Hundreds of children are reportedly missing school, agricultural workers are afraid to report to their jobs, and local businesses are losing customers as immigration enforcement operations continue to raise concerns across western Fresno County, elected officials said Friday.

U.S. Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced, joined Mendota Mayor Victor Martinez, Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi, Fresno County Supervisor Brian Pacheco, farmers, and educators at a news conference in Mendota to demand answers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The gathering followed reports of increased ICE enforcement activity and resident detentions beginning Oct. 5 in Mendota and surrounding agricultural communities.

“Families should not have to live in fear of going to work or taking their kids to school,” Gray said. “Enforcing the law does not mean creating fear across an entire community.”

Gray said the operations have raised questions about federal enforcement priorities, due process protections, and the economic consequences for communities that depend heavily on immigrant labor.

Mayor Says Hundreds of Students Are Missing School

Martinez told GV Wire that approximately 200 children have been missing school because families fear immigration agents could detain their parents while they are away.

“Our communities feel terrorized by these ICE agents coming into town,” Martinez said. “Nobody wants to go to work, because they are afraid, and that’s including people that are documented and undocumented.”

Martinez said the enforcement activity has affected nearly every aspect of daily life in Mendota, where agriculture drives much of the local economy.

He described empty marketplaces, struggling food vendors, and families staying inside their homes rather than risking encounters with federal agents.

During the news conference, Martinez said a local agricultural employer reported that an entire work crew failed to show up for a shift. He also described a business with 25 employees that reported going without customers.

The mayor said he had witnessed or received reports of people being stopped by immigration agents while traveling to work on farms.

“What we’ve seen this past Monday, I believe, is stopping people when on their way to work, on their way to go into the farms and just taking them,” Martinez told GV Wire.

He said the fear extends beyond undocumented immigrants to people who are legally present in the country.

“Our immigrant community is not our enemy,” Martinez said during the news conference.

Gray Demands Transparency From ICE

Gray said he recently sent a letter to ICE Acting Director David Venturella alongside California U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff requesting detailed information about the enforcement operations.

The lawmakers want to know how many people have been detained, how many were considered public safety threats, where detainees are being taken, and whether they have access to attorneys and due process protections.

The letter also asks whether local law enforcement agencies were consulted and what steps federal officials are taking to address community concerns.

“Federal immigration law must be enforced, but how we enforce those laws matters,” Gray said. “We can enforce the law, protect public safety, and respect people’s rights.”

The congressman said immigration enforcement should prioritize genuine public safety threats rather than create widespread uncertainty among families and workers.

When asked what he would do if federal officials failed to provide answers, Gray said he would continue pressing the administration and congressional leadership.

“We will continue to ask the questions, write the letters, press the agencies,” Gray said.

Farmers Warn of Economic Consequences

Agricultural leaders who attended the news conference warned that immigration enforcement could disrupt the workforce responsible for harvesting and delivering food throughout the country.

Pacheco, who described himself as a fourth-generation farmer, said the operations are creating economic uncertainty during a critical period for agriculture.

“Farmers depend on immigrant workers to get our crops in and goods to the market more quickly,” Pacheco said.

He warned that labor shortages could delay harvests, spoil crops, increase prices, and make operating farms more difficult.

Farmer Joe Del Bosque emphasized that agriculture depends on more than land and water. He said successful farming operations require workers, families, schools, small businesses, and functioning communities.

Don Cameron, another agricultural leader at the gathering, said farmworkers contribute to virtually every stage of food production, from planting seeds to harvesting crops.

Cameron described seeing a young girl who feared her parents might not return home because of immigration enforcement.

“It’s really, really a tough situation and living in fear is not what we want in the United States,” Cameron said.

Educators Describe Fear in Classrooms

Golden Plains Unified School District Superintendent Felipe Piedra said students are struggling to concentrate because they are worried about their families.

Piedra described conversations among students about parents being afraid to pick them up from school. He also said school employees have discussed using district vehicles to assist families who are afraid to travel.

The superintendent addressed student walkouts protesting immigration enforcement, saying he understood why students wanted their concerns heard, even though he worried about their safety during demonstrations.

“This situation right now is not conducive to positive student outcomes,” Piedra said.

He called on lawmakers to protect students and ensure schools remain safe environments for learning.

Karbassi Calls for Immigration Reform

Karbassi said the enforcement operations were affecting communities far beyond Mendota, including Fresno, where he said fear has spread among immigrant families and businesses.

He criticized what he described as federal immigration tactics that leave people afraid of routine activities, including driving to work.

Karbassi also criticized politicians who use immigration enforcement for campaign messaging without offering meaningful solutions.

“Leadership is what you see today,” Karbassi said. “You see farmers, you see educators, you see elected officials at all levels of government coming together because we have to solve the real problem.”

He pointed to the bipartisan Dignity Act as a potential solution to longstanding problems with the country’s immigration system.

Gray, a co-sponsor of the legislation, said the measure would provide legal stability for qualifying immigrants who work and contribute to their communities.

He also cited his support for other immigration reform proposals, including legislation addressing the agricultural workforce.

Gray criticized Republican congressional leadership for not bringing the Dignity Act to a vote.

Local Leaders Call for Action From Washington

Firebaugh Mayor Freddy Valdez joined the calls for immigration reform, criticizing both major political parties for failing to resolve the issue over decades.

Valdez said immigration enforcement was affecting restaurants, stores, schools, and families throughout western Fresno County.

He argued that border security and immigration law enforcement could coexist with policies protecting human dignity and keeping families together.

“Republicans and Democrats have had opportunities to act,” Valdez said. “Administrations and Congresses have come and gone. Yet hardworking families keep paying the price for that failure.”

Martinez echoed that message in his interview with GV Wire, calling for immediate action from Congress and the White House.

He said immigrants working in agriculture, construction, and other industries were essential to the Central Valley’s economy.

“We are a hardworking community,” Martinez said. “We don’t have the fancy restaurants. We don’t have the fancies theaters. What we have is work.”

Watch the Full Press Conference

—

Connect with Anthony W. Haddad on social media. Got a tip? Send an email.