300 Arrested in Immigration Raids at Cannabis Farms Near Camarillo and Carpinteria

Major Immigration Raids Unfold at Cannabis Farms in California

On Thursday, a significant immigration operation took place near Camarillo in Ventura County and the coastal city of Carpinteria. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced that 319 individuals were arrested during these dual raids. Among those detained were 14 children who were reportedly rescued from potential forced labor, exploitation, and human trafficking.

The operation targeted Glass House Farms, where Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Rodney Scott stated the facility is under investigation for alleged child labor violations. According to the Department of Labor, the minimum age for agricultural employment is 14 outside of school hours and 12 with written parental consent. In California, the legal minimum age to work on a farm is 12 years old.

The United Farm Workers Union issued a statement addressing the situation, highlighting that farm workers are often excluded from basic child labor laws. The union emphasized that detaining and deporting children is not a solution to the issue of child labor. Glass House Farms denied these claims on social media, asserting that it has never knowingly employed minors.

The recent raids have heightened fears among local communities, especially after tensions escalated when federal agents conducted a raid at the cannabis farm in Camarillo. The Department of Homeland Security stated that they were serving a warrant at Glass House Farms for allegedly hiring and harboring undocumented workers.

During the raid, federal agents encountered resistance from protesters. Some individuals threw rocks at their vehicles as they left the site. On Friday evening, tow trucks arrived to collect dozens of personal vehicles left behind by those detained during the ICE raid.

Families gathered outside the gate of Glass House Farms, hoping for updates on loved ones who had been taken into custody. Some hoped that guards would allow them access to personal items left behind by the detained workers. One woman, who did not want to be identified, was at the business to retrieve her niece’s belongings. She shared that her niece managed to escape the raid by hiding on the property.

“She has two kids — a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old. So she was scared she wasn’t going to see her kids anymore,” she said. Families are now scrambling to locate those who were detained.

Guadalupe Torres, whose husband was taken by immigration agents, expressed her frustration. “This makes no freakin’ sense. I’ve been trying to keep my emotions in check, but being here is just too much.” Her husband, George Retes, is an Army veteran and U.S. citizen who works as a security guard at Glass House Farms in the Camarillo area.

Retes' vehicle remains outside the farm, and his wife says she has contacted every law enforcement agency in the area, but no one knows where he was taken. “He really did try to leave, so I don’t know what’s going to happen from here. I really hope I get a phone call or something, because I’m getting torn apart. My kids are asking where their dad is. I keep having to lie, saying he’s at work,” Torres said.

Retes’ daughter turns 3 years old on Saturday. Destinee Magana, his sister, added, “He has a bad back, and he’s disabled, and it clearly says it in the back of his car that he’s a disabled veteran. This is how you’re going to treat U.S. citizens?”

Glass House Brands released a statement regarding the raids, stating: “Yesterday, Glass House Brands received immigration and naturalization warrants. As per the law, we verified that the warrants were valid and we complied. Workers were detained, and we are assisting to provide them legal representation. Glass House has never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors. We do not expect this to affect operations moving forward. We will provide additional details when applicable.”

The raid lasted for several hours, and agents faced off with protesters. Some people who attended the demonstration were seen throwing rocks at federal vehicles as they left. Following the clash between federal agents and protesters, President Donald Trump directed Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Border Czar Tom Homan to authorize ICE and other law enforcement officers to arrest anyone they believe is assaulting them "using whatever means is necessary."

In addition to family members gathering at the Glass House Farms’ gates looking for loved ones, some employees who had been hiding inside since the start of the raid came out. Alicia Flores, an immigrant rights advocate, reported, “There's still people that are still hiding. They're afraid. They hide in the trunks of the cars or in the refrigerators.”

Flores went to Glass House Farms trying to help families find their loved ones. “We are recommending the Mexican consulate if they're from Mexico. The protection department can locate them. Also, we talked to our congresswoman Julia Brownley, and they said that we can give her number and they can look for these family members,” she said.