Hundreds protest outside ICE building in San Francisco after arrests

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Hundreds of protestors took to the streets of San Francisco Wednesday afternoon to demand a stop to the recent deportation raids that have happened throughout Northern California.

Immigration Custom Enforcement officials detained more than 100 undocumented immigrants during a sweep the past few days.

More than 300 immigration right's activists let their voices be heard outside the ICE building in San Francisco, calling for an end to the raids.

"I'm undocumented, I'm fearful, that this country has affirmed the detention of immigrant folks is constitutional and that makes me fearful," said Sandy Valenciano, an organizer with California Youth Justice Alliance.

RELATED: ICE says arrest operations will continue

San Francisco's public defender Jeff Adachi says ICE is not granting his attorneys access to the detainees - hindering their due process. "We want to make sure they understand their legal rights, immigration laws are very complicated and it's critical that they have the right to talk to a lawyer," Adachi said.

The protests come just days after a series of ICE operations in the Bay Area that resulted in at least 150 arrests.

ICE contends the majority of those detained have criminal records.

"Although they have said they are raiding criminals and the violent, they are not," claims Victor Floyd, a minister with Metropolitan Community Church who was at today's rally. "It's regular people being torn away from children who need them."

RELATED: More than 150 ICE arrests confirmed across NorCal

S.F. Mayor Mark Ferrell says the agency can get the criminals off the streets without targeting innocent lives. "Despite the fact that we're a sanctuary state, if there's a criminal warrant, we will cooperate," Farrell said. "However, this fear mongering with our criminal families here in SF that have done nothing wrong, that's completely wrong."

Farrell's counterpart in Oakland, Mayor Libby Schaaf has come under fire for announcing the ICE raids before they took place. ICE says that warning put its agents at risk.

"(Schaff) did what she thought was best," said Farrell, who would not say if he'd give out a similar warning. "I'm making sure we're in constant dialogue with our police chief, out community non-profits, as well as with a rapid response hotline available to our immigrant community."

What Farrell made clear is that SF is and will always be a sanctuary city.

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