Experts warn of Sacramento immigration crackdowns as US Border Patrol remains silent
Arrests by U.S. Border Patrol earlier this week have sounded alarms in Sacramento, with both immigration experts and officials signaling that enforcement in the capital region may be expected.
Concerns began on Tuesday after sightings of U.S. Customs and Border Protection across Kern County. Border Patrol has since released information saying that 60 agents from the El Centro Sector, near the Mexico border, carried out a three-day operation that led to 78 arrests of people unlawfully present in the U.S. Many of the Kern County arrests involved people with prior criminal histories, according to the agency.
The immigration enforcement happened less than two weeks before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has promised the largest mass deportation effort in American history. Operations could also soon expand to Sacramento, given a statement in the aftermath of the arrests.
“We are planning operations for other locals such as Fresno and especially Sacramento,” the U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector said in a Facebook comment Thursday afternoon.
Chief Patrol Agent of the El Centro Sector Gregory Bovino wrote the comment, said David Kim, assistant chief patrol agent of the U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector. Bovino posted several statements about the arrests on social media Wednesday morning.
Kim would not confirm future operations in the capital region, saying that “could potentially disrupt any successes that we might have.”
“His words stand for himself,” Kim said. “Plans are plans and we’re not going to disclose any particulars at this point.”
Anthony Gamble, Sacramento Police Department public information officer, and Sgt. Amar Gandhi, a Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, said they were unaware of any planned immigration operations in the city.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kim said federal agents usually notify local law enforcement department prior to operations for “general courtesy.” California Senate Bill 54, passed in 2017, restricts state and local law enforcement from using resources to assist in federal immigration enforcement.
But immigration experts and attorneys predict that Sacramento may soon see similar federal enforcement.
“I don’t think that there’s any doubt ... that Sacramento will be one of the cities targeted,” said local immigration attorney Kishwer Vikaas.
While immigration arrests occurred during the Joe Biden presidency, the recent arrests are likely a “sign of the times,” said Kevin Johnson, the former dean of UC Davis’ School of Law. He called the Kern County operations “surprising.”
“It’s a very different approach than we’ve seen for a number of years under President Biden,” Johnson said.
Kim said the El Centro Sector has regularly conducted operations in the Central Valley for years and is not receiving “direction from any incoming administration.”
“This is just operations as normal for us,” Kim said.
This story was originally published January 10, 2025 at 2:50 PM with the headline "Experts warn of Sacramento immigration crackdowns as US Border Patrol remains silent."
