Merced County sheriff says DHS operation in Delhi not immigration enforcement
Legal observers and local advocates sent out alerts about several Department of Homeland Security vehicles that were spotted outside El Rancho Market in Delhi on the morning of May 18.
According to a spokesperson for the nonprofit Faith in the Valley’s Valley Watch Network, several legal observers were sent to the scene, where officers identified themselves as DHS and said they were there to serve a search warrant for a criminal investigation. According to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, the operation was not related to immigration enforcement.
The observers reported that officers removed a number of items from inside the market, including computer monitors, cash registers, and what appeared to be a rifle.
Witnesses said they also saw vehicles belonging to the Sheriff’s Office at the scene, from about 8 a.m. until about 10 a.m. According to legal observers with the Valley Watch Network, the DHS officers left around 1 p.m.
Alexandra Garcia, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office, confirmed this was a DHS operation, and that marked vehicles from the County were requested for the execution of the warrant. Garcia also said it was not “an immigration thing.”
According to the Department of Homeland Security, there were no recorded arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Delhi or Merced on May 18.
The Valley Watch Network, which seeks to inform people about ICE presence and activity in their communities, is just one effort by Faith in the Valley to protect the rights of immigrants.
The nonprofit also connects volunteers to immigrants who want someone to accompany them to immigration appointments and court hearings, provides “Know your rights” training, and can help people navigate legal parts of the immigration process. The spokesperson emphasized that while their advocates are not lawyers, they do provide referrals to reputable immigration attorneys.
“Folks should remember their rights,” said the Valley Watch Network spokesperson, “these agencies are very intimidating but regardless of someone’s immigration status, they have rights.”
The Valley Watch Network accepts both phone calls and text messages to its reporting line at 559-206-0151. If you make a report, you should be prepared to share a description of what is happening along with the exact location, as well as any visible identification of officers and vehicles.
