US Border Patrol Called Raid 300 Miles From Border ‘Targeted’. Open Source Evidence Suggests Otherwise

**Overview:** Bellingcat, Evident, and CalMatters investigated CBP’s early-January “Operation Return to Sender” raids in Bakersfield/Kern County, analyzing ~90 social media videos to geolocate 24 operation sites and interviewing officials. Documents obtained suggest 77 of 78 arrests lacked prior criminal/immigration history flags, prompting ACLU objections over warrantless arrests and constitutional concerns; some arrestees were deported within days, and CBP indicated such operations could expand further into California.