Maria Francisca Villanueva Caballero, 49, a longtime Firebaugh resident with no criminal record, was detained by ICE on October 8, 2025, while attending a scheduled USCIS appointment to adjust her status. She came to the U.S. in 2000 and settled in Firebaugh in 2001, where she worked at a packing plant, volunteered with the Catholic Church, and supported youth sports. She raised four children who became UCLA and UC Berkeley graduates pursuing careers in medicine, veterinary science, and law. On October 17, Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria and other state and local leaders held a press conference in support of her release, and a petition gathered 7,619 signatures. Caballero is being held at the detention facility in California City, which opened in August 2025.