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Updated Friday, March 28 — A Kerman farmworker who says immigration agents broke his car window and detained him Thursday is now dealing with a second blow: someone stole his tools while his car sat in a Walmart parking lot during the hours he was in custody.
Prudencio Rivera, a father of two from Mexico, says he had just finished a shift at Pitman Farms when agents pulled him over. He presented his five-year work permit, but officers said a deportation order existed against him. The encounter escalated quickly: Rivera says agents broke his car window and put him in handcuffs.
Cellphone video obtained by FOX26 shows part of the roadside confrontation. Rivera was taken to an immigration office in Fresno, where he says officials checked his paperwork and released him four to five hours later.
By then, his vehicle had been left in the parking lot of a Walmart in Kerman. When Rivera returned, a toolbox, drills and other work equipment were missing. He told FOX26 on Friday that he had gotten his car back but had received no offer to pay for the broken window or the stolen gear.
Rivera is considering legal action. Supporters have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover costs related to the incident. FOX26 has reviewed photos of the vehicle damage and documentation showing Rivera's work authorization status.
ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for an explanation of why Rivera was detained and then released. The lack of an answer leaves an unresolved question: whether the alleged deportation order was real, outdated or invalid.
Legal experts who work with farmworkers in California's Central Valley point out that a valid employment authorization document does not automatically protect someone from detention if federal records show a removal order. At the same time, when an order fails to hold up after review, the detention and any resulting property loss can become the basis for a claim against the government.
For now, Rivera is focused on practical needs: repairing the car window and replacing the tools he relies on for farm work. But he also wants answers. As he considers whether to file a formal claim, the case is drawing attention from immigrant advocates in the region.
The episode underscores fears that already exist in agricultural communities across Fresno County, where many workers hold legal status or have pending cases. Incidents like this one can deepen mistrust between immigrant workers and federal authorities, even when paperwork appears valid.
Whether Rivera eventually sues depends on how quickly federal officials respond and what documentation surfaces. Until then, his experience is a reminder that a routine stop can still escalate into a costly, frightening ordeal.
