Central Valley ICE Sweep Triggers Economic Alarm as Fresno Officials Demand Transparency

A federal immigration enforcement operation across the Central Valley has detained an estimated 70 to over 100 people in the Fresno-Madera area since Monday, according to advocacy groups and legal observers, prompting Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and area officials to publicly challenge the scope and transparency of the operation.

The operation — unofficially reported as “Operation Safe California,” with an estimated 45-day duration — has targeted both individuals classified as “public safety threats” and undocumented immigrants without criminal histories, according to reports circulating among community organizations. Detentions have been reported in Fresno, Madera, Selma, Reedley, Parlier, Kerman, Merced, Raisin City, and West Park.

Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco said eight city residents were detained between Wednesday and Thursday alone. “Four men were detained while getting pan dulce and coffee on their way to work,” Pacheco said. “How does that make Kerman safer? Fear is not public safety.”

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, speaking at a Nisei Farmers League press conference Friday, said he had spoken with the owner of Fowler Packing. “They have had a number of their employees that have been picked up by ICE, people they rely on to pack the fruit,” Dyer said. He called on the president and administration “to not cast a wide net but to surgically remove those individuals that are the worst of the worst and avoid doing this type of enforcement in the presence of children.”

The Nisei Farmers League is calling on ICE to comply with provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which established protections requiring immigration officers to obtain consent from the owner or a properly executed warrant before entering outdoor agricultural operations. The organization said it has received videos and reports showing ICE agents entering agricultural fields without proper authorization.

Congressman Jim Costa said federal officials have restricted transparency. “There’s no oversight. There’s no guardrails. They refuse to respond to any questions that we ask. They don’t tell us when and where they’re going for these searches,” Costa said. He asked constituents to call his office to report ICE activity.

Rep. Tom McClintock offered a sharply different view: “I don’t know what more transparency there is than the plain law that says that a person who is in this country illegally shall be detained and shall be deported.”

Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria raised concerns about profiling: “No one should be targeted because of the color of their skin, the language they speak, their accent, or their last name.”

Rep. Lateefah Simon said in a statement that she believes Trump is trying to “intimidate, terrorize and tear apart immigrant families” before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Costa similarly argued the increased enforcement is being used as intimidation with midterms approaching. McClintock said ICE operations have been steadily expanding for some time, disputing the election-timing claim.

State Sen. Anna Caballero’s office said the ICE facility in downtown Fresno is “having trouble processing” the detainees, and “legal observers are having little success gaining access.” Caballero’s office also received a call from a young person whose parents were both detained. “He did not know where to turn or what he was supposed to do,” Caballero said.

Lionel Perez told Action News his uncle Pablo, who is undocumented, was detained while working at an almond orchard outside Kerman on Wednesday and is now believed to be at a South Valley detention center. “Even for me as a US citizen I am scared to go out and especially for my parents,” Perez said. “I keep locations on my family at all times.”

Community organizations report widespread fear. Cristina Gutierrez of the May 1 Coalition said the organization is advising residents: “If you don’t have to go out on the street, stay at home.” She said churches and advocacy groups will support families with food and other resources during the operation.

The Nisei Farmers League said some parents are keeping children home from school, while families are avoiding medical appointments and grocery shopping. Mendota Mayor Victor Martinez said, “There’s only negative accomplishments out of it when people don’t go to work because they are afraid of these ICE agents going around.”

Gutierrez said the economic impact will extend beyond agriculture. “A lot of farmers [and other employers] are going to be upset. Everything will be impacted, restaurants, construction, it will hurt the economy. We need everyone to speak out.”

The Breakdown

• ICE has detained an estimated 70 to over 100 people across the Fresno-Madera area and parts of the Central Coast since Monday, according to advocacy groups and legal observers including the Valley Watch Network, SIREN, and the United Farm Workers Foundation.
• Detentions have been reported in Fresno, Madera, Selma, Reedley, Parlier, Kerman, Merced, Raisin City, and West Park. Kerman alone reported eight detentions between Wednesday and Thursday.
• Unofficial reports describe the operation as “Operation Safe California,” estimated to last approximately 45 days and targeting both individuals classified as “public safety threats” and undocumented immigrants without criminal histories.
• The Nisei Farmers League is calling on ICE to comply with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which requires immigration officers to obtain consent from the owner or a warrant before entering outdoor agricultural operations.
• ICE has reportedly set a new enforcement goal of 3,000 arrests per day, or roughly 19,000 arrests per week nationwide, according to local leaders citing federal reports.
• Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, Congressman Jim Costa, and multiple Central Valley mayors have publicly challenged the scope and transparency of the operation, while Rep. Tom McClintock defended it as enforcement of existing law.

What This Means for You

When Mayor Dyer calls for a “more targeted approach” or Congressman Costa demands transparency, they’re challenging federal enforcement decisions made by the Trump administration. Kerman’s mayor says her police don’t work with ICE, and Fresno’s mayor spoke at a press conference challenging federal operations — positions you can weigh when you vote for local officials.

ICE has reportedly set a nationwide arrest goal of 3,000 per day, or roughly 19,000 per week.

What You Can Do

The Valley Watch Network is asking community members to report verified immigration enforcement activity by calling or texting 559-206-0151. Congressman Jim Costa is asking constituents to call his office to report ICE activity. The May 1 Coalition and partner organizations are offering legal observation training on taking notes, understanding First Amendment rights, and understanding privacy rights — contact information was not provided in the material but can be obtained through the coalition’s public channels. Advocacy groups including SIREN, Faith in the Valley, and Fresno Immigrant and Refugee Ministries are distributing an “Emergency Planning Checklist for Families” to help immigrants prepare in case a family member is arrested.

What to Watch

The material documents no independent verification of the claim that ICE is complying with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 when entering agricultural fields — the Nisei Farmers League says it has videos and reports showing agents entering fields, but neither ICE nor DHS has responded to questions about whether proper authorization or warrants were obtained. What would settle this: the warrants themselves, if they exist, or ICE’s own account of the legal basis for each field entry.

The material documents no independent verification of the 45-day timeline or the “Operation Safe California” name — both are described as “unofficial reports” circulating among advocacy groups. What would settle this: an ICE or DHS statement confirming or denying the operation’s name, scope, and duration, which the agencies have so far refused to provide.

The material documents no independent verification of how many people detained have criminal histories versus no criminal history — local officials say “ICE does not appear to have warrants or be targeting individuals with criminal backgrounds or final deportation orders,” but legal observers are having little success gaining access to detainees according to State Sen. Caballero’s office. What would settle this: detention records showing each detainee’s prior criminal history and immigration status.

Rep. Lateefah Simon and Congressman Costa both allege the Trump administration is demonstrating enforcement before midterm elections for political benefit, while Rep. McClintock disputes the timing is political, saying operations have been steadily expanding for some time. Agricultural employers are losing workers they depend on — Dyer quoted Fowler Packing about losing “people they rely on to pack the fruit.” Gutierrez said the broader economy will be affected: “Everything will be impacted, restaurants, construction, it will hurt the economy.”

Kerman Mayor Pacheco asked directly: “Four men were detained while getting pan dulce and coffee on their way to work. How does that make Kerman safer?” No official in the material offered an answer.