Worker dies after US immigration raid on California cannabis farm
A farm worker died on Friday, his family said, after being injured during a raid by US immigration agents on a legal cannabis farm in California that resulted in the arrests of 200 undocumented migrants and clashes with protesters.
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, called demonstrators involved in attacks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents "slimeballs" and said they should be arrested.
In another development, a district judge ordered a halt to "roving patrols" in Los Angeles by federal agents who were detaining suspected undocumented migrants without probable cause and denying them due process.
District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong ordered an end to the arrests, which she said were being made "based upon race alone," on whether a person was speaking Spanish or English with an accent or because of their place of work.
Trump's remarks and the court order come a day after a chaotic raid on a cannabis plantation in Ventura County some 56 miles (90 kilometers) from Los Angeles left one farm worker critically injured.
The United Farm Workers labor union had said in an X post on Friday that the worker had "died of injuries they sustained as a result of yesterday's immigration enforcement action." But the family on a GoFundMe page said he was in critical condition and unlikely to survive.
"He was chased by ICE agents, and we were told he fell 30ft (9 meters). My uncle's life is in critical condition; doctors have told us he won't make it. His injuries are catastrophic. His heart is still beating."
The Ventura County Medical Center, which told ABC News that he was in critical condition, did not respond to AFP calls for more details.
Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokeswoman, said he was never in custody.
"Although he was not being pursued by law enforcement, this individual climbed up to the roof of a green house and fell 30 feet," McLaughlin said. "(Customs and Border Patrol) immediately called a medivac to the scene to get him care as quickly as possible."
The DHS said 200 undocumented migrants were arrested during raids on marijuana growing sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo on Thursday and 10 children were rescued "from potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking."
Glass House Brands, which owns the farms, said in a statement that it has "never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors."
DHS said more than 500 "rioters" had attempted to disrupt the operation and four US citizens are facing charges for assaulting or resisting officers.
Tear gas was used against the protesters, some of whom were seen in television footage throwing projectiles at law enforcement vehicles.
The department said immigration agency vehicles were damaged and a $50,000 reward was being offered for the arrest of an individual who allegedly fired a gun at law enforcement officers.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he had watched footage of "thugs" throwing rocks and bricks at ICE vehicles, causing "tremendous damage."
Trump said he was authorizing law enforcement officers who are "on the receiving end of thrown rocks, bricks, or any other form of assault, to stop their car, and arrest these SLIMEBALLS, using whatever means is necessary to do so."
"I am giving Total Authorization for ICE to protect itself, just like they protect the Public," he said.
Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to deport millions of migrants, has been involved in a showdown over immigration enforcement with Democratic-ruled California for weeks.
The Republican president sent thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles last month to quell protests against roundups of undocumented migrants by federal agents.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has said the troops were not necessary to address the mostly peaceful protests, but his legal efforts to have them removed have failed so far.
The cannabis farm in Camarillo was calm during a visit by an AFP reporter on Friday as workers waited in line to collect their belongings and paychecks.
"We've been here since six this morning asking questions but they're not giving us any information," said Saul Munoz, a 43-year-old Colombian whose son was detained on Thursday.
"I just want to know how he's doing," Munoz said. "Bring him back to me and if it's time for us to leave, we'll leave.
"The truth is the American dream is no longer really the American dream."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Trump will likely fire Fed's Powell soon, Bloomberg reports
U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell soon, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing an unidentified White House official. Separately, CBS News reported that Trump had asked Republican lawmakers if he should fire Powell, and several people in the room said he indicated he will do it. The meeting with members of the House of Representatives took place in the White House's Oval Office on Tuesday night, CBS reported, citing multiple sources. Trump says Fed's Powell must lower interest rate Trump has repeatedly criticized Federal Reserve monetary policy in recent months, angry over the central bank's refusal to cut interest rates. Fed officials have resisted cutting rates until there is clarity on whether Trump's tariffs on U.S. trading partners reignite inflation. Trump has called for Powell to resign, but the president does not have the power to fire him over a monetary policy dispute. Powell, who was nominated by Trump in late 2017 to lead the Fed and then nominated for a second term by Democratic President Joe Biden four years later, has said he intends to serve out his term as Fed chief, which ends on May 15, 2026. Last week, the White House intensified its criticism of how the Fed is being run when the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, sent Powell a letter saying Trump was 'extremely troubled' by cost overruns in the $2.5 billion renovation of its historic headquarters in Washington. Powell responded by asking the U.S. central bank's inspector general to review the project.
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
EU trade chief heads to Washington in search of tariffs solution
BRUSSELS/BERLIN: EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic headed to Washington on Wednesday for tariff talks, an EU spokesperson told Reuters, adding that he will meet U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. President Donald Trump has threatened a 30% tariff on imports from the EU from August 1, a level Europe says is unacceptable and would end normal trade between two of the world's largest markets. ASML, the world's biggest supplier of computer chip-making equipment, warned on Wednesday that uncertainty in tariff negotiations is spurring chipmakers in the U.S. to delay finalising investments, clouding its outlook for the full year. Its shares sank as much as 7.3% in early trading. 'Trump's tariffs have only losers,' German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil told a press conference, saying the tariffs threaten the American economy at least as much as the European one. The European Commission, which oversees trade for the EU, has prepared to target 72 billion euros ($83.6 billion) worth of U.S. goods - from Boeing aircraft and bourbon whiskey to cars - for possible tariffs if trade talks with Washington fail. EU says could target 72bn euros of US goods if tariff talks fail 'Our hand remains extended, but we will not go along with everything, possible countermeasures must continue to be prepared,' Klingbeil told a press conference alongside his French counterpart Eric Lombard, saying the two were in full agreement. The list of possible counter-measures, sent to EU member states and seen by Reuters on Tuesday, pre-dated Trump's move over the weekend to ramp up pressure on the 27-nation bloc and was a response to U.S. duties on cars and car parts and a 10% baseline tariff. The package also covers chemicals, medical devices, electrical and precision equipment as well as agriculture and food products - a range of fruits and vegetables, along with wine, beer and spirits - valued at 6.35 billion euros. Trump's roll-out of his tariff policies has often been chaotic. His moves have upended decades of reductions in global trade barriers, unsettling financial markets, threatening a new wave of inflation and hitting European businesses hard. European companies are expected to report a drop of 0.7% in earnings and a 3% fall in revenue in the upcoming earnings season covering the second quarter, their weakest in more than a year. Shares in European carmakers, including Germany's Volkswagen, were lower after Renault's profit warning late on Tuesday, which stirred worries about the health of the auto industry as it struggles with 25% U.S. import tariffs. The only acceptable tariff on EU exports to the United States would be zero as the bloc is already facing a detrimental exchange rate, the head of Italy's business lobby said on Wednesday. 'The real issue is that, to date, not only do we have to consider the burden of tariffs … we must add to that the euro's appreciation against the dollar,' said Confindustria President Emanuele Orsini. The euro has risen by more than 12% against the dollar since the start of the year. The August 1 deadline gives targeted countries time to negotiate about lower tariff rates. Some economists have also noted Trump's pattern of backing off his tariff threats.
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Emma Watson's speeding ticket turns into six-month driving ban, magic didn't work this time
If Emma Watson can redefine herself as 'self-partnered' to stave off the pressure to settle down, so can you. Photo: File Emma Watson, renowned for her portrayal of Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, has been banned from driving for six months after being caught speeding. The incident occurred on July 31, 2024, when Watson was recorded driving at 38mph in a 30mph zone in Oxford. The actress, who had nine penalty points on her driving record prior to this offense, appeared in court, where it was confirmed. At a brief hearing on Wednesday at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court, Watson was ordered to pay £1,044 in fines and costs. The 35-year-old did not attend the five-minute session, with her representatives yet to comment on the case. Watson, who graduated from Brown University with a degree in English literature in 2014, has also been pursuing a master's degree in creative writing at Columbia University. Watson, who gained fame at the age of 11 with the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 2001, went on to star in all eight films of the franchise. Post-Harry Potter, she appeared in movies like Beauty and the Beast, The Bling Ring, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, with her last film role being in Greta Gerwig's Little Women (2019). She also launched a sustainable gin brand in 2023 with her brother. In a separate case, Zoe Wanamaker, who played Madam Hooch in the Harry Potter films, was also fined and banned for six months for a speeding violation on the same day at the same court. Wanamaker, 76, was caught driving 46mph in a 40mph zone on the M4 in Newbury, Berkshire. She was also fined £1,044, with both women now facing additional penalty points on their driving records. Both Watson and Wanamaker were disqualified for six months due to the accumulation of 12 points on their licenses.
