Activists say as many as 25 people were detained during their abruptly scheduled weekend appointments.
STOCKTON, Calif. — Dozens of protesters gathered Saturday outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Stockton, responding to what immigrant advocates described as surprise and unusual weekend check-ins that left many families confused and afraid.
Activists said the facility, which typically operates only Monday through Friday, called dozens of immigrants on Friday night and Saturday morning, instructing them to report for appointments Saturday.
Inside the building, advocates said, immigrants waited anxiously to learn whether they would be allowed to go home or be detained.
Lisa Knox, a lawyer and the leader of the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, said some were forced to make heartbreaking choices.
“At one point, people were told they had to choose between seeing their families, seeing infants and saying goodbye before they were shipped off to detention, and talking to lawyers,” Knox said. “They’re not usually open on the weekends. It’s very unusual. Usually, when people have appointments, they go in on a weekday. They’re told months in advance when their next appointment would be so for people to get a call on Friday saying come in on Saturday is really unusual.”
Immigration rights activist Luis Magana said he came to the facility to support those summoned inside.
“That’s why activists are here—to see what happens,” Magana said. He noted that weekend check-ins limit immigrants’ access to legal support. “Some people I know are inside—they’re waiting for their appointment, and we expect they come out. We don’t know.”
Knox said that while many got to go back home after their appointments, not everyone did.
“We believe that around 25 people at least were detained today and are going to be sent to detention centers in the Central Valley,” Knox said. “There was a young person who may be a minor and also a pregnant person.”
ABC10 reached out to ICE for comment and to confirm the reported detentions, but did not receive a response. Despite the tense atmosphere, Stockton police observed the protest from a distance, and it was mostly peaceful.
Activists said that more check-ins were scheduled for Sunday, and they plan to return to voice their concerns. Several lawyers also said they plan to be at the facility on Sunday to offer legal services to those in need.
“We know for now at least, ICE and CBP have called off large-scale raids in the Bay area, and it seems like they’ve decided to shift some of their capacity here,” Knox said. “We’re here to say that wherever they go, we’re going to go also. We’re going to support our community, our families and our loved ones.”
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