Rob Fuentes, a centrist Democrat running for a seat on the Fresno City Council, has sparked controversy with his stance on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Fuentes, who works as a federal prosecutor, has argued on behalf of ICE in at least 124 Trump administration immigration cases. However, he also claims to support abolishing the agency, citing its alleged unlawful and unhinged practices.

Fuentes’ Professional and Campaign Life

Fuentes was hired by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Fresno in the summer of 2023, primarily working on civil rights and white collar fraud cases. He maintains that his work as a prosecutor does not contradict his campaign stance, as he believes he can still have a positive impact and help reduce harm. Fuentes has also worked on immigration cases from the other side, representing unaccompanied minors free of charge when he was in private practice.

George Rios, a Fresno-based immigration attorney, has questioned Fuentes’ contradictory positions. Rios pointed out that Fuentes has been one of the prosecutors in a case defending the warden of an ICE detention facility, which involves a father of three U.S. citizen children who has been detained since September 2025.

Abolishing ICE and Harm Reduction

Fuentes defended his record, stating that he has always remained consistent in his actions and policy views, which are grounded in the law. He argued that ICE has become an unlawful and unhinged organization and that he thinks it should be abolished. Fuentes also claimed that, in cases where he believes an immigrant is being unlawfully detained, he is very forthright with the courts.

The city council candidate recently finished a close second place in the June 2 primary election for the District 1 seat on the Fresno City Council. Fuentes will now face Naindeep Singh in a runoff to fill the seat currently occupied by Councilmember Annalisa Perea, who has endorsed Fuentes.

Original reporting: Fresnoland — read the source article.