OAKLAND, Calif. -- Concern about more immigration raids had Oakland city leaders scrambling to ease the fears in the Latino community where on Tuesday the very sight of immigration officers outside of an elementary school was enough to create a frenzy.

Tuesday's reaction from east bay immigrants and local politicians shows the mere presence of immigration vehicles can set off a widespread panic.

Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums, members of the city council and Oakland school officials rushed to Stonehurst Elementary School Tuesday afternoon after getting word that immigration and customs agents were about to enter the school grounds.

Oakland officials were outraged at the thought that ice was about to make a raid in front of school children.

"In my view, that's the ugly side of government that there's no way that children should be treated to that kind of harassment, intimidation and fear," said Mayor Dellums.

City Council President Ignacio De La Feunte was even more blunt: "Absolutely total [expletive] to put it mildly. The federal government has a job to do, but we don't have to do it in a way that scares children."

"Unless it is an extreme emergency across the street from a school, they should not be out here with their immigration stuff intimidating people," said Oakland School Board member Alice Spearman.

The panic started in Berkeley, where school officials were told immigration agents were driving around Berkeley High. School officials ordered principals at all 15 public schools in the city to stop agents before they attempted any arrests.

"We told each principal that if anyone comes into the school, you keep them at the front desk and wait for us to get there," explained Berkeley Schools Superintendent Bill Huywett.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee also issued a statement Tuesday afternoon that read in part: "to conduct such an operation near or around a public school campus is a violation of the sanctity of the education process, and is intentionally meant to intimidate those who live in the community."

As it turns out, ice wasn't going to school campuses. Agents were at a Russell Street apartment building to arrest four immigration violators. A fifth was arrested in Oakland.

An immigration official gave KTVU Channel 2 the following statement: "People arrested for being in the United States illegally have access to due process and the right to fight their deportation. However, those who have already had their day in court and fail to obey a judge's deportation order must understand there are consequences for their actions."

After the arrest of 63 people at El Balazo restaurants around the Bay Area last Friday, there is now a greater sense of fear in the Latino community.

"They're kind of frightful, because they have families and support their families; if they're deported then their children are going to be left behind. What's going to happen to them?" asked Oakland resident Jenny Cortez.

Ice officials say there are five fugitive operations teams working in Northern California. They've arrested more than 800 illegal immigrants in the first four and a half months of the year.