MENDOCINO CO., 3/14/25 – On Tuesday, swarms of social media posts indicated that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were seen near the Holiday Inn and the Costco on Airport Park Boulevard in Ukiah.
However, according to Mendocino County Sheriff Matt Kendall, there have been no reports of ICE agents enacting raids in the county, but he can confirm that federal agents were in town for a separate investigation.
In a statement to The Mendocino Voice, Kendall noted that federal agents did use the interview room at the Sheriff’s Office to investigate a crime, but it was not related to immigration.
“People were here from a federal agency to use our offices,” Kendall said. “But I checked with the agents to make sure it had nothing to do with immigration.”
He also noted that Senate Bill 54, known as the California Values Act, prohibits law enforcement and public institutions in the state from sharing information or coordinating with ICE agents on deportations.
Before Kendall verified and informed the public that there were no ICE agents organizing deportations, several social media posts were published by community members, inciting fear and anxiety in the local immigrant community.
Even though federal agents were conducting an investigation in the county, both the Ukiah Police Department and the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said there have been no reports of ICE agents conducting raids. The agents, according to Kendall, were part of a special response team investigation and were not involved in immigration enforcement.
According to Richard Beam, a communications officer for ICE’s Los Angeles office, although SRT agents operate under ICE’s jurisdiction, they often handle investigations involving criminal records, drug cartels, or other gang activity. SRT agents must have specific search warrants to conduct investigations. These specialized teams rarely enter communities to carry out immigration enforcement without a warrant or a specific criminal history tied to an individual or group.
The confusion and surge of social media posts about immigration raids have been common since President Donald Trump issued executive orders to increase deportations across the U.S., and the spread of misinformation has been increasing in California.
According to Berkeley immigration attorney Cara Jobson, while the information can be confusing, there are key indicators to consider before assuming an ICE agent is in the area.
“Usually their uniforms will say ‘ICE police’ or something like that,” Jobson said in an interview. “The vehicles will usually have a federal government logo and be white with a large blue stripe.”
Jobson said that before jumping to conclusions, people should contact local authorities or the nearest rapid response network, which is an organization of volunteers that assist in verifying the presence of ICE agents in local communities. These organizations can also assist with legal questions and educating immigrants about their rights. Before immediately posting on social media that ICE agents are in town, Jobson recommends that you contact one of these networks.
“You don’t want to create unnecessary panic, but you want people to have good information,” Jobson said. “It doesn’t hurt to call a couple places like a rapid response network and say I’m on this street and I see a bunch of ICE trucks or vans. That is reasonable.”
Jobson also said it’s crucial to know your rights if you encounter an ICE agent and find yourself in a difficult situation. She emphasized that, whether you’re an immigrant with or without legal status, you should carry a “red card” describing your rights, which can be downloaded and printed online.
“These cards are available to citizens and non-citizens alike, you’re not outing yourself as having any particular status by presenting the card,” she said. “Many people are ordering them and they’re in lots of different languages like English and Spanish. The importance of the card is so if someone gets stopped by ICE or approached on the street or wherever the location is they know exactly what to do.”
If you or someone you know has seen or heard that there is an ICE agent in your county, several organizations in Northern California can help verify the information before you report it to your local community.
Here is a list of places you can contact to verify if there are ICE agents in your area:
- The North Bay Rapid Response Network, though centered in Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties, can still help verify information and review photos or videos to determine whether they show ICE agents or other federal officials. You can contact them at (707) 800-4544.
- Catholic Charities of Santa Rosa has an immigration department that can be contacted if you believe ICE agents are in your area. You can reach them at (707) 578-6000.
- You can also contact Nuestra Alianza de Willits, located in Willits, to report any possible sightings of ICE agents and ask them to help verify your photos or videos. Reach them at (707) 456-9418.
- Legal Services of Northern California, which has an office in Ukiah, can assist with immigration paperwork and explain your rights as an immigrant. You can contact them if you have questions about what to do if you see an ICE agent in your area. Reach them at (707) 462-1471.
Social services and the sheriff department should put out a public statement in Spanish to squash the fear. People are taking their kids out of school afraid of being turned in to ICE. Schools lose funding for low attendance. It’s hurting families and schools..
Schools about to lose all kinds of funding. Who needs books and schools ???