Immigration

California Lawmaker Allegedly Followed, Tried To Block Car Of Random Man She Thought Was ICE

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Mayor Maria Pacheco of Kerman, California, was alleged to have followed and harassed a random man on Wednesday because she mistakenly thought he was an ICE agent.

Fresno resident Eric Bridges accused Pacheco, who is listed as “non-affiliated” but was endorsed by Democrats, of pursuing him for 25 minutes to his sister’s house because she thought he was an ICE agent, GV Wire reported. Bridges detailed the encounter in a TikTok video and filed a formal complaint on Monday.

“I am not, nor have I ever been, an employee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the Department of Homeland Security,” Bridges, who says that he is a hairstylist, claimed in his formal complaint.

While driving to his sister’s house, Bridges noticed an orange car following him closely and taking pictures of his vehicle, the complaint alleged. Concerned by the orange car’s behavior, Bridges parked near a park when the orange vehicle then proceeded to block him into his parking spot, the complaint continued. After being encircled and photographed, Bridges drove away, and the orange car followed him all the way to his sister’s house.

Following a verbal confrontation where the driver accused Bridges of “looking like ICE,” Bridges started filming the encounter; the driver then flipped Bridges off and drove away. Bridges reviewed his footage and realized Pacheco was driving the orange car, his complaint read.

Bridges claimed to have received threats from people who now suspect he is an ICE agent, Fox 26 News reported.

“Don’t worry about who I am, I’m someone important […] I’m looking for ICE, and you look like ICE,” Pacheco allegedly told Bridges according to his complaint. Pacheco did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

Pacheco had previously filmed herself confronting individuals she had identified as ICE agents, Fox 26 News reported.

“I am deeply concerned Ms. Pacheco sought to represent herself as some kind of law enforcement officer when she is, in fact, a politician with no police powers,” Bridges said.

This incident followed other Democrat politicians calling for noncooperation with ICE and the nearly 700% increase in assaults on ICE officers since 2024. “Do not rent your property to ICE. Do not lend it to them,” Democratic New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement to garage and parking lot owners Friday, City Limits reported. “Tell them they are not welcome.”