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“There has been quite a bit of misinformation about immigration, specifically sightings of ICE agents in Fullerton, that have been spread by both the media, social media and word of mouth,” states Chief of Police Jonathan Radus.
Last month, the Fullerton Observer published an article indicating that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has made arrests in Fullerton. This was untrue, and The Observer has since issued a correction and update. However, this did not stop misleading information from spreading like wildfire.
Councilman Ahmad Zahra took to Instagram, insisting that there are “unverified reports of ICE activity in Fullerton.” “Cal State Fullerton also printed 10,000 ‘Know Your Rights’ cards to give out that tell students to “contact CSUF Police Department… if the officer does not leave.” There is also an Instagram post by the Fullerton Observer which is still live which wrongly claims “at least two (ICE) arrests have been reported,” including one “notable case [which] involved a couple being deported to Mexico, leaving their three children in Fullerton.”
Fullerton's Chief of Police Jonathan Radus has responded directly to these false reports. In an email sent to Fullerton City Councilmembers and City Staff, Radius stated that “there has been quite a bit of misinformation about immigration, specifically sightings of ICE agents in Fullerton, that have been spread by both the media, social media and word of mouth.”
“We have no record of ICE conducting any enforcement in Fullerton. We have contacted ICE to try to confirm the information presented by the Observer, and they too have no record conducting any enforcement in Fullerton,” said Radus. “I met with the Special Agent In Charge of Orange County ICE, and they reiterated they would notify us if they were operating in Fullerton. They also told us they are NOT doing operations at schools, churches and other sensitive areas, and they are currently only focused on Violent Criminals.”
The City of Fullerton’s website backs up Radus’ remarks and outlines that “any attempt to target non-criminals would jeopardize our ability to effectively protect our community. That means if you’re a DACA student working hard to earn a college degree at any of our schools or colleges, or an undocumented immigrant who is otherwise obeying the law, we are not going to go out of our way to pursue and detain you.”
Furthermore, Fullerton Police Department does not enforce Federal law such as immigration enforcement. Radus’ email clarifies that this responsibility falls to the federal government. “Also, in California, police departments are specifically not allowed to conduct immigration enforcement as a result of SB 54,” he states.
Though the original version of the article can no longer be accessed, it seems to have insinuated that an ICE arrest occurred at or near the Saint Philip Benizi parish in Fullerton. As such, Radius reached out to Father Dennis Kriz for more information to see if he could provide the name of the individual the Observer claimed was arrested.
“If we had his name, ICE could check their system to find if he was arrested, where he was arrested, and if he has any sort of violent criminal history,” said Radus. “As of this writing, we have not heard back from him.”
Radus states that he wanted to share this information with the Councilmembers so they have a better understanding of how the system works, and also to address the “communication gap” referenced in the Observer article.
The main focus of Fullerton’s Police Department is to ensure the safety of their community. Responding to unfounded concerns is a distraction and diverts valuable time from their pursuit of dangerous criminals.
Days after this email was sent, Councilwoman Shana Charles also took to Instagram to promote a “Know Your Rights 3 Part Workshop Series” hosted by the Fullerton School District. The event promises to help attendees “know and understand [their] rights regardless of immigration status.” Similarly, Ahmad’s Instagram post verifies the information provided by Radus but goes on to write “regardless, know your rights and learn more about immigration enforcement in Fullerton. Links in bio.”
There is perhaps an argument to be made that this constitutes a form of dishonesty—not because Ahmad and Charles are outright lying about false reports, but because this cultivates a culture of fear and distrust. No known arrests have occurred at this time, but public officials are using their platforms to posture and platitudinize as if ICE arrests are imminent. It’s a good example of why times feel so divisive and polarizing.
“ICE enforcement has been reported in various regions of LA and Orange Counties, including Macarthur Park, DTLA, Lincoln Heights, Boyle Heights, South Gate, Exposition Park, Pomona, Huntington Beach, Fullerton, and Garden Grove,” writes verified Twitter/X account Advancing Justice Southern California. “The Trump administration's unconscionable plan to remove millions of immigrants living throughout our nation continues to employ aggressive ICE enforcement tactics targeting our homes, our workplaces, and public spaces. Get prepared NOW, stay vigilant, and fight for your rights!”
As Winston Churchill famously said, “a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.”
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