ICE agents detain man in Watsonville | The Pajaronian | Watsonville, CA Facebook Instagram Twitter News Featured Local News Crime, Fire & Courts Business Opinion Submit a Letter Letters to the Editor Sports High School Sports Cabrillo SC Warriors Youth Sports Cover 3 Podcast Submit Scores A&E Community Photo Galleries Focus on Agriculture Best Of Pajaro Valley Best of Ballot Best Of Family & Pets Best Of Food & Drink Best Of Fun Best Of Health & Beauty Best Of Home Best Of Services Best Of Shopping Obituaries Current Obituaries Archived Obituaries Submit an Obituary What to Include in Your Pajaronian Obituary Obituaries Calendar Upcoming Events Submit an Event Promote Your Event Place an Ad Media Kit Sponsored Content Public Notices / Legals Contact E-edition Login Subscribe Contact Us Search NewsPaper Your Local News Leader 72.2 F Watsonville August 23, 2026 E-edition Login Subscribe Contact Us Have an Article Idea? Advertise Facebook Instagram Pajaronian Your Local News Leader News Featured Local News Crime, Fire & Courts Business Letter to the Editor or Article Idea A&E From our Archives Travel Photo Galleries Community Focus on Agriculture Sports High School Sports Cabrillo SC Warriors Youth Sports Cover 3 Podcast Submit Scores Opinion Submit a Letter Letters to the Editor Best Of PV Best of Ballot Best Of Family & Pets Best Of Food & Drink Best Of Fun Best Of Health & Beauty Best Of Home Best Of Services Best Of Shopping Obituaries Current Obituaries Archived Obituaries Submit an Obituary What to Include in Your Pajaronian Obituary Obituaries Calendar Upcoming Events Submit an Event Promote Your Event Place an Ad Media Kit Sponsored Content Public Notices / Legals Contact Search Article Search News Local News Credit: Alfredo Villanueva At least one person was detained in Watsonville on Sunday morning by armed men who appeared to be U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, according to community members who posted video on social media. The video appeared to show an unidentified man being handcuffed by a person wearing a jacket labeled “Police” and “ICE.” It was not clear Sunday night where the man was taken or whether he was still in custody. Watsonville police did not respond requests for comment. Paulina Moreno, a volunteer with Your Allied Rapid Response for Santa Cruz County , said similar agents also visited other households, but residents did not open their doors. That is exactly what they should do, Moreno said. “We’re reminding people about their constitutional rights not to open the door, to remain silent and not to share any additional information with law enforcement,” Moreno said. The group, known as YARR, has about 200 members. Its website says its mission is “to use our bodies, tactics and resources to document, resist and prevent actions by ICE or other oppressive forces that would harm our fellow human beings.” Santa Cruz County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez, whose district includes portions of Watsonville, said he went to the area where the detention took place—a small alley between Martinelli’s and Catz Paws across from the Henry J. Mello Center on East Beach Street—but the agents had already left. “Our community does not welcome enforcement actions that intimidate families or target non-violent residents, and if ICE operates here, it should be limited to individuals who pose a real threat to public safety,” Hernandez said. “Everyone, regardless of status, has rights, including the right to remain silent and to request a judge-signed warrant.” Moreno said volunteers were unable to locate the vehicles. RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR Royal Oaks couple to pay $800K in unlawful housing, tax evasion case Two vying for PVUSD Trustee Area 5 seat PVUSD looks ahead to new school year 32 COMMENTS People that are in the US legally have no reason to be afraid. Not cooperating with law enforcement is wrong and should not be encouraged by the leaders of our communities, counties and state. Legal immigrants should be be welcomed, but illegals should be departed and encouraged to do it the right way. Also, anyone that threatens to kill ICE agents or any law enforcement officer should be arrested and jailed. Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> They arrested a criminal and you are upset? Get help for your TDS and grab a bible while you are at it. Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> Where in the article does it say the person arrested was a criminal? Get some help for your Trump Devotion Syndrome. Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> where are you located? Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> you and I don’t know anything about the person taken away or if he was a criminal. According to Department of Justice statistics, approximately 54% of these individuals have criminal records. Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> From Factually: ICE detention and arrest data from 2025 show a persistent pattern: a large majority of people in ICE custody have no criminal conviction — reported figures cluster around roughly 71–74% with no conviction in detention (e.g., 71% reported by Migration Policy and 73.6% reported by TRAC) [1] [2]. The administration and DHS present competing figures and framing, claiming their arrests largely target people with criminal convictions (DHS asserted 70% of arrests were of those “convicted or charged”), while multiple independent analyses and news outlets show the opposite picture for detainees overall. Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> Bunch of babies. Some of you are the very reason the city of Watsonville and the state of California went to crap. You are weak-minded individuals. Real Americans are cleaning up your mess again. Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> Your willingness to believe an authoritarian regime without question doesn’t make us weak-minded, it makes you naive and gullible. Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> BTW, right-wingers in the rest of the country think you’re a liberal just because you live in California. Shows you just how little your brethren-in-racism can think critically. Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> Thank you for posting data, but if logic could sway people like Srgio, they wouldn’t be conservatives to begin with. Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> The only thing that keeps us a democratic republic is the rule of law. When ice leaders ignore court rulings and you snatch people up while reporting to court order hearings and arrested. This promotes a already broken system. Senator Jim Lankford a conservative republican put forward a bi-partisian bill that both sides agreed was a good first step. Donny john threatened all the republican congress people during his campaign who supported this bill so he could use it as political weapon. Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> your laws are evil and deadly and only a sheep with zero self respect or self preservation instinct would follow them. Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> You people are a joke. The world is laughing at you. You are so brainwashed, you voted for a houseplant (Joe Biden) for president. You are a bunch of fools. Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> Trump has dementia. Nobody takes 3 cognitive tests in one year unless their doctor is concerned. Why do you base your personality on liking a politician? Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> I’m glad ICE is in Watsonville, get the illegals out of here, send them packing, now are schools and hospitals won’t be so overwhelmed, thank you ICE Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> I’m glad ICE is Watsonville, get the illegals out of here, send them packing, now are schools and hospitals won’t be so overwhelmed, thank you ICE Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> When I see You out in the field picking veggies in the hot sun, I’ll give a little more credibility to what you have to say. Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> You should join ICE! I hear they’ll hire any old moron–you might have a shot! Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> @SV “right-wingers in the rest of the country think you’re a liberal just because you live in California.” The rest of the country thinks I’m an idiot for living in CA. Idiots and liberals are cut from the same cloth, so you are correct. Is entering the U.S. without authorization a federal offense? Feelings are not facts. All of you look really stupid. Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> Entering the U.S. without authorization is a misdemeanor. Misdemeanors do not rise to the level of use-of-force by law enforcement. Why don’t you leave CA? You’re clearly in a very hateful minority here. I’m sure some red state would love to have you. Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> Steve, we need to hear your voice of reason. I’m sure you can leave the NAMBLA meeting early Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> @SV You did not answer the question. Yes or no answer. I’ll try to help you. A misdemeanor is a crime, and your feelings won’t change that. By the way, I agree, “Misdemeanors do not rise to the level of use-of-force by law enforcement.” But those who committed the misdemeanor did so by resisting arrest. God Bless America! Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> Hopefully you’ll be able to leave soon so you can be miserable in another state. Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> Watsonville High just had a large walkout and ICE protest. I can’t wait to read your whiny baby take on that, Srgio. It’ll hit the paper soon. Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> @SV I’m glad to know I’m living in your head. By the way, half of those “children” who walked will later realize how stupid it was. They are brainwashed, as you are. Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> @Srgio Your ignorance is evident in your responses. You rely heavily on standard MAGA talking points and fail to provide any perspective beyond what you’ve already absorbed. That lack of critical thinking is both laughable and concerning. Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> @NaiveLady, since you want to get in the conversation. Let’s see if you can use your brain and not your feelings. Is entering the U.S. without authorization a federal offense? True or False. Do facts bother you? Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> Any One Saying to lau down liberty at the Feet of the Federal Government. You are not only a coward. Indeed you are a Traitor to the United States of America. You are an insult to the fallen. You are an embarrassment to your blood line. Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> Any One Saying to lay down liberty at the Feet of the Federal Government. You are not only a coward. Indeed you are a Traitor to the United States of America. You are an insult to the fallen. You are an embarrassment to your blood line. Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> Any One Saying to lay down liberty at the Feet of the Federal Government. You are not only a coward. Indeed you are a Traitor to the United States of America. You are an insult to the fallen. You are an embarrassment to your blood line. I am in a movie theater and I didn’t notice the typo because I had to pass popcorn. Regardless. As Americans we have to stand up against our government always! Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> This country only has freedom because once upon a time someone fought fir it. AnyOne Saying to lay down liberty at the Feet of the Federal Government. You are not only a coward. Indeed you are a Traitor to the United States of America. You are an insult to the fallen. You are an embarrassment to your blood line. I am in a movie theater and I didn’t notice the typo because I had to pass popcorn. Regardless. As Americans we have to stand up against our government always! Please sign me up for the newsletter - No Reply --> Hold the Phone you don’t get that this is a massive set up to steal your 2A rights away from you right? Please God tell me you understand its not about immigrants? Please sign me up for the newsletter - Yes Reply --> LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply Please enter your comment! Please enter your name here You have entered an incorrect email address! Please enter your email address here Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Please sign me up for the newsletter Yes No 9,908 Fans Like 5,476 Followers Follow 2,895 Followers Follow Watsonville High hires two new head coaches to fill vacated positions August 21, 2026 Watsonville High last week named Max Gonzales and Austin Luigard the new head coaches for the baseball and boys basketball teams, respectively. Gonzales replaced current... Climate change turns lethal August 20, 2026 Big Sur Timber Fire 27% contained August 20, 2026 Royal Oaks couple to pay $800K in unlawful housing, tax evasion... 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