Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin was on the ground Thursday morning in Sacramento, California, during a high-profile Border Patrol enforcement action — one that quickly escalated into chaos and controversy.
Melugin, who was embedded with Border Patrol agents for the operation, reported that they arrived at a Home Depot location after two days of surveillance. Upon arrival, several individuals identified as suspected illegal immigrants fled in multiple directions. Agents apprehended approximately 10 individuals at the site.
EXCLUSIVE: We joined Border Patrol as they carried out immigration enforcement in Sacramento this morning. Suspected illegal immigrants scattered as soon as agents pulled into a Home Depot, leading to foot pursuits. BP tells us they surveilled the location & ran plates for two… pic.twitter.com/hfrWY2wFJL
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) July 17, 2025
According to Border Patrol officials, license plate scans and background checks in the days leading up to the operation revealed that some of the suspects had previously been deported, and at least one individual taken into custody was identified as a convicted felon with a prior fentanyl trafficking conviction.
One arrest turned violent when a man allegedly slashed the tire of a federal vehicle and appeared to assault an agent. He was chased down, tackled, and ultimately maced before being taken into custody. His wife reportedly claimed he was a U.S. citizen, but ICE confirmed that such claims do not prevent arrest when a crime has been committed. Photos showed a visibly damaged tire, with the vehicle later forced to drive out on its metal rim.
BREAKING: We just rode along w/ Border Patrol as they conducted immigration enforcement in Sacramento, the capitol of the sanctuary state of California. Upon arrival at a Home Depot, suspected illegal aliens took off running in all directions. 10+ arrested. BP tells us records… pic.twitter.com/hI9fkpqWqk
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) July 17, 2025
While Melugin rode with one tactical unit, additional Border Patrol teams executed simultaneous operations elsewhere in the city. Chief Gregory Bovino of the U.S. Border Patrol’s El Centro Sector confirmed to Fox News that this was the northernmost enforcement action taken by his sector during the second Trump administration.
“There is no sanctuary from our enforcement efforts,” Bovino told Melugin. “We’re sending a message: the federal government can and will operate anywhere in California — even in sanctuary cities.”
Photos of the slashed tire on the federal vehicle: pic.twitter.com/FXNAizJxh8
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) July 17, 2025
This marks a significant escalation in federal immigration enforcement in California, a state that has openly defied federal efforts through sanctuary policies and legal resistance to ICE operations. Sacramento, like many California cities, has declared itself a “sanctuary city,” restricting local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office swiftly condemned the operation, accusing Border Patrol of circumventing legal restrictions imposed in Los Angeles.
Statement to @FoxNews via Governor @GavinNewsom office:
“Trying to escape a court order stopping their reprehensible and illegal racial profiling and illegal arrests in L.A., Border Patrol came to Sacramento to spread more of their chaos and fear. They should go do their jobs –…
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) July 17, 2025
“Trying to escape a court order stopping their reprehensible and illegal racial profiling and illegal arrests in L.A., Border Patrol came to Sacramento to spread more of their chaos and fear,” the statement read. “They should go do their jobs — at the border.”
But under U.S. law, Border Patrol has enforcement jurisdiction within 100 miles of any U.S. border — a range that includes much of California’s interior, including Sacramento.
