training registrations starting in October or November 2025.
  • The group has seen 'hundreds' of people express interest in getting involved just within the past month.

The players

Your Allied Rapid Response for Santa Cruz County (YARR)

A local grassroots organization that monitors and documents U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Santa Cruz County, California.

Rusten Hogness

A volunteer with YARR who participated in a recent protest in Santa Cruz against federal immigration enforcement tactics.

Janet

An organizer with YARR who declined to share her last name due to fear of federal retaliation.

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What they’re saying

“Folks in the community — they're vulnerable. And not to do anything just feels like we're letting them down.”

— Rusten Hogness, YARR volunteer (Santa Cruz Sentinel)

“Our training team is having a challenging time keeping up with the demand for trainings. We have one coming up (next week) that filled in less than 48 hours I think.”

— Janet, YARR organizer (Santa Cruz Sentinel)

“We value the work we do to reduce the spread of rumors that might panic people in the community and limit their willingness to go about their daily life. Rumor control is something we feel really strongly about.”

— Janet, YARR organizer (Santa Cruz Sentinel)

What’s next

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has created a subcommittee to work with community partners and staff to safeguard the rights and services of the local immigrant community in the event of large-scale federal immigration enforcement operations.

The takeaway

The surge in volunteer interest for the YARR rapid response group reflects the Santa Cruz community's growing concern over aggressive federal immigration enforcement tactics and a resolve to provide transparency, accountability, and support for vulnerable immigrant residents.