NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 6: An ICE agent monitors hundreds of asylum seekers being processed upon entering the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building on June 6, 2023 in New York City. New York City has provided sanctuary to over 46,000 asylum seekers since 2013, when the city passed a law prohibiting city agencies from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement agencies unless there is a warrant for the person's arrest.(Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
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.
Democratic leaders responded swiftly and forcefully. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi condemned the ICE actions as “stupid” and “outrageous,” pointing out that the detained individuals were complying with the law by attending scheduled check-ins. Pelosi warned that such enforcement tactics will “instill fear” among immigrants and potentially deter others from pursuing lawful immigration pathways.
Protests erupted outside the ICE field office on Wednesday evening, as community members and advocates voiced opposition to the detentions and demanded accountability. San Francisco Supervisor Jackie Fielder emphasized that the city “can no longer pretend it is immune from the reaches of the Trump administration,” calling on officials to denounce what she called an attack on constitutional rights.
The arrests come amid broader national debate over immigration enforcement practices, raising questions about the balance between law enforcement and humanitarian considerations in an already strained system. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the specific incident as inquiries from Newsweek remained unanswered.
