Misinformation Leads to Confusion in Fresno's Immigrant Communities | KQED

"In the absence of information about whether the landscape is changing, some locals have taken it upon themselves to be immigration vigilantes, flooding social media with photos and videos purporting to show ICE agents in the community. And although a few of these videos likely did capture ICE agents, many were other local law enforcement operations."

"Misinformation in times like these can backfire, said Gregorio Matiaz, an immigration program manager with the non-profit Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño that provides services to the local indigenous Mexican community. 'It's causing more uncertainty and fear amongst the community,' he said."

"Federal agents searched Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters and the San Pedro home of Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on Wednesday morning, the Department of Justice confirmed. Multiple media reports have found that the house is linked to Debra Kerr, a former consultant for the tech start-up AllHere. That company secured a contract with LA Unified to develop an AI chatbot for the district."

Local residents have become immigration vigilantes, posting videos on social media claiming to document ICE operations, but many videos actually capture other law enforcement activities, creating widespread misinformation. This confusion amplifies community fear and uncertainty. Simultaneously, federal agents conducted searches at LA Unified School District headquarters and Superintendent Alberto Carvalho's home, with an additional search in Broward County. The investigation relates to AllHere, a tech startup that secured a district contract to develop an AI chatbot costing $3 million. The chatbot failed to deliver, and AllHere furloughed most staff within three months, with its CEO later charged with fraud. The DOJ confirmed a court-authorized warrant but provided no additional details about the investigation's specifics.

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