SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Rampant misinformation about immigration enforcement operations in California has caused panic among undocumented communities and frustration from advocates.

Most reports and sightings began circulating online last week after a three-day operation in Kern County by U.S. Border Patrol agents. Then, a social media comment indicated expanding enforcement in Fresno and Sacramento. In the days following, online posts falsely claimed federal immigration agents were conducting more sweeps in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Valley.

“It’s causing immediate panic with folks when they might not necessarily need to be panicked,” said Autumn Gonzalez, an organizer with NorCal Resist.

The Kern County enforcement, which led to 78 arrests, remains the only confirmed large-scale operation in California over the last week. U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which are charged with enforcing immigration law, did not respond to requests for comment.

ICE had no involvement in the Kern County operation, and a spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times that no large-scale enforcement operations are taking place in Southern California.

The Sacramento Police Department and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said Friday they are unaware of planned immigration operations in the city.

Local immigrant rights advocates said the recent erroneous online posts, while likely trying to help, spread unnecessary fear. They encouraged people to verify the alleged immigration enforcement related activity before sharing it.

In Sacramento, community leaders received multiple calls about immigration enforcement last Friday on Florin Road and Franklin Boulevard. None of the reports proved to be true.

Some false sightings of immigration enforcement were actually local police or private security, including a report last week in Sacramento. Fatima Garcia, a local organizer, said she received two calls from undocumented workers who mistook immigration enforcement with a security vehicle near a Home Depot.

“This fear is real and so they might have been confused,” Garcia said.

Similar false reports have occurred in other parts of the state.

In Los Angeles, a social media hoax spread rumors of immigration checkpoints and raids at a supermarket chain. Another false report of an immigration raid in East San Jose caused further panic.

Clinica Sierra Vista, a Central Valley-based health care organization, faced rumors of upcoming immigration enforcement at its clinics in Fresno. The organization has since addressed the false reports but still does not know where they originated from.

“I assume this is just false information that’s being spread,” said Olga Meave, CEO of Clinica Sierra Vista. “For what reason, I don’t know. It’s just cruel.”

The statewide online misinformation comes in the lead-up to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. He has promised to conduct the largest mass deportation effort in American history and signaled that his administration will target California and its sanctuary cities.

Still, Gonzalez said it’s crucial to share verified information about immigration enforcement. If not, she said, people may lose trust in the reliable resources and warnings.

“People are going to kind of tune out at that point because they’ve gotten used to everything online being untrustworthy,” Gonzalez said.

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