Federal Immigration Raids Target Cannabis Farms in Southern California
On a bustling Thursday, two cannabis farms in Southern California were the targets of immigration raids by federal agents. This led to a tense showdown at a site in Ventura County between law enforcement and a large group of protesters. Several arrests and injuries ensued in the fray. Social media platforms became a hotspot for videos showing a handful of agents employing non-fatal ammunition to subdue a crowd that had assembled near a cannabis greenhouse called Glass House Farms, located in Camarillo. Concurrently, another Glass House Farms cultivation site in Carpinteria, just 35 miles up the coastline, saw federal agents in action too, with a reduced throng wrapping the site.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli later confirmed that a search warrant had indeed been served on a marijuana farm. The execution of the search warrant led to the arrests of numerous individuals who were believed to be obstructing the operation. Essayli further warned that any future disruption would result in additional arrests and federal charges. Concurrently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed a probe into a shooting incident taking place during the Camarillo operation.
ABC7 News provided video footage that seemed to depict a protester engaging in a gun battle with federal immigration officials after smoke bombs were used to scatter the crowd. Amid the raid, agents discovered ten minors lacking legal documents; eight of them were traveling alone. This information was shared in a press release by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott. Scott revealed that an inquiry into potential child labor violations at the facility was underway.
Cesar Ortiz, a 24-year-old man, told a Times photographer in Spanish that his brother, a worker at the farm, had been detained and was confined in a sweltering container without ventilation. The scenario escalated to a point where the Ventura County Fire Department had to be dispatched around mid-day to provide medical assistance as a result of the ongoing federal enforcement activity in the Camarillo area.
Agency spokesperson Andrew Dowd detailed the site’s conditions. He stated that five individuals required and received hospital transport for medical treatment, while four other patients were treated on-site. Sheriff’s deputies were also dispatched to provide assistance with traffic control. However, Dowd clarified that they did not participate in the federal operation. He stressed that the Fire Department has maintained a position of neutrality, with no involvement in any immigration enforcement actions, and never asking about a patient’s immigration status.
The dramatic incident drew a crowd of around 500 people to congregate near the farm site as a form of protest. As evening approached, around 200 participants held their ground at the site at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The scene was thick with agents and troops, with a contingent of around 40 forming a blockade, equipped with shields.
Marc Cohodes, a known short-seller and an investor in Glass House, dubbed the raid as ‘excessively outrageous’. He highlighted that Glass House, touted as the ‘largest cannabis cultivator globally’, is a regulated business under the full compliance of state licensing in California. Additionally, Cohodes pointed out that Glass House boasts genuine operations in two locations—Ventura County and Santa Barbara County.
Further north in Carpinteria, U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) attempted to gain access to the cannabis farm after hearing about the immigration operation. However, he found himself blocked by masked federal agents who surrounded the road and stood guard about 75 yards from the site of the raid.
Carbajal expressed concern about the deployment of these tactics, suggesting that they created a hostile environment that could eventually escalate to unfortunate violence. Despite identifying himself as a Congress member on oversight duty, he was instructed to reach out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and subsequently refused access. He observed a crowd around the perimeter; however, they scattered as agents wrapped up and embarked on a military-style vehicle.
Helicopters belonging to news outlets provided aerial perspectives of the situation in Camarillo. The footage revealed scores of workers seated in shaded areas around a warehouse, with federal agents maintaining a vigilant watch. Protesters set up blockades on the access roads, leading to a scenario where agents had to drive their vehicles across agricultural fields. Multiple ambulances were seen crisscrossing the farm site.
Lucas Zucker, one half of the twin leadership at the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), confirmed that the organization had representatives present at Glass House post reports of a raid. He, however, asked them to evacuate the site when federal agents began deploying tear gas. Zucker called out the unusual severity of the response which involved the usage of rubber bullets and tear gas on a comparatively small crowd.
Tom Homan, the border czar under President Trump’s administration, projected his criticism towards the protests. Meanwhile, over a social media platform, Mayor Luis McArthur of Oxnard communicated that he was ‘actively liaising with emergency services’ to ensure readiness to provide urgent and necessary aid.
Though the incidents took place outside the jurisdiction of Oxnard, McArthur made clear his growing recognition that a considerable portion of the facility’s staff were likely Oxnard residents. He noted that many were seeking shelter in their automobiles despite the searing heat, which kindled serious apprehension about these individuals’ safety and general well-being.