Press Releases

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), top Democrat of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, joined U.S. Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-08) in demanding that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin discard any plans to use ships for deportation. They cited “enormous operational, safety and legal challenges” and warned that deportations by sea would “take days” and “require many security personnel and cost the taxpayer millions of dollars.” Carbajal and Garamendi’s demands come after New York Times reporting revealed that DHS is considering using ships for mass deportations and identified Cal Poly Maritime Academy’s training ship, the Golden Bear, as a possible vessel.

“If the Trump administration follows through on this proposal, it would represent another escalation of their brutal immigration enforcement tactics. ICE already operates without sufficient transparency or public accountability, and deploying maritime vessels as floating prisons will only open the door to potentially more abuses. As the top Democrat overseeing the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee and a Senior Member of the Armed Services Committee, I am proud to stand with Congressman John Garamendi and my colleagues in opposing the use of the Golden Bear — or any vessel — for mass deportations,” said Rep. Carbajal.

“Mark my words, Donald Trump, Markwayne Mullin, and ICE will never use the Golden Bear for their mass deportation agenda,” said Rep. Garamendi. “Not only is deporting migrants by ship impractical, but it’s also deeply inhumane. We have already seen how Trump’s reckless diversion of our government and military resources to support immigration enforcement costs our military readiness. This move would be the same for our sealift capacity. I’m proud to stand with Congressman Carbajal on this issue and I will continue to use every lever of oversight at my disposal to make sure we halt Trump and Mullin’s ICE from escalating their already inhumane and cruel mass deportation agenda. Hands off the Golden Bear.”

The full letter can be found HERE.

Background

Carbajal is a leader in fighting the Trump administration’s extreme immigration policies. 

In October 2026, Carbajal visited the Santa Maria ICE facility — marking his third visit since 2025 — as part of his ongoing investigation into the recent surge in ICE activity on the Central Coast. 

Carbajal visited the Adelanto ICE processing facility in May 2026 to meet with detainees, three of whom are Central Coast constituents. The Congressman also assessed conditions in the facility and inquired about the reported deaths of detainees. 

Carbajal is a co-sponsor of the No Secret Police Act, which would require law enforcement officers and agents of DHS engaged in border security and civil immigration enforcement to clearly display identification and insignia when detaining or arresting individuals and to ban them from using home-made, non-tactical masks.  

Carbajal co-leads the bipartisan Dignity Act, a bipartisan bill that would introduce reforms into our country’s immigration system. The bill includes commonsense reforms to legal status and protections for undocumented immigrants, border security investments, and improved asylum and visa processes.

Carbajal leads the Fight for the American Dream Act, legislation that allows participants of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program to serve in the United States military and provides them a pathway toward U.S. citizenship after their service.

Carbajal co-leads the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which establishes a program for agricultural workers in the United States to earn legal status through continued agricultural employment and contributions to the U.S. agricultural economy.