ICE Watchdog’s Facebook Page Becomes Snopes for Las Vegas Immigrants

Posted on: February 3, 2025, 11:00h. 

Last updated on: February 3, 2025, 11:14h.

“Atencion!!” Francisco Silva updated his Facebook page on January 24. “Eastern y Tropicana. NO es Border Patrol.” The video accompanying his comment showed two trucks, parked in front of a 99 Cents Store, clearly labeled “City of Las Vegas Code Enforcement.”

Francisco Silva livestreams eyewitness accounts from the rumored locations of ICE actions. So far, all have proven to be false leads. (Image: Facebook)

Silva, 44, started “What Happens in Vegas – Oficial” in 2019 to promote the outdoor attractions in his adopted hometown and the Latino-owned businesses who hire him to create social-media content.

Since Inauguration Day, however, the site’s focus has shifted. Under President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policy, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been directed to arrest at least 1,200 immigrants per day, unnerving immigrant communities across the US.

In Las Vegas, Silva’s Facebook page has become like a Snopes for the rampant rumors terrifying his 55K followers. Warning of ICE raids and roadblocks, most are caused by social media misinformation. Silva livestreams eyewitness accounts from the supposed locations of the ICE actions.

Silva reports nothing to see from the intersection of Las Vegas and Lamb boulevards in Clark County on January 23. (Image: Facebook)

“People respect me because I have always been transparent with them,” the Spanish-speaking Silva told Casino.org, using his wife as an interpreter. “And whenever I have been able to help them, I have done so. They know I will not lie to them.”

At more than 100 messages a day, the task of running down every rumor is beginning to overwhelm him, but Silva insists that “the only way to confirm or debunk these rumors is going to see for myself.”

When asked why he does it, Silva replied that he knows exactly what his Facebook followers are going through.

“At one point of my life, I did not have legal status,” he said, elaborating that he arrived illegally from Mexico in 2013, when he was 33. “I also felt the fear they are feeling. Life was always full of fear and worry.”

Silva said he believes that “God granted me my residency documents so I can help my community.”

ICE Scream

This van belongs to an ice cream man who dreamt up “ICE Cream Patrol” in 2016 as a strange but effective way to brand his business. One of the most egregious acts of social media misinformation so far was a Jan. 24th TikTok video warning that ICE was now using these trucks to fool immigrants into leaving their houses. The clip was taken down, but not before being seen by 15M people. (Image: Billy Settlemyers)

Some accuse Silva of impeding law enforcement, but he sees it differently.

“I’m not doing anything wrong,” he said. In fact, he added, he’s actually helping all of Las Vegas, because false rumors keep employees from reporting to work and parents from sending their children to school.

And Las Vegas’ 200+ casinos definitely have skin in this game. The 180K undocumented immigrants who reside in Nevada, according to the American Immigration Council, account for about 9% of the state’s workforce. And, Silva said, most of the people who contact him “work directly with casinos or companies that are hired by casinos.”

“I think the community is beyond scared and vulnerable when hearing about these rumors,” Silva said, “and this has been taken advantage by irresponsible content creators who are only looking for popularity and to boost their followers on social media.“

So far, Silva hasn’t had to report any legitimate ICE activity to his followers. Since the agency began its new mandate, it hasn’t conducted any traffic checkpoints or business raids in Las Vegas. According to reports, it seeks only to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants previously charged with serious crimes.

“There are Homeland Security and FBI officials arresting people who already had felony records or had an arrest or deportation warrant,” Silva said. “But they are not detaining random people.”

This could just be the calm before the storm, however. Immediately after this interview was conducted, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department — which previously declared its refusal to work with ICE — announced that it would add shoplifting to the list of more serious crimes they must notify ICE about if their suspects are undocumented.