Hundreds attend ‘ICE Out of 209’ community organizing town hall in Modesto
Editor’s note: Jose Moreno from El Concilio was incorrectly identified in an earlier version of this article.
Just before 2 p.m. Saturday, cars started arriving at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, carrying dishes of mac and cheese, cornbread and sandwiches to feed around 200 attendees who packed the church’s community room for the ICE Out of 209: Community Town Hall.
Dru Clough volunteered for the event as part of 50501, a group that has been organizing protests in Stanislaus County. “I think that out of this, the community will grow closer and we can work together in a more centralized way,” Clough said.
Ten organizations representing communities from Merced to Stockton presented what they do and what they need to combat ICE activity in the Northern San Joaquin Valley.
Nora Zaragoza-Yáñez of the Valley Watch Network, run by Faith in the Valley, explained the way her group vets sightings of immigration enforcement and said it needs more legal observers who can quickly respond to sightings.
On a table, a sign-up sheet, whistles, stickers and “red cards,” which explain legal rights of people confronted by ICE agents, were available to attendees.
50501 offered “orange cards,” to be filled out with the holder’s emergency contact information, that can be dropped on the ground by people being detained, allowing organizers to get in touch with their families and help locate them.
Eli Coleman, a member of the Central Valley Brown Berets, volunteered to provide security for Saturday’s event, wanding attendees as they entered. “Whenever the community is having events like this, that’s the role that we naturally fill,” he said. “Given the current state of sociopolitical affairs, I don’t think you can ever be too cautious.”
Organizers supplied participants with surgical masks and encouraged they be worn for health and privacy.
Patrick Kolasinski, a local criminal defense attorney who works with immigrants, said ICE has not been overly active in the area but now is the time to prepare.
“Figure out what you are going to do before the storm comes,” Kolasinski said.
Organizers said that because the San Joaquin Valley is a legal desert that lacks low-cost or no-cost immigration attorneys, getting representation if ICE does large-scale enforcement would be a challenge.
A representative from Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities said she has learned from organizers in Minnesota the importance of block organizing and trust building by getting to know your neighbors.
A community organizer in Merced who identified herself as Krizaflor, said she organizes mutual aid through the Merced Farmworkers Fund and coordinates rides and mental health support for immigrant women.
El Concilio’s Jose Moreno advertised its Immigration Service and Resource Hub, which connects people to legal experts familiar with the visa and citizenship process.
Stockton Community Check-in Booth and Hands Off Stockton operate outside the Stockton ICE office, monitoring people coming in and out for immigration appointments and providing resources. The groups said they need more volunteers to cover their shifts.
During the Q&A section of the event, many attendees offered help.
“We are planning on setting up a table at the MJC campus at least once a month to pass out information to increase civic engagement,” said one participant. “I was wondering if any of you guys would want to have us share your information with the students at MJC when we do.”
Another participant offered to create a community calendar for direct action, and another asked where to donate to help mutual aid efforts.
Participants suggested “buying out” food vendors, meaning paying for the rest of their inventory so they can go home, and providing red cards and labor trafficking resources.
A representative from the Me-Wuk Native American community said its Modesto office is offering temporary assistance for needy families for any indigenous community members regardless of tribe.
Saturday’s event lasted more than three hours. Jordan Quiverns, who works with the pride scholars program at Modesto Junior College, was surprised by the turnout. “It’s simultaneously really exciting how many organizations there are and also a little dispiriting to hear how much help they need,” Quiverns said. “But hopefully this is a turning point for those organizations.”
This story was originally published February 9, 2026 at 7:52 AM.
