Since January 7, Kern County residents have come together to challenge ongoing ICE and Border Patrol operations, encouraging one another to understand and assert their Fifth Amendment rights, regardless of immigration status.
The United Farm Workers Foundation (UFW) presented a Know Your Rights workshop at the Robert F. Kennedy High School in Delano at 6 p.m. on Thursday night. Those in attendance were reminded of their rights and were given legal services by attorneys who specialize in immigration, workers’ compensation, civil rights, and more. Community members were engaged and went to the panel after the workshop to ask individual questions to attorneys.
When asked if they found the forum helpful and what they learned, a couple at the workshop explained, “They were informed through the daycare of where they take their son. They gave us the information about this meeting because of what has been going on recently. This workshop was advertised well because now we know how to interact with border patrol. We now know that we shouldn’t panic. We know what to show and what not to show Immigration officials.”
ICE has since been spotted across all of Kern County and as far as Sacramento. According to a spokesperson of the U.S Customs and Border Protection, “Border Patrol is conducting operations to arrest individuals involved in drug smuggling, etc.”
However, many have expressed that this isn’t the case but rather a racial profiling one. Members of the community have mentioned that they are targeting communities with a high percentage of farm-working families.
Earlier this week, ICE was spotted behind the Planet Fitness in Delano where they then headed out to the north side of County Line near the agricultural fields.
“As I arrived to the gym at noon on Wednesday, I noticed one of the fellow Planet Fitness employees spooked. Because I knew the individual I asked what had happened, and they informed me that when they went to the back to dispose of garbage, they saw ICE agents out in the back having a meeting, the [employee] was at unease because they were not certain if they would enter the facility. Shortly after I drove to the back to see for myself,” said Diego Calderon, a Delano resident.
Calderon continued by stating: “Once I drove through the back, I saw Immigration agents dressed in their green [uniforms] and vests. It looked like their meeting had just finished but because I was in their way and recording they waited a bit to leave, people did inform me that they were heading towards the fields… I know [U.S Customs and Border Patrol] released a statement that they are here for possible drug traffickers, smugglers, etc but [that’s not] what we are seeing, it’s frustrating because they are not telling the truth of who they are targeting and of who they are actually going after.”
When asked how he feels and what his concerns are with the Trump administration entering into office on January 20th, Calderon shared his concerns.
“With Trump coming into office it does worry me even if I am a citizen here because you still have people who feel superior to those without legal status. I know people who come to the United States to work, they have an ITIN number, they are paying their taxes. It makes me feel that many Americans are misinformed about why people come here. I believe they try to create fear in others or the less fortunate people who don’t have papers. They instill fear through social media or bullying. It worries me that it might go back to this again once Trump enters office,” explained Calderon.
A 13-year-old Delano resident, who wishes to remain anonymous also expressed their feelings, stating that it’ll be “scary if we get[deported] back to Mexico because we’ll need to start all over again and it worries me because if ICE agents deport all the Latinos then who will be working in the fields? Who will be building the houses, and feeding the U.S.? We need everyone.”
Another Delano resident, who wished to remain anonymous, fears that with recent Immigration raids, agents will obtain their father and transport him back to Mexico. They expressed how this would separate the family and make it difficult to live without the presence of their father here.
