Stockton ICE office closed after protest of 25 undocumented immigrants being detained
Immigrants seeking asylum in California were turned away from the Stockton Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office on Monday.
Not wanting to identify herself due to fear, a woman was scheduled to appear at the office to change her address after arriving in the U.S. six months ago.
When she arrived, the office, which is normally only open Monday through Friday, was closed. This was after dozens gathered over the weekend outside its gates to protest the detention of 25 undocumented immigrants.
"People are scaring me that they are arresting people for no reason," the woman said. "I don't know what to do next."
According to immigration advocates, 50 immigrants were called by the office on Friday night for check-in appointments the following day. When they arrived, half were hauled away in vans.
"In the community, there is a lot of fear," farmworker advocate Luis Magaña shared. "People don't want to come show up for their appointment for the same reason."
Magaña said he spoke with lawyers who arrived Saturday morning after the detainments. They said to him that many were being held for technical errors, like failing to respond to a call or failing to send in a photo.
"We need to know what happened because most of these people who were at this appointment, they have families, they have kids," he said.
Groups from the Central Valley and San Francisco Bay Area waited outside the facility, providing resources and whatever help they could to those who needed it.
"We're here mostly just to keep eyes. They're saying they're closed today and directing people away from the facility, so we with the Valley Watch Network are trying to link people to that legal support," said Amy Whitlock, a volunteer with Port City Food Not Bombs. "We have the Valley Watch hotline number. We also have the rights that immigrants, anybody here in this country have, and we have numbers to the consulates as well on cards."
Advocates say some of those detained were farmworkers. Now, many in the community are left with more questions than answers.
"They are trying to find legal help. It's very expensive, immigration lawyers. Some made calls to lawyers and they had to pay close to $500 for just a talk to the lawyer," Magaña explained. "It's a very, very stressful situation for many families."
CBS Sacramento reached out to the Stockton ICE office. We received a response via email that said a public affairs officer will reach out.
Advocates say they are planning on holding a vigil outside the office on Tuesday, starting at 10 a.m.