KERMAN, Calif. – The recent surge in immigration enforcement in the San Joaquin Valley hit hard in some rural farm towns – like Kerman, on Fresno County’s west side.
Four farm laborers were among those detained outside a local bakery in the first week of October. And the city’s mayor Maria Pacheco witnessed the ICE arrests firsthand.
Pacheco recorded herself encountering ICE agents in a video that has gone viral and international.
“What are you doing here? You're not welcome here. My name is Maria Pacheco. I'm the mayor for the city of Kerman, and you're not welcome in my city. You've taken enough people yesterday. We don't want you here. You need to leave,” Pacheco says in the video.
On a recent night, KVPR caught up with Pacheco as the Kerman High School Lions were taking on their east-side opponents, the Dinuba High School Emperors, during the homecoming football game.
Dinuba is another farming community that has recently gone up against the threat of ICE. The stadium seats in Kerman football field were filled as the crowd gathered to watch the opening parade.
The homecoming theme was all-American.
In honor of America’s 250th birthday, each class decorated elaborate floats celebrating different states. It was called “From Sea to Shining Sea,” representing Texas, New York and Tennessee.
The crowd stood with hats off and hands over hearts during the national anthem. But outside of the field, the community is facing a different reality: a backdrop of students afraid to go to school, families afraid to shop and workers not showing up at the farms that surround Kerman.
At the game, KVPR spoke to the city’s mayor to learn more about how Kerman has been impacted by the recent surge in ICE operations. Days after the interview, Pacheco was accused of mistaking a man for an ICE agent but no criminal charges have been filed.
Listen to the interview here. This segment aired on Central Valley Daily on Oct. 22, 2026.
