No ICE raids at Fresno’s Cherry Auction as shoppers and vendors skip the typically popular market

A typical Saturday at Fresno’s beloved Cherry Avenue Auction is alive with the smell of street food and rows of vendors selling everything from fresh fruit to power tools. But this weekend, the market was unusually quiet.

Fresnoland spoke to several vendors: some chose to stay for the day, and others came only to pack up the booths they had set up earlier in the week. All said the auction typically hosts around 500 vendors. On this day, however, about 50 to 75 vendors showed up. 

The abrupt drop off comes after Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias urged the city’s immigrant community to “stay away from the Cherry Auction this weekend,” saying ICE agents were planning a “massive immigration raid” at the popular outdoor market. 

Arias did not provide evidence supporting the claim and received criticism from many, including Cherry Auction organizers. In an interview with Fresnoland early Saturday, Arias said that he understands that ICE changed their plans after his warning. He again declined to comment on the source of his information.

“We are simply all trying to help the most vulnerable,” said Arias. “I think all our local leaders are at some point going to face the same decision point that I had to. You give people as much notice and hope that as a result, they don’t execute their plans, or do you stay silent and express your frustration on social media after the fact? And I’m not choosing the latter.”

Cherry Auction staff declined to comment.

The warning kept many away and the mood Saturday among the few scattered vendors was a mix of fear, frustration and defiance.

For other vendors like Esteban Nunez, who runs a roasted peanut business, being at the auction is about survival.

“I don’t know if the ICE warning is true or not, but if they come, fuck it,” Nunez said. “Let them try to deport me—I have a passport, and I’ll just come back to the U.S. eventually.”

Nunez described the ICE warnings around Fresno as tactics meant to spread fear and intimidation. He hopes that by simply being there and staying out of trouble, he can stay safe.

All the vendors Fresnoland spoke with are documented U.S. citizens and said it appeared that the vendors who were absent were mostly those without legal documentation.

Leticia Gutierrez, a longtime vendor who sells crosses, Virgin Mary pendants, bracelets, and necklaces with her family, said she considered staying—if more customers and vendors had shown up. But with the market nearly empty, she decided to pack up and leave.

Gutierrez, who was born in Jalisco, shared that she was detained by ICE in Fresno in 2004 and separated from her four children for nearly a year in Tijuana. During that time, she lost her home and everything she had.

“I thank God I was able to reunite with my children—because without Him, who knows where I’d be,” Gutierrez said. “I fought hard to be with them again. I don’t understand why that happened to me. I’m not a criminal—I’ve always worked hard and kept to myself.”

Gutierrez, now a U.S. resident, said her only desire is to live peacefully in this country, protect her children, and make it through each day.

Many vendors and customers showed up at the auction to document whether any ICE operations took place. Some walked around recording videos for social media, while others stayed in their cars parked nearby. Those Fresnoland spoke with said they weren’t sure if the warning was true but wanted to see for themselves.

In an email to Fresnoland, an ICE spokesperson declined to comment on whether public disclosures like Arias’ could affect ICE operations or raise safety concerns for agents or community members.

“To ensure the safety of our personnel, ICE does not confirm or discuss the specific movements of its officers or agents,” the statement reads. The statement stated that ICE arrests immigrants who “commit crimes, as well as other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws.”

In a June 12 post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump pledged to revise his immigration enforcement plans to protect migrant farmworkers and hotel employees, including a proposal to sign an executive order.

Central Valley tensions rise amid reports of ICE activity and protests

The ICE warning and reported re-shifting of federal priorities comes amid reports of activity in agricultural regions across the Central Valley, including farm fields and packinghouses in counties like Tulare, Fresno, and Ventura.

Hundreds in Fresno joined national immigration protests as political tensions continue to rise across California earlier this week. Two local demonstrations were also planned Saturday as part of the nationwide “No Kings Day” movement.

Small groups of community members arrived at the auction as early as 5 a.m., holding signs to warn passing drivers about a possible ICE presence. These groups spread out across every street corner and rotated regularly throughout the day.

Two community members—a mother and daughter who chose not to share their names out of fear of retaliation—said they had planned to attend the No Kings rally and protest, but stopped by the auction first to witness and document any potential ICE presence.

“If we don’t have democracy,” said the mother, “then we’re all fucked.”

Arias’ controversial remarks drew sharp criticism online from the swap meet organizers. In response to Arias’ warning, the auction posted on Instagram and Facebook stories, stating they had “no knowledge of any planned ICE raid at our facility” and have “not been notified of any such action.”

The post continues to say they are concerned that Arias “may be willfully interfering in a federal action involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” and they find his remarks regarding the knowledge of possible raids “puzzling and offensive,” since the Cherry Auction is located within Fresno County and not in the City of Fresno. 

“We encourage our loyal customers to continue enjoying the vibrant experience of our open-air market. We urge the community not to be swayed by fear or misinformation being circulated through various channels,” Cherry Avenue Auction wrote.

Arias on Saturday slammed the market owners.

Arias said that the Central Valley is “filled with hypocrites who benefit from undocumented workers and customers, while donating to an administration that is intentionally engaging in mass deportations.”

“The further this proceeds, the more educated and informed the public and Latinos will become about who is benefiting financially from their efforts,” said Arias. “While also putting their families at risk through their political contributions and their decisions about who they elected president.” 

The Cherry Auction is co-owned and operated by Mitch and Neil Burson. Neil Burson has previously donated to Republican candidates and political action committees, including support for Trump and Elizabeth Heng, through various organizations—including the Cherry Auction. Burson could not immediately be reached for comment Saturday.

Arias said he looks forward to the day when there’s a mass public list of businesses who have “benefited from undocumented workers on a daily basis and have donated to the Trump administration, because then those individuals are going to feel the economic power of the Latino community.”

The owners of Cherry Auction have not responded to multiple requests for comment. Fresnoland visited the auction’s office to ask whether the ICE warning would affect operations and what safety precautions, if any, were in place. A staff member said they had no comment.

The auction also drew public criticism on social media for encouraging people to attend the open-air market on Saturday, despite concerns about a possible ICE presence. Community members shared their concerns with San Joaquin Valley Resistance, the grassroots network behind the Cary Park “No Kings” protest, according to Instagram stories, that they believe the auction’s recent posts are tied to its ownership’s political party.