Border Patrol operations in Kern County this week have resulted in multiple arrests, according to immigration advocates, prompting alarm among local residents, immigrant families, and the agricultural sector.
Reports of increased U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) activity, including operations within the city limits of Bakersfield, began circulating on social media platforms such as TikTok on Tuesday afternoon. The messages warned residents to avoid certain areas amid widespread sightings of Border Patrol agents.
The Bakersfield Police Department confirmed the presence of federal agents, stating they were notified by the Department of Homeland Security about CBP operations within the city and Kern County. However, as of Wednesday evening, it remains unclear how many people have been detained or where they are being held. The full scope of these enforcement actions, including locations and duration, is still unknown.
While Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may also be involved, CBP appears to be leading the operations. Immigration advocates have described this enforcement activity as more significant and unusual compared to recent years, raising concerns across Central Valley communities.
By Wednesday evening, TikTok users reported Border Patrol sightings in other areas, such as Sanger, east of Fresno, and near Los Banos along Interstate 5. Despite these reports, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department claimed it had not been informed of any such operations in the county.
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Immigration advocates in Kern County are still trying to understand the full extent of the operations and the number of arrests. Many have been receiving calls from concerned families trying to locate detained loved ones, with reports of arrests occurring in everyday locations like grocery stores, Home Depot, gas stations, fitness centers, and along Highway 99.
Leydy Rangel, communications director for the United Farm Workers Foundation (UFW), stated that the region’s farmworkers are increasingly being targeted as they commute to work. Rangel emphasized that this activity feels like a scare tactic, and the UFW Foundation estimates that 192 people were detained in Kern County between Monday and Tuesday. This number could increase as the operations continue.
Rosa Lopez, a senior policy advocate with the ACLU of Southern California in Bakersfield, echoed these concerns, noting that dozens of people had been detained. Lopez, however, emphasized that it is important not to cause panic, even as reports of the arrests continue to pour in.
Although U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not confirm specific details about the operations when contacted, a CBP spokesperson explained the purpose of the enforcement activity. The operations are part of a broader effort to dismantle transnational criminal organizations involved in smuggling.
Local law enforcement agencies, such as the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, have stated they are not participating in these operations and referred all inquiries to Border Patrol.
The enforcement actions in Kern County come at a particularly sensitive time, just before President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Trump’s campaign promises to carry out large-scale deportations have led many advocates to view these operations as a political gesture.
Advocates, including Edwin Carmona-Cruz of the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, have criticized the operations for disproportionately targeting California’s farmworkers. Carmona-Cruz believes the enforcement activity is politically motivated, with an intended message aimed at the state’s agricultural workforce.
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Reports of racial profiling have also emerged from those involved in the enforcement actions. A Bakersfield-based ACLU advocate, Lopez, recounted an incident where a woman with legal status was stopped and questioned by Border Patrol agents but ultimately released. Lopez believes such actions amount to racial profiling and described the operations as targeting individuals based on their appearance.
Farmworkers, in particular, have taken to social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to share warnings about ongoing immigration enforcement. One farmworker shared concerns about raids in the Bakersfield area’s mandarin fields, while another witnessed numerous arrests outside a local Home Depot.
California Citrus Mutual, an industrial association, has reassured agricultural workers that the Border Patrol actions are not focused on agricultural operations but rather criminal activity involving specific individuals. Still, the group has advised workers to stay informed and cautious as immigration enforcement continues.
State and federal lawmakers have also expressed concerns about the impact these enforcement activities may have on the region’s agricultural industry. State Senator Melissa Hurtado and Congressman David Valadao have both emphasized that the actions could destabilize the agricultural workforce, which is essential for both the local and national food supply.
For those stopped by ICE or Border Patrol, Lopez has reminded individuals of their rights, including the right to remain silent, the right to due process, and the right to legal representation.
Anyone with information on the Kern County enforcement operations is encouraged to contact the Rapid Response Kern County hotline at 661-432-2230. The organization provides resources for locating detained individuals and offers support for affected families.
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