Immigration attorneys in California are raising alarms over a troubling trend: migrants attending routine, federally mandated check-ins are being swiftly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This practice, observed in several states including New York, Michigan, Alabama, and Illinois, recently unfolded on Father’s Day outside the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) office in downtown Fresno.
ISAP allows certain undocumented immigrants with ongoing immigration cases to remain in their communities if they comply with regular check-ins. The Fresno office, operated by GEO Group—a private contractor handling ICE’s check-in process—became the scene of a rapid detention incident. On Sunday morning, three unmarked vehicles arrived suddenly, and two men who had checked in less than 30 minutes prior were taken into custody by plainclothes agents wearing face coverings. The entire event lasted under 15 seconds.
Jesús Ibañez, director of immigration services at the Education and Leadership Foundation, described the scene as “very aggressive” and noted that the plainclothes agents appeared more like “bad faith actors” than government officials. Four immigration attorneys confirmed that migrants across California received last-minute notices—some with less than 24 hours’ warning—to report for weekend ISAP check-ins, causing confusion and fear among immigrants who often travel long distances for these appointments.
Attorney Rosemary Gomez, volunteering at the Fresno office, called the situation “strange and sort of sinister,” emphasizing that clients from the Central Valley were told to check in at an office over 150 miles away in San Francisco, only to be redirected back to Fresno. The short notice for weekend check-ins also raised serious concerns about access to legal counsel and due process, as courts and many legal offices are closed during weekends.
An ICE spokesperson stated that those detained had final removal orders and had not complied, affirming that “all illegal aliens are afforded due process.” However, ICE declined to comment on the total number of detainees or on whether weekend detentions at ISAP check-ins are standard practice.
ISAP is intended for non-dangerous immigrants with family and community ties, allowing them to avoid detention while reporting regularly. Yet, attorneys warn that ICE appears to be using mandated check-ins as a tactic to detain compliant immigrants, particularly under a daily detention quota of 3,000 undocumented individuals set during the Trump administration.
Edith Sangueza, representing a mother and her young son who were called for consecutive check-ins days apart despite compliance and GPS monitoring, suggested the weekend summons may be a deliberate ploy to trap immigrants. “ICE has done ruses before,” Sangueza said. “This feels like an escalation targeting vulnerable, compliant people.”
Community response was swift. Over 100 protesters gathered outside the Fresno ISAP office, demonstrating against what they called “mass deportations.” The presence of community members may have influenced the cancellation of several appointments, as some immigrants, including Sangueza’s client, attended check-ins without being detained. Similar protests in San Francisco reportedly led to the temporary closure of the ISAP office there.
Jesús Ibañez underscored the power of community solidarity: “Showing up in force, showing up in community does work. It’s very important going forward to have these concerted efforts.”
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