Protestors gathered in Bakersfield on Friday to show support the migrant community after recent arrests by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents.

Recent reports of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in the Central Valley has migrant communities in alarm — with some even fearful to go to work.

On Tuesday, Border Patrol agents were sighted at a Chevron gas station off of Seventh Street and Highway 65 in Bakersfield detaining and questioning people. There have been social media reports of Border Patrol agents operating in Fresno.

Unconfirmed reports have circulated around social media this week, including that agents were operating near Clinica Sierra Vista health center locations, where more than 200,000 people receive medical care in Fresno and Kern counties.

According to a statement released Friday by Clinica Sierra Vista, officials at the federal qualified health center said they have received no credible reports to support such claims.

Dr. Olga Meave, CEO of Clinica Sierra Vista, said patient privacy is their priority, adding they don’t collect or record immigration status in their files.

“Let me be clear—our facilities are safe spaces for everyone who needs care,” Meave said in a statement. “We are here to support your health and well-being with compassion and respect, no matter your circumstances.”

The operations prompted a pro-immigrant demonstration in Bakersfield on Friday. On Saturday, newly sworn Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez has scheduled a news conference to address the sweeps and ensure the immigrant community knows its rights in interactions with law enforcement.

He said there have been reports of work absences at farms, food processing plants, businesses and medical facilities.

“Families and children are currently living in fear, confused and uncertain about sending children to school. We understand the focus is on people with criminal records and we support those efforts. However, in that effort, innocent bystanders are getting caught up in this broad approach…”

A statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection circulated on social media said the operation in Bakersfield was focused on those suspected of breaking federal law, drug traffickers and non-citizen criminals. They also sought to disrupt the transportation routes used by transnational criminal organizations.

“The U.S. Border Patrol is no stranger to operations in places like Bakersfield, Stockton, Modesto, Fresno, and Sacramento, as the now closed Livermore Border Patrol Sector regularly conducted enforcement operations over this area up to the mid 2000s,” the statement read.

Customs and Border Protection stated they had 60 agents in the area focusing on alleged drug and human trafficking, leading to 78 arrests.

The individuals arrested had been previously convicted of crimes including sex offenses, drug possession, spousal abuse and DUI, said Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino.

Border Patrol officials said they are planning operations for other areas including Fresno.

Manuel Cunha Jr., president of the Nisei Farmers League, said that in the last several months Border Patrol has been targeting drug and human trafficking in the Central Valley, especially gangs comprised of migrants from Venezuela.

He said one of the arrests on Tuesday led to the discovery of 150 pounds of marijuana in a vehicle, with four others being arrested for carrying large amounts methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Several posts on social media are warning the migrant community about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol raids on farms and other businesses.

ICE officials said Wednesday they were not involved in these recent operations.

Cunha said he is frustrated with the misinformation that has been spread online — especially on TikTok — causing fear in Central Valley migrant communities.

“They put out bad information and they should be more responsible,” Cunha said. “The more you put out, the more that the fear factor rises in workers.”

He said there were several crews on Wednesday and Thursday that didn’t go to work because they heard Border Patrol was patrolling Highway 41.

Cunha said he took calls from two farmers on Wednesday saying their entire work crews did not show up for work because they were afraid of getting swept up in the Border Patrol operations.

Cunha said that the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 has a specific provision that a Border Patrol agent must have a warrant from a federal judge to go onto a farm or other workplace.

He said an agent cannot simply enter a farm to ask questions and request documents from workers.

Cunha recalled a time when a Border Patrol plane flew over a farm, causing workers to flee through the orchards, jumping into canals.

Some of them drowned, he added, and others got hit by vehicles after running into the highways.

He said agents need to have a probable cause to pull a vehicle over, and won’t want to do that on a highway where occupants could run and get hit by cars.

Cunha said he recently spoke with someone from the incoming Trump Administration who said there will be a focus on unauthorized immigrants who have committed crimes and more resources toward securing the border.

“The worst part of all of this is that social media is putting the hyper scare into everybody. Shame on them, on those folks for doing that just to get notoriety,” Cunha said.