October 15, 2026 - WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Immigration 
Subcommittee, and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.), along with U.S. Representative Adam Gray (D-Calif-13), have demanded answers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following reports of increased enforcement activity and resident detentions in Mendota beginning on October 5.
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In a letter to Acting ICE Director David Venturella, the lawmakers requested details about the operation’s purpose and scope, the number of individuals detained, and the safeguards in place to protect due process and minimize disruption to local families and businesses.
“Mendota is a hardworking agricultural community, and families should not have to fear going to work or taking their kids to school,” the lawmakers wrote. “Federal immigration laws must be enforced, but how that happens matters. We need answers about what’s taking place, who is being targeted and whether people’s rights are being protected.”
The lawmakers also questioned whether local law enforcement was consulted, where detainees are being held, and what steps ICE is taking to address concerns raised by Mendota’s mayor and City Council.
They further emphasized the importance of protecting public safety and due process while recognizing the essential role farmworkers play in the Central Valley economy and America’s food supply.
“The people of Mendota deserve to know why these operations are taking place and what safeguards are in place to protect their families and community,” the lawmakers concluded. “The federal government’s responsibility to enforce immigration law does not give it license to create fear across an entire community.”
Padilla has been a leader in opposing the Trump Administration’s cruel and indiscriminate mass deportation agenda. Last week, Padilla visited an ICE holding facility in downtown Los Angeles to examine conditions firsthand and demand answers from federal officials. He also visited a de-facto immigration detention facility at San Francisco International Airport earlier this month. In August, Padilla called out the Trump Administration’s continued abuses of power and demanded DHS immediately halt its reckless plan to equip ICE officers with electric shock gloves. In June, Padilla and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) sounded the alarm over the significant increase in deaths among detainees in ICE custody since January 2025, expressing concern over the announcement of the 50th reported death in ICE custody under the Trump Administration.
Full letter is available here and below:
Dear Acting Director Venturella:
We write to express serious concern about reports of increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in Mendota, California, beginning October 5, 2026, and to request an immediate explanation of the purpose, scope, and conduct of these operations.
The Mayor and City Council of Mendota have already formally expressed their concerns about the fear and uncertainty these enforcement activities are creating in their community. Their message is clear: Families should not be afraid to go to work, parents should feel safe taking their children to school, and residents should be able to go about their daily lives without fear.
Mendota is a hardworking agricultural community whose families have spent generations helping feed our state and nation. Its farmworkers are essential to the Central Valley economy and America’s food supply and their contributions deserve recognition and respect. Federal immigration laws must be enforced, but how those laws are enforced matters. Immigration enforcement should prioritize individuals who pose genuine threats to public safety, respect due process, and avoid unnecessarily disrupting families, businesses, and entire communities.
Reports of federal agents conducting operations in Mendota and detaining residents have raised serious questions about the objectives and methods of these activities. The resulting fear extends well beyond those directly involved in enforcement actions and threatens the stability of a community that depends on its agricultural workforce.
As Mendota and California’s representatives in Congress, we have a responsibility to demand answers and ensure that federal enforcement activities respect the rights, dignity, and safety of the people we represent.
Accordingly, we request answers to the following questions:
- What circumstances or specific enforcement objectives prompted the increased ICE activity in Mendota and surrounding communities beginning October 5?
- How many individuals have been detained during these operations, and how many were identified as posing a threat to public safety?
- Where have detained individuals been transported or held, and what procedures are in place to ensure access to legal counsel and due process?
- Were local law enforcement agencies notified or consulted before these operations? If so, which agencies?
- What policies or instructions have been provided to agents to prevent unnecessary detention, protect family unity, and minimize disruption to schools, workplaces, and agricultural operations?
- What steps will ICE take to address the concerns formally raised by Mendota’s mayor and City Council?
The people of Mendota deserve to know why these operations are taking place, who is being targeted, and what safeguards are in place to protect their families and community.
The federal government’s responsibility to enforce immigration law does not give it license to create fear across an entire community. Mendota’s families deserve public safety, due process, and respect. We expect ICE to uphold all three.
We look forward to your prompt response to the questions outlined above.
Sincerely,
Source: Senator Alex Padilla
