A popular outdoor flea market in California was left empty after a false rumor about an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid was spread by a Fresno city councilmember and spun out of control online — ruining the weekend for many vendors who rely on the market for income.
Fresno Councilmember Miguel Arias warned of an impending ICE raid at the Cherry Avenue Auction, which typically draws thousands of locals each weekend, during a council meeting on Thursday.
“We have learned that this weekend, ICE is planning to engage in a massive immigration raid at the Cherry Auction in Fresno. So, I would advise our immigrant community to stay away from the Cherry Auction this weekend, as they could be putting themselves and their families at risk of being picked up,” Arias said.
The warning was enough to put many residents of Fresno and Easton, the community that hosts the market, on high alert.
Many heard Arias’ warnings repeated on TikTok, and one man stood about a block from the market over the weekend holding a sign reading “La migra está en el remate,” or “immigration is at the auction” in English, The Fresno Bee reported.
Even so, the Cherry Avenue Auction insisted that it had “no knowledge of any planned ICE raid” and had “not been notified of any such action.”
“We are also aware of recent public comments by Councilmember Miguel Arias, claiming to have knowledge of an ICE raid at our location. Since Cherry Avenue Auction is located within Fresno County jurisdiction — not the city of Fresno — we find it puzzling and offensive that a city councilmember would claim to possess such information,” the auction wrote in a statement.
Many vendors were disappointed by the small turnout at the usually packed swap meet and struggled to fathom how they would supplement the lost earnings as the market drew to a close.
“I don’t see the way I’m going to make any money out here today. This is my main source of income and today is one of the most important days of the week for me, so it’s really affecting me,” Robert Brambila, who has sold outdoor work gear at the market for three decades, told The Bee.
Other vendors echoed Brambila’s sentiments — and struggled to understand Arias’ decision-making.
“If Arias just spread a rumor, he caused people to lose a lot of money today. He scared a lot of Mexicans away,” Devon Solis, a vendor who sells plants and clothing with her family, told The Bee.
In the wake of the market’s washout weekend, Arias surmised that the ICE raid didn’t take place because of the immigrant community “exercising precaution” following his warnings.
“Please continue sharing ICE activity taking place in your area, as it has become the best way to keep each other safe during President Trump’s cruel ICE raids,” Arias wrote on Facebook.
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