Free Towing and Food Aid Surge as Fresno Residents Fill Gaps Left by ICE Raids

Ramiro Basurto loses up to $700 in revenue every time he tows a vehicle abandoned by a driver detained by federal immigration agents. Diesel prices in the region currently stand at $8.49 per gallon, a cost he absorbs along with his own labor. Despite these financial hits, the owner of Buena Vista Towing offers free service to anyone detained during the current enforcement sweep in California’s Central Valley.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency began this 45-day operation on October 5. It spans much of California and coincides with the run-up to midterm elections. More than 100 people have been detained so far, including farmworkers, gardeners, and construction laborers. Most of those arrested under President Trump’s second administration have no criminal record, according to available data.

Unofficial estimates indicate that undocumented residents make up 12% of Fresno County’s population, roughly 124,000 people. As fear spreads, neighbors have organized to support those who avoid public spaces. In Kerman, a town 15 miles west of Fresno, Alvarado, a tamale seller, coordinated the preparation of 500 meals consisting of chicken, rice, beans, and corn tortillas for residents who are not eating. She plans a larger delivery for October 20 to reach families too afraid to leave their homes for work or shopping.

Gus Gutiérrez, a Fresno coach with 44,000 Facebook followers, tracks verified ICE activity to warn his community. His posts link to food banks and legal aid groups, accumulating over 11 million visits. Gutiérrez, who lived without legal status for 25 years, drives as far as Visalia, Stockton, Reedley, and Mendota to relay information about unmarked vehicles or fundraising campaigns. He notes that the community has filled a void left by local and state officials, who have been slow to act or speak.

Other residents have stepped in with specific tasks. A Fresno housewife buys groceries and picks up children from school for parents who stay home. A small market owner in Madera provides free delivery and keeps agents away from the entrance. María Pacheco, the mayor of Kerman, recently persuaded ICE agents to leave her city, a move that went viral on social media.

Basurto founded his towing company in 2019, naming it after his home state of Guerrero, Mexico. He often allows customers to pay later, a practice his father used in his small shop. Last weekend, he bought 40 dozen eggs at a Fresno Costco and gave them away. One of his sons had to return to another job due to lower business activity, but Basurto continues to tow up to four vehicles daily for free. He waits for calls in a fast-food parking lot in downtown Fresno, where friends occasionally chip in for fuel.

Organizations including Centro La Familia, Faith in the Valley, the United Farm Workers Foundation, and the Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative provide legal and food assistance. Alvarado, who arrived in Kerman in 2022 and works legally, still fears being stopped by agents. She recalls raising $10,000 two years ago by selling 4,000 tamales to support families of seven farmworkers killed in a car accident. For now, the focus remains on immediate needs, from fueling tow trucks to filling empty plates.