Homeland Security vehicle at the Social Security Administration causes panic in Salinas.

A Thursday morning in Salinas turned sour for Fresh Express workers on Blanco Road after a vehicle outfitted with the Department of Homeland Security logo parked outside the neighboring Social Security Administration created panic and confusion among workers and SSA visitors, fearing that an immigration crackdown was underway. 

Norberto Villa Guzman, a janitorial worker at Fresh Express who spoke to the Weekly when his shift ended at 12pm, says in the four months he’s worked there he's never seen the vehicle before, and notes one of his coworkers reportedly spotted the vehicle before 9am.

“Immigration is there,” he says in Spanish, looking at the SSA building and noting the car has been in the parking lot for about three hours. “It shouldn't be.” 

Rumors swirled that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were on the premises and workers were locked in the Fresh Express building. 

“They [ICE] didn’t take anyone,” Villa Guzman says, noting they would have been notified if that were the case. He also says during his shift they were able to get in and out of the building as usual.  

Efrain Aguilera, United Food and Commercial Workers' agricultural director in Salinas, confirmed there was a Homeland Security vehicle in the SSA parking lot but it wasn’t related to Fresh Express.

“I’m currently here at Fresh Express and I can tell you that whatever Homeland Security is doing it has nothing to do with Fresh Express,” Aguilera says. 

The words "Federal Protective Service" and "police" with large blue letters were also affixed to the car. 

ICE and FPS are both part of the Department of Homeland Security but have different tasks. ICE enforces immigration laws while FPS provides security for federal buildings. 

Ramiro Medrano, a community member who runs Migra Watch Costa Central on Facebook, says sometimes FPS aids ICE in its operations.