'Stay indoors.' ICE reports lead California mayor to issue warning to residents

Daniella Segura, The Charlotte Observer on Jul 10, 2025

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A Southern California mayor urged residents to stay indoors amid reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.

In a brief 28-second video shared to the city of Perris’ Facebook and Instagram accounts on July 9, Mayor Michael Vargas tells residents city officials have received “reports of ongoing ICE operations within the area,” The Press-Enterprise first reported.

“We urge all residents to remain calm, stay indoors when possible, and know your rights,” Vargas says in the video. “Do not go out unless necessary. Stay at home and do not open the door to strangers.”

ICE did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment on July 10.

In a separate video, Vargas also relayed the same message to residents in Spanish.

“This message is for awareness and safety. The city is committed to protecting the dignity and well-being of all our residents. Please stay safe and continue to monitor official city communications,” Vargas says at the conclusion of his message.

While Facebook users who commented on the video were generally supportive of Vargas, some were critical, saying he is “encouraging people to break laws.”

In a joint statement to McClatchy News on July 10, Perris council members Marisela Nava and Malcolm Corona said they were “deeply disturbed and disappointed with the actions and manner of the federal agents conducting their raids in our community.”

“Having masked individuals who are not identifying themselves, accosting and intimidating our community, does not make our residents feel safer,” the council members said, adding that their actions go “beyond the original stated intentions of going after violent criminals as we are now seeing actions targeted at those with no criminal past.”

The council members go on to say legal residents “are being harassed … based on how they look, speak, or their occupation.”

“Everyone should feel safe in their own communities, and no one should be accosted and harassed based on racial profiling,” the council members said.

As of July 2024, Perris was predominantly Latino, with nearly 80% of its about 80,000 residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Vargas’ message comes at the heels of Bishop Alberto Rojas of the Diocese of San Bernardino’s issuing a dispensation, saying parishioners in fear of ICE activity may miss Sunday Mass, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“Authorities are now seizing brothers and sisters indiscriminately, without respect for their right to due process and their dignity as children of God,” Bishop Rojas said in a June 23 statement.

The Trump administration has deported an average of 14,700 people per month since February, per NBC News.

As of June 29, 71.7% of those detained have no criminal convictions, according to Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a nonpartisan data organization. California has the fourth-most detainees behind Texas, Louisiana and Arizona.

Perris is in Riverside County, about a 70-mile drive southeast from Los Angeles.

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