Federal immigration raids hit 70 arrests in Fresno this week — city officials tell residents to stay home

Armed ICE agents detained around 70 people in Fresno and Madera counties this week, according to local legal responders with the Valley Watch Network. The operation — reportedly called “Operation Safe California” and expected to last 45 days leading into the midterm elections — has swept construction sites, mechanic shops, and shopping centers across the Central Valley.

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, a Republican, and City Councilmembers Miguel Arias, Nelson Esparza, and Annalisa Perea publicly opposed the escalating federal enforcement at Thursday’s City Council meeting. Arias went further, telling immigrant residents to skip the Big Fresno Fair entirely. “The corn dog is not worth putting your family’s safety at risk,” he said, “and no police agency, including ours, can ensure your safety because we cannot intervene in whatever the federal agency is doing.”

The Rapid Response Network of Kern confirmed 61 detentions on Tuesday alone. Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco reported eight Kerman residents detained in less than 48 hours. The Department of Homeland Security would neither confirm nor deny the California operation when contacted by Fresnoland, but released the names of five people it claimed to have detained statewide — four in Southern California and one in Stockton.

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“This is basic voter suppression and intimidation of the Latino voter base,” Arias said. “This is trying to convince those of us in our community to stay home and to not participate and engage in civic responsibility and constitutional right.” Dyer called the tactics “somewhat archaic” and said “you’d have to be a person without a heart to not be touched…to see what happens when families are separate.”

Huy Tran, executive director of SIREN, told Fresnoland that the preliminary 70-person count comes from local legal responders. “There’s no denying that there’s a surge at the moment and if it’s going to be ongoing, we are going to see the repercussions play out in how people feel safe to go to school [and] go to work,” Tran said. “For people who have mixed-status families, there’s going to be concerns about voting.”

Pam Nelson Hollis, director of development and communications with Faith in the Valley, said “the timing of the uptick certainly coincides with the upcoming elections. It’s increasing fear and could potentially deter voter turnout among immigrant and Latino communities.” Faith in the Valley held five community meetings Oct. 7 across the Central Valley, including in Fresno, focused on building “voter confidence in their communities and helping strengthen trust in the upcoming general election.”

Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez issued a statement encouraging residents “to remain calm, rely on verified information and support one another.” Councilmember Perea said her office is assembling resources to ensure residents know their legal rights if contacted by ICE agents. Councilmember Esparza said Fresno Police and federal immigration agents are separate entities, and residents should not be afraid to reach out to the police department if needed.

Big Fresno Fair organizers said in a statement they have “received no information regarding any planned federal activity at the Fair” and that “the safety and well-being of all Fairgoers remains our shared priority with our public safety partners.” There is no proof ICE will be at the fairgrounds during the fair’s 11-day run. Arias raised similar warnings about the Cherry Avenue Auction in 2025, which vendors said caused attendance to drop; agents did not appear in June.

The Breakdown

• Around 70 people detained in Fresno and Madera counties this week, per local legal responders with the Valley Watch Network; 61 detentions confirmed on Tuesday alone by the Rapid Response Network of Kern.
• The Washington Examiner, citing a confidential source, reported ICE is running “Operation Safe California” — a 45-day escalation expected to last through the midterm elections.
• Detentions occurred at construction sites, mechanic shops, shopping centers, and other public areas across Fresno, Madera, and South Central Coast counties.
• DHS would neither confirm nor deny the California operation but released the names of five people it claims to have detained statewide — four in Southern California, one in Stockton.
• Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and City Councilmembers Miguel Arias, Nelson Esparza, and Annalisa Perea publicly opposed the enforcement at Thursday’s council meeting; Arias told immigrant residents to avoid the Big Fresno Fair and stay home.
• Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco reported eight Kerman residents detained in less than 48 hours.

What This Means for You

Arias said local police “cannot intervene in whatever the federal agency is doing.” That’s his statement about what local elected officials can and cannot do when federal enforcement creates fear in the city. Arias called it “voter suppression.” Dyer called the tactics “archaic.” Those are their words on the record about an operation the Washington Examiner reported is expected to last through the midterm elections.

Faith in the Valley is holding voter-confidence meetings because people are scared to show up. SIREN says families with mixed immigration status are now worried about voting.

What You Can Do

SIREN and immigration rights organizations held a news conference outside Fresno City Hall on Thursday calling on city officials to take action to protect immigrant families. Councilmember Perea’s office is assembling resources on legal rights if contacted by ICE — contact her office for that information. Peace Fresno is hosting anti-ICE demonstrations every Saturday, 9:30-11 a.m. at Shaw and Fresno Street. The fourth national “No Kings in Fresno” protest is scheduled for Oct. 17.

What to Watch

Advocacy groups and multiple elected officials — including a Republican mayor — have publicly stated this operation coincides with the midterm elections. Arias called it “voter suppression and intimidation of the Latino voter base.” Hollis said it “could potentially deter voter turnout among immigrant and Latino communities.” That is a serious allegation.

What evidence would confirm or rule it out? The operation’s actual duration, compared to the 45-day window the Washington Examiner reported. The demographics of who was detained and where. Whether the sweep was indiscriminate, as Arias stated — “They’re not just picking up criminals…They’re picking up everyone, and they’re asking questions later” — or targeted in some other way. And whether voter turnout in immigrant and Latino communities drops in Fresno and the Central Valley compared to prior midterms.

Arias told residents the Big Fresno Fair is not safe, with no confirmed intelligence that ICE will be there. He made a similar warning about the Cherry Avenue Auction in 2025 that vendors said caused attendance to drop; agents never showed. Is he protecting people or amplifying fear beyond what the evidence supports? The fair says it has received no information about planned federal activity. If ICE does appear at the fair, Arias was right to warn people. If agents don’t, he will have told immigrant families to stay home from a major community event for nothing.

The people detained — 70 in Fresno and Madera this week alone — are now in federal custody. Tran said the repercussions “play out in how people feel safe to go to school [and] go to work.” Councilmember Esparza said “too many people are afraid to go about their daily lives.”