Perris Mayor Tells Residents to Stay Home Amid ICE Sweep

Perris Mayor Michael Vargas on Thursday urged the Southern California city’s roughly 80,000 residents to remain indoors and “not open the door to strangers” while federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents carry out operations in the area. The recorded message, released 10 July, marks an unusual citywide alert in response to an ongoing immigration enforcement action. ICE has not publicly detailed the scope or targets of the sweep, and the agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The mayor offered no timeline for when the advisory would be lifted but said normal municipal services, including emergency response, remain available. California sanctuary policies limit the degree to which local authorities can assist federal immigration agents, but they do not bar ICE from operating independently within the state.