ABC 7 reported that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that a total of 319 people were arrested and 14 children were rescued in a joint immigration raid on marijuana farms in the coastal cities of Carpinteria and Camarillo in Ventura County on the 10th with search warrants, avoiding the crisis of forced labor, exploitation and human trafficking.
Rodney Scott, director of the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), previously stated that one of the raid sites, Glass House Farms, was under investigation for suspected violations of child labor laws. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the minimum age for agricultural workers outside of school hours is 14, and the age can be reduced to 12 with written consent from parents. The minimum age for farm work in California is 12. Glass House Farms stated in a statement: “Glass House has never intentionally violated employment practices or hired underage workers, and we do not believe this incident will affect future operations.”
The United Farm Workers Union issued a statement: “Farm workers have long been excluded from basic child labor protection laws, and it is not uncommon for teenagers to work in the fields, but it must be made clear that detaining and deporting children is not the solution to the child labor problem.” However, after the raid in Camarillo, the community is worried about the possibility of more immigration enforcement actions in the future.
Federal agents encountered protesters while on duty that day, and some even threw rocks at the agents’ vehicles. In the evening of the 11th, a tow truck came to clear the dozens of vehicles left at the scene after the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid the day before. Many relatives and friends waited at the farm gate, hoping to learn about their relatives and friends, and some hoped to get back the personal belongings left behind by the detained workers. A woman who did not want to be identified retrieved items for her niece, saying that her niece was not caught in the raid because she hid in the farm. “She was very scared at the time, afraid that she would not see her two young children.”
Guadalupe Torres, whose husband was taken away in the raid, said: “I have been holding back my emotions, but I really can’t stand coming here.” Torres’ husband, George Retes, is a U.S. citizen and an Army veteran. He currently works as a security guard at Glass House Farms, and his car is still parked outside the farm. Torres said that she called all local law enforcement agencies, but no one knew where her husband was taken. “He has a back injury and is a veteran with limited mobility. There is also a disabled vehicle sign on the rear window of the car. Is this how you treat American citizens?” Retes’ sister, Destinee Magana, said.
After witnessing clashes between federal agents and protesters, Trump on the 11th ordered Noem and “Border Czar” Tom Homan to authorize ICE and other law enforcement officers to “take any necessary measures” to arrest those involved in the face of attacks. Alicia Flores, an immigrant rights advocate who helps families find their loved ones, said: “If they are from Mexico, we recommend contacting the Mexican consulate. We have also contacted Congresswoman Julia Brownley, hoping to find someone through her.”
