The Immigration Story of Congressman Salud Carbajal
by Brian Campbell
If someone disputes a statement as “provably false,” should they be expected to provide proof? This is especially true when they have publicly shared a partial version of the truth in the past. And when that person is a publicly elected official discussing a critical national issue, transparency should be paramount.
What if elected officials who represent American citizens have personally benefited from breaking laws—then advocate for others who break the same laws? Are the laws of our state and country optional? If so, which ones? And who decides? Can we drive as fast as we want on the freeway? Use illegal drugs in public? Rob a bank? Where does selective enforcement stop? If some laws are enforced while others are ignored, what determines the standard? Is it based on race, socioeconomic status, or political convenience? Shouldn’t the law be applied equally to all?
The law we are discussing is U.S. immigration law, the primary statute governing illegal entry is 8 U.S. Code § 1325 – Improper Entry by Alien. This law makes it a federal offense to;
Enter or attempt to enter the U.S. at any time or place other than those designated by immigration officers (i.e., crossing the border illegally).
Evade examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Make false or misleading statements or representations to gain entry.
Penalties:
First-time offenders: Misdemeanor punishable by a fine and up to 6 months in jail.
Subsequent offenses: Felony punishable by a fine and up to 2 years in prison.
Congressman Carbajal’s Immigration Story
In a previous article titled Consequences, Congressman Salud Carbajal’s inspiring immigrant story was briefly mentioned. However, his office strongly objected to the following statement:
“Salud Carbajal, who immigrated illegally with his family at age five (first to Arizona and then) to Oxnard, where his father worked on a farm. Salud eventually became a U.S. citizen, served in the military, and was elected to public office. While Salud’s success story is admirable, it is not the reason many argue for illegal immigration.”
His office specifically challenged the claim that he entered the U.S. illegally, calling it “patently and provably false.” In response, we invited Mr. Carbajal’s office to provide proof of his legal entry, given their assertion that such proof exists and given his extensive public discussion of his immigration story throughout his campaigns. The response? “We have nothing more to discuss.”
If Mr. Carbajal has publicly shared his immigration story for years, why is he now refusing to discuss it?
To be clear, we do not question Mr. Carbajal’s current U.S. citizenship and sincerely hope that he and his family entered the country legally in 1970. However, as an elected official advocating for immigration reform, transparency about his own immigration history is both relevant and necessary.
Journalistic Interest and Unanswered Questions
Local journalist Jerry Roberts, who describes himself as an “experienced, prizewinning journalist with three decades in the news business,” was previously aware of Carbajal’s immigration background.
Roberts commented: “i intved hm abt this years ago when he first ran and seeemed kosher to me...”
However, when we asked Mr. Roberts whether he had ever seen documented proof of Mr. Carbajal’s legal immigration status from 1970, he did not respond. This raises additional questions: Why is there reluctance to provide documentation? Shouldn’t a journalist verify such an important claim?
Conflicting Statements About the Bracero Program
Various sources have reported differing accounts of Mr. Carbajal’s immigration history.
A 2016 Santa Barbara Independent article stated: “Born in Mexico, Carbajal emigrated to the United States at age 5. His father, he said during his Tuesday night victory speech, was a farmworker. His life story, he has said, proves that the immigration system can in fact work.” https://www.independent.com/2016/11/09/clinton-carbajal-hartmann-and-dems-sweep-county/
A 2019 article from the same publication later claimed: “Carbajal came to the United States from Mexico at five years old. He was the youngest and last of his seven siblings to come to the U.S. through the Bracero Program, which allowed agricultural workers like his father to enter legally for work.” https://www.independent.com/2019/07/22/rep-carbajal-holds-citizenship-ceremony-at-library/
These statements raise important questions:
Mr. Carbajal claims his legal entry is provable yet refuses to provide documentation.
He shared on X, formerly Twitter, a Mexican government photo stating, “This was the picture on my green card when I immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico in 1970 at age 5.” https://x.com/repcarbajal/status/1141380977937305602?s=61
On June 19,2019, Salud posted this picture incorrectly claiming it was the“picture on my green card”. The English translation of the stamp says “Depart of Police” from Mexico. The Bracero Program, which allegedly allowed his entire family to immigrate legally, ended in December 1964—one month after his birth and six years before his reported arrival in 1970.
While Mr. Carbajal has frequently stated that his father was a farmworker, his official biography indicates his father worked in an Arizona mine when his family came to the U.S.
The Bracero Program was limited to temporary workers in agriculture and railroads due to WWII labor shortages—the mining industry was not part of the program.
The program granted visas only to individual male laborers, not their families. If his father was a Bracero, how did the entire family enter legally?
Mr. Carbajal has stated that his family “was not separated” when they came to the U.S. if he was the “last of his seven siblings to come to the U.S” how can both statements be true?
He was born in Moroleón, Mexico—1,000 miles from the U.S. border. If his family traveled that distance, who facilitated their journey? If he arrived later, how did a young child travel that far alone?
He has stated multiple times that he was five years old when he immigrated, yet he has also said he came to the U.S. in 1970, which would have made him six years old.
Further Questions
How did Mr. Carbajal prove his legal permanent residency when joining the military? While citizenship is not required for enlistment, a green card is. Did he present one? He did not become a citizen until 1990.
He applied for U.S. naturalization in 1985 at age 21, after attending UCSB. How did he prove his legal permanent residence at that time?
What prompted him to seek citizenship after living in the U.S. for around 15 years?
What role did the UCSB organization El Congreso, associated with MEChA and the Aztlán movement, play in his application to citizenship?
Did he have to show proof of citizenship when running for public office, or was it simply a checkbox on a form?
Official Sources on the Bracero Program
Historical records, including those from the U.S. State Department, Stanford University, and the Bracero Archive, confirm that while the Bracero Program allowed temporary legal work, many workers later immigrated illegally—sometimes bringing families with them despite restrictions.
• U.S. State Department Office of the Historian
Awaiting Mr. Carbajal’s Response
Despite his office’s claim that proof of legal entry exists, they maintain that they “have nothing more to discuss.” We remain open to an interview and encourage Congressman Carbajal to clarify his immigration history.
Conclusion
We acknowledge and appreciate Mr. Carbajal’s service to the United States, including his active duty role in North Carolina during the Gulf War as a Marine Corps Reserves. However, as an elected official advocating for immigration reform, he should be forthcoming about his own immigration history.
The public deserves transparency from those who create and enforce our laws. If Mr. Carbajal did enter the U.S. illegally, it raises legitimate concerns about his stance on the rule of law.
We remain eager to hear his full story and will continue seeking clarity on behalf of the American public.
(Editor’s note: Readers should know that this conversation has been ongoing for the past month. We do hope for a resolution. – J.B.)
Thank you, Brian. Excellent work. While Mr. Carbajal may have admirably done military duty, he has done nothing but *provable* harm to Santa Barbara. He's a *provable* careerist who sucks up to the Dem Party leaders. He a *provable* misquoter of our president. He needs to be recalled along with a lot of our other carpetbagging government.
I know several people who have immigrated to this country and those that became citizens have a piece of paper showing they were naturalized with dates and all. Those that have not wanted to become citizens have a green card. I do not understand the reluctance of Mr. Carbajal showing a copy of his Naturalization papers. Sounds pretty easy to me. Short and sweet.