San Francisco, California – Federal immigration enforcement in California drew sharp criticism Wednesday after at least 15 people, including a 3-year-old child, were arrested during routine check-ins at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in San Francisco. The arrests, which included families with young children, have raised alarm among immigrant rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers who argue the detentions undermine trust in the immigration system.
According to advocates with the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice (CCIJ), the group detained during the sweeps included residents from San Francisco, Contra Costa, and San Mateo counties. Several of those arrested were still actively participating in immigration proceedings and were complying with ICE supervision requirements. The detainees, including parents and children, reportedly spent the night at the ICE office on Sansome Street before being transferred to facilities such as the Golden State Annex in McFarland, California, and the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, which houses women and children.
Advocates expressed grave concerns about the possibility of family separation, noting that there are no detention centers equipped to house fathers alongside their children. Priya Patel, a supervising attorney with CCIJ, described the arrests as “disappearing families” without even notifying their legal representatives or families of their whereabouts. She highlighted the particular vulnerability of those with legitimate fears of returning to their countries of origin…