Residents of Santa Rosa, in northern California, could encounter a scene this Thursday night capable of causing concern: people dressed as immigration agents, production vehicles and activities that could appear to be part of a federal operation.

However, municipal authorities clarified that this will not be an ICE raid or a police action. It will all be part of the filming of an independent film in the city center.

“Some scenes may appear real,” the city warned in a notice distributed in both English and Spanish to avoid confusion and alarm among neighbors.

You can see: ICE arrests immigrants during raids in Los Angeles

When will filming be in Santa Rosa?

The production is scheduled for the night of Thursday, July 23, and will run for about five hours. The actors will play immigration agents and members of law enforcement as part of a scene filmed in downtown Santa Rosa.

The exact location was not publicly revealed. A city spokeswoman explained that the decision seeks to avoid concentrations of onlookers that could interfere with filming or cause security problems.

There will be traffic controls and bilingual signs nearby to indicate that this is a film production and not a real operation.

Why the city decided to warn residents

The notice takes on special importance due to the concern generated by immigration operations in California communities. About a third of Santa Rosa's population identifies as Hispanic or Latino: the 2020 census recorded more than 61,000 inhabitants of that origin out of a total population of approximately 178,000 people.

The municipal warning was shared more than a hundred times on social networks, a reaction that, according to local media, reflects the existing sensitivity to any possible presence of immigration agents.

Authorities also noted that California law and the policies of the Santa Rosa Police Department limit the use of local resources to assist with federal immigration actions.

You can see: Raids on workplaces: what documents ICE can request and what a worker should not do

What movie is being recorded?

The scene is part of “The Silence We Flee,” a film written and directed by local filmmaker Hassan Mageye.

The story follows Naomi, a young African woman who seeks asylum in the United States after escaping violence in her country. The protagonist must face a complex immigration system while trying to rebuild her life and overcome the memories of what happened. Ugandan actress Nisha Kalema plays the lead role.

The production has already filmed other scenes in Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Lake County, and plans to continue later in international locations.

Santa Rosa promotes audiovisual productions

The city launched the SR Film program in 2026, an initiative aimed at helping production companies with permits, location selection, coordination with other agencies and logistical resources.

Local officials explained that the filming can benefit businesses, workers and the economy of the area. However, they indicated that the city can only regulate operational issues — such as traffic, security and occupation of public space — and not the content of a film, protected by the First Amendment.

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