Immigration fears spark emergency meeting in Sussexes' neighborhood ahead of Trump–King Charles summit
As former President Donald Trump prepares for a high-profile meeting with King Charles this September, unease is spreading in Montecito—home to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle—amid a surge in immigration enforcement across Southern California.
According to the Montecito Journal, a July 15 emergency meeting was convened by the local city council and the 805 Immigration Coalition to address rising fears over increased ICE operations in the area. The meeting follows a wave of activity in Santa Barbara County and Los Angeles as part of Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown.
Trump, who has pledged to launch what he calls the “single largest mass deportation programme in history,” has reportedly instructed federal agencies to intensify efforts across key regions—including upscale communities like Montecito.
Harry and Meghan, who relocated to the quiet Californian enclave after stepping back from royal duties in 2020, now reside there with their two children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4. Their usually tranquil neighbourhood is now experiencing a rise in community concern as political tensions escalate.
The heightened atmosphere comes just as King Charles and Trump recently made overlapping visits to Scotland—though they did not meet at the time. A formal audience between the monarch and the former U.S. president is expected during Trump’s State Visit to the UK in September.
With immigration fears gripping their community and a politically charged royal meeting on the horizon, Harry and Meghan find themselves living at the intersection of global headlines once again.
