Rob Fuentes, a federal prosecutor and candidate for the Fresno City Council, has resigned from his position, stating he was “pushed out” by the Trump administration after publicly criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Fuentes, who recently stepped aside as an assistant U.S. attorney, faced accusations from political opponents and some within his party that he had assisted ICE in deportation cases, potentially separating families. He asserted that these claims were false and that he had no involvement in the specific case highlighted by critics.
Fuentes stated that he was placed on administrative leave the day after his criticisms of ICE became public, with the expectation that he would be fired, and that he chose to resign to avoid that outcome. He had previously refused to commit to leaving his prosecutor role when questioned by ABC 30 about potential conflicts with his City Council candidacy.
One of Fuentes's opponents, City Council opponent Naindeep Singh, alleged that Fuentes had defended the federal government in at least 124 immigration cases. Singh characterized such actions as aiding in family separations and stated that Fresno should stand between families and federal enforcement actions, rather than employing local lawyers to assist them.
Fuentes denied involvement in a specific case involving a Fresno father detained after a traffic stop, stating he had “nothing to do with that case.” George Rios, a Fresno immigration attorney, told ABC 30 that it appeared Fuentes had taken on a significant caseload defending federal government actions in immigration matters.
The controversy comes as Fuentes is running for a seat on the Fresno City Council in District 1, a seat currently held by Councilmember Annalisa Perea. Fuentes expressed his belief that he could still make a positive impact and would resign if he felt otherwise, but did not commit to a timeline for stepping down during his interview with ABC 30.