\u201cThose types of tactics are just cruel, and we need to make sure we put a stop to that,\u201d Chavez said.<\/p>\n
The Fresno-area officials joined U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, and Nora Zaragoza-Y\u00e1\u00f1ez of the Valley Watch Network<\/a>, a group that tracks ICE activity and assists detained people and their families, at a Monday news conference.<\/p>\n Costa said congressional representatives from California sent a letter to acting ICE Director David Venturella demanding answers by Oct. 30 about the agency\u2019s apparent arrest surge that began in Central California on Oct. 5.<\/p>\n Reported ICE sightings have spiked in the Fresno area, where advocates, attorneys and elected officials say the federal agency is relying on racial profiling rather than warrants for arrests. The Department of Homeland Security has denied it is using racial profiling tactics but recently declined to provide The Fresno Bee details about its current operations in the region, citing \u201coperational security.\u201d<\/p>\n ICE activity also has surged on the Central Coast, where Santa Maria school officials reported last week<\/a> that agents detained a student with special needs as he walked to school. The 20-year-old student, a U.S. citizen, was released but sustained injuries, according to reports.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to call it what it is,\u201d Carbajal said Monday. \u201cThis is racial profiling.\u201d<\/p>\n Costa said he visited downtown Fresno\u2019s ICE office last week to conduct oversight. While there, Costa said he spoke to a man originally from Africa who came to the U.S. \u201clegally\u201d to study in Texas, where he lived for years before being detained.<\/p>\n The congressman said the Texas man, who had \u201ca great fear of signing any documents\u201d while detained, was being released. Costa said he questioned staff at the reception center about the practice and was left \u201cat a loss to understand really what they\u2019re trying to achieve.\u201d<\/p>\n Zaragoza-Y\u00e1\u00f1ez, the Valley Watch Network program manager, said the group has helped immigrants from 29 different states return home after their release in the Central Valley.<\/p>\n The group began this effort last year at ICE\u2019s downtown Bakersfield office, she said, where people detained out of state have been released after being held at privately-operated immigration detention facilities in Kern County. Zaragoza-Y\u00e1\u00f1ez added that people are released with a mesh bag similar to those filled with onions at grocery stores.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes they\u2019re released with all of their personal belongings,\u201d she said, \u201cand sometimes they\u2019re not.\u201d<\/p>\n Zaragoza-Y\u00e1\u00f1ez said the families of released people are often able to purchase their flights back home, but added that the group is raising money to purchase tickets, meals and prepaid phones for those who cannot.<\/p>\n Carbajal said various pieces of legislation intended to hold federal agencies accountable for unlawful immigration detention will \u201cnot see the light of day\u201d while Democrats are the minority in Congress.<\/p>\n But if Democrats retake the House of Representatives in the midterm election, Costa said committees that have been \u201cunwilling to hold Homeland Security and ICE authorities accountable\u201d will change. Democrats would also then take \u201cthe power of the purse,\u201d Costa said.<\/p>\n He said some committee members have for months been preparing for hearings that will call Trump administration officials involved in \u201cthis detain-and-deport effort\u201d to testify under oath about whether they\u2019ve been following the law.<\/p>\n \u201cMeaningful oversight and dealing with the financial dollars that operate this detain-and-deport effort,\u201d Costa said, \u201cwill give us an advantage toward … holding these folks accountable for what they\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1793076728_229_EPZ_FRESNO_ICE_01.jpg\" "\\"EPZ_FRESNO_ICE_01.jpg\\"")
A historic building with the name United Security Bank near its roof line on L Street with tall mirrored panes of glass is marked as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on its front doors. Photographed Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in downtown Fresno, California. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com Immigrants from 29 states released in Valley, says watch group<\/p>\n Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, is running for re-election to represent the 21st Congressional District. Costa spoke at an Oct. 17, 2025 press conference outside the downtown Fresno federal courthouse. JUAN ESPARZA LOERA Fresno Bee file Costa: Accountability coming if Dems take Congress<\/p>\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1793076731_574_6743EEF5-FFCA-4EF4-A26A-CF3830F06743.JPG\")