It was barely 7:45 in the morning on a Thursday in July when things went south at the Home Depot on Florin Road. You know the one—right near Highway 99 in South Sacramento. One minute, day laborers are just standing around, maybe grabbin’ a coffee, hoping for a construction gig. The next? Masked men in green vests are swarming the parking lot. People are running. Someone gets maced. It’s chaos.
By the time the dust settled on July 17, 2025, federal agents had scooped up at least 11 people. But the Sacramento Home Depot immigration raid arrests didn't just end with people in zip ties. It sparked a massive legal fight, a bunch of 911 calls from confused local cops, and a serious question about whether the feds are actually following the law in California.
The Morning the Florin Road Parking Lot Turned Into a Scene From a Movie
Honestly, the way it went down was pretty wild. Witnesses saw unmarked Chevy trucks pull up and agents—who looked more like soldiers than typical police—jump out and start corralling anyone who looked like they were looking for work.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office actually got a 911 call at 7:47 a.m. about "masked, armed men" in the parking lot. Imagine being a regular shopper and seeing that. The deputies showed up, but the feds had already cleared out. It turns out, Border Patrol didn’t even tell local law enforcement they were coming until the raid was basically over.
Who was actually caught?
The numbers from the government fluctuated a bit, but they eventually settled on 11 arrests. Gregory Bovino, the El Centro Sector Chief for Border Patrol, was pretty vocal about it. He even posted an Instagram reel about the operation while standing in front of the State Capitol.
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- Javier Dimas-Alcantara: The feds really leaned into this name. They called him a "dangerous serial drug abuser" and claimed he’d been booked into jail 67 times since the 80s.
- Carlos Mata: Agents say he ran away, broke into an apartment, and assaulted someone before they caught him.
- The Aggravated Felons: Border Patrol claimed three of the 11 had felony convictions, including stuff like child molestation and fentanyl trafficking.
- The "Others": This is where it gets messy. About 44% of people caught in these kinds of California sweeps during 2025 were just there for immigration violations—no criminal record at all.
The U.S. Citizen Who Got Caught in the Crossfire
This is the part that really fired people up. Jose Castillo Jr., a volunteer for a support group called NorCal Resist, was there filming the arrests. His wife, Andrea, was screaming that he’s a U.S. citizen. Didn't matter.
Video showed agents macing him and taking him into custody. The Border Patrol later claimed he slashed one of their tires. His family says he was just trying to document what was happening. It’s a perfect example of how these high-tension "roving patrols" can go sideways fast. If you're a citizen with a REAL ID and you're still getting tackled, something is definitely tense in the system.
Is This Even Legal in a Sanctuary City?
Sacramento has been a sanctuary city for like 40 years. Mayor Kevin McCarty and Governor Gavin Newsom both came out swinging, calling the raid "immoral" and "deeply concerning." But here’s the kicker: the "100-mile zone."
Basically, even though Sacramento is way more than 100 miles from the actual border, federal agents argue they have the authority to do these warrantless stops in a huge chunk of the U.S.
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The ACLU is Pissed
The ACLU and United Farm Workers (UFW) actually filed a motion saying the Border Patrol broke a court order. See, a judge had already told them to stop these kinds of warrantless "Operation Return to Sender" raids in the Central Valley back in April 2025.
When the ACLU looked at the arrest reports (the I-213 forms), they found some pretty sketchy stuff:
- Boilerplate Language: Almost every report said the person "fled from agents," which the feds use as "reasonable suspicion."
- Placeholder X's: Some reports didn't even have names or locations—just an "X" where the details should be.
- Racial Profiling: The lawsuit argues that agents are basically just stopping people because they look Latino or are wearing "work clothes" at Home Depot.
What it Feels Like on the Ground Now
If you go to that Home Depot today, it’s different. Rayo, a produce vendor who works right there, told reporters he’s terrified. He still shows up because he needs the money, but the "vibe" is gone. Day laborers who used to hang out are mostly hiding.
It’s not just Sacramento, either. These raids are part of a bigger surge. In the first nine months of 2025, ICE and Border Patrol averaged over 1,500 deportations a month in California alone. Stephen Miller, the heavy hitter in the administration, reportedly told officers to up their "arrest quotas."
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Actionable Steps If You’re Worried About Local Raids
Look, whether you support these operations or hate them, knowing the rules helps keep things from turning into a riot.
- Know Your Rights: If you’re filming, stay back. You have a right to record in public, but if you get too close, they’ll peg you for "impeding a federal officer," which is exactly what happened to Jose Castillo.
- Watch for "Roving Patrols": These aren't just at Home Depot. They’ve been popping up at courthouses and even near schools.
- Check Local Support: Groups like NorCal Resist or the Sacramento FUEL Network are the ones usually tracking these things in real-time. They have "Migra Watch" volunteers who try to provide legal help immediately.
- The 100-Mile Rule: Be aware that the feds claim broad powers within this zone. It’s currently being challenged in court, but for now, it’s the reality they’re operating under.
The Sacramento Home Depot immigration raid arrests weren't a one-off. They’re a blueprint for how federal enforcement is working in 2026—fast, masked, and often ignoring local sanctuary laws. Whether the courts will eventually pull the plug on these "roving patrols" is the next big chapter.
To stay informed on local enforcement updates, you should regularly monitor the Sacramento County Sheriff's public bulletins and the ACLU of Northern California’s legal filings regarding the Eastern District court orders. If you witness an enforcement action, documenting it from a safe distance without interfering is the most effective way to provide evidence for future legal challenges.