Man runs from ICE, jumps Santa Barbara County Jail fence

March 29, 2026

By KAREN VELIE

Upon his release from the Santa Barbara County Mail Jail on Friday morning, an illegal immigrant spotted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and jumped a fence into the secure jail perimeter, injuring himself.

Shortly after 8:30 a.m., a deputy noticed a vehicle blocking the entrance to sheriff’s headquarters. The occupant of the vehicle, an ICE officer, told the deputy they were attempting to apprehend a suspect who ran to the jail and jumped the fence.

Deputies found 25-year-old Jhonathan Cosme Antonio hiding between
storage containers inside the secured, fenced exterior perimeter of the jail. The deputy called for a medical response to treat Cosme Antonio’s injuries.

Medical responders transported Cosme Antonio to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The deputy issued Cosme Antonio a citation for trespassing.

It is not yet known if Cosme Antonio was picked up by ICE or released from the hospital.

The number of anti-ICE group volunteers outside the jail multiplied during the incident

Shortly after 9:30 a.m., ICE officers asked deputies to assist with keeping the peace while they arranged to have a disabled ICE vehicle towed. Deputies provided traffic control to assist a tow truck with accessing the vehicle and clearing the roadway.

The vehicle, which was leaking fluids into a nearby drain, was towed without further incident.

Anti-ICE witnesses claim the ICE officer crashed into the dirt embankment while driving towards the jail. CalCoastNews will provide further information after it becomes available.