Voices of Monterey Bay

Covert Immigration Enforcement at Fort Hunter Liggett

George B. Sánchez-Tello

Voices of Monterey Bay found that presumed traffic stops by Fort Hunter Liggett police led to at least 11 deportations since late December — something military officials initially denied. The situation raised concerns about possible military involvement in ICE enforcement operations, and Voices of Monterey Bay’s reporting found evidence supporting that claim, such as witness accounts of people being held in a cell meant only for military personnel. Telling these stories required navigating networks in which officials won’t go on the record and ordinary people are afraid to speak, a judge noted. 

“The impact of this series is magnified by the fact that it is also published in Spanish,” a judge wrote. “Thus, the publication changed government intervention and most likely impacted the lives of the Latino community, perhaps saving some people from getting detained on a lonely road.”

Read the Winning Work

Immigration detentions on Fort Hunter Liggett raise questions about military involvement Jan. 29, 2026

‘I just trusted his uniform’ Feb. 5, 2026

Despite Army denials, evidence mounts of secretive South Monterey County ICE operations Feb. 12, 2026

Las detenciones de inmigrantes en Fort Hunter Liggett plantean preguntas sobre la participación militar (Spanish version) Feb. 15, 2026 

I.C.E. detentions in South Monterey County | Las detenciones migratorias en el sur del condado de Monterey March 30, 2026