A Modesto man saw ICE at a neighbor’s house. Here’s why he started filming
A man was walking in his northeast Modesto neighborhood the morning of Sept. 11 when he spotted vehicles and men outside a house. He said it took him a moment to figure out they were law enforcement, wearing vests and using vehicles with small red and blue lights on their sides.
“I walked past the place and then thought, 'Oh, this isn’t right,’ and turned around and walked back,” Stephen Gerringer said.
He witnessed what appeared to be Immigration and Customs Enforcement on the corner of Merle Avenue and Walnut Crest Way talking to a man outside a home. One agent was wearing a black ski mask that covered most of his face. Another wore skeletal gloves and a vest that read “Police” and “ERO” below – short for “Enforcement and Removal Operations.”
The Central Valley has seen an increase in ICE enforcement, leading to more awareness of the role of “legal observers,” people who monitor immigration enforcement operations in a neutral way that can be used in court to document events as they unfold.
Legal observers are taught not to stop recording, to narrate events as they occur from a safe distance and to get as much information about the date, time, location, how agents identify themselves and any other relevant details. In public places, people are allowed to photograph or videotape law enforcement personnel performing their jobs. However, obstructing law enforcement, like stepping in between officers and their operations, is illegal.
Gerringer, who is not a trained legal observer, said he was careful not to intervene. He took video, viewed by The Bee, of agents and called a friend who is an out-of-state immigration lawyer. While recording, Gerringer said a woman got out of her car and also began filming the agents.
The agents could be overheard saying they were trying to contact a person on “federal probation." After speaking with the agents, the unidentified man told Gerringer, “They are lying, my mom’s not on probation,” and said that they had threatened to break a window in his car.
Federal agents, and law enforcement in general, are allowed to engage in deception to try to gain entry into private property. At one point, the man asked for an agent's badge number, and was told, “You're not under arrest,” and never was provided the information requested.
Gerringer said they left around 15 minutes later, without detaining anyone. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to multiple attempts for comment about this incident.
Recent enforcement operations in Modesto
The incident in northeast Modesto came three days after a Supreme Court ruling struck down a lower court decision preventing immigration enforcement from making inferences on immigration status based on employment, accent or racial characteristics.
“The criteria introduced by the Supreme Court is going to give them much more flexibility, so it’s more important for people to be aware of their rights,” said Fernanda Pereira, an immigration attorney based in Stockton.
In response to the events, Faith in the Valley posted on its Instagram account that a community member saw ICE agents in the area on Sept. 11 and encouraged community members to reach out to the Rapid Response Team if they see anything.
There have been other ICE operations in Modesto and surrounding areas. On July 1, agents appeared at the Stanislaus County courthouse. A statement the next day included a quote by Judge Sonny S. Sandhu that read: “Federal immigration enforcement activities inside courthouses disrupt court operations, breach public trust, and compromise the Court’s constitutional role as a neutral venue for the peaceful resolution of disputes. These actions create a chilling effect, silencing victims, deterring witnesses, discouraging community members from seeking protection and deterring parties from participating in legal proceedings critical to the rule of law.”
Pereira said it’s important when people see ICE activity in the area to contact the Valley Watch Network’s Rapid Response Team immediately. They can be reached at their hotline, 559-206-0151.
For people approached by immigration enforcement
The Immigrant Legal Resources Center created what is referred to as “red cards” that explain the rights of residents regardless of status. “Go back to the First, Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights of probable cause,” said Nora Zaragoza-Yáñez, program manager for the Valley Watch Network. “‘Do you have a judicial warrant?’ Ask folks to identify themselves.”
A judicial warrant signed by a judge allows agents to enter private property without consent in order to detain someone with probable cause. An administrative warrant, issued by Homeland Security, does not.
Pereira said it’s best for people approached by immigration agents not to engage. “They should exercise their right to remain silent and consult an immigration attorney as soon as possible so they can know what they can do to acquire status if that is a possibility," Pereira said.
Pereira said she recommends people affected download a G-28 form and keep it, signed, at home, “So if a family member is detained, legal counsel can actually call ICE and inquire after that client,” Pereira said. To track people who have been detained by ICE, maintain a copy of their full name, date of birth, country of origin and their “A-Number.” For permanent residents, this will be the same as their green card number.
The Valley Watch Network offers accompaniment services for people who want someone to go with them to their court hearings if they are concerned about immigration enforcement. “That way they are able to get into the courthouse and get back safely to their vehicles and get back home as well,” Zaragoza-Yáñez said.
In the video, viewed by The Bee, the man speaking with agents outside of the home asked them if they had a warrant, but was not provided one. Later he said while looking at someone filming across the street and pointing at officers “This is illegal right here, what they’re doing.”
The Modesto Bee reached out to the man in the video, but he has not responded.
This story was originally published September 25, 2025 at 5:14 PM.
