Latest news with #Carpinteria


Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
California farm raids shape up to be the biggest since january, trump administration says
Federal authorities now say they arrested more than 360 people at two Southern California marijuana farms last week, characterizing the raids as one of the largest operations since President Donald Trump took office in January. One farmworker died after falling from a greenhouse roof during the chaotic raids on Thursday after the Department of Homeland Security executed criminal search warrants at Glass House Farms facilities in Camarillo and Carpinteria northwest of Los Angeles. What happened? During the raid on the Camarillo site, crowds gathered seeking information about their relatives and to protest immigration enforcement. Authorities clad in military-style helmets and uniforms faced off with the demonstrators, and people ultimately retreated amid acrid green and white billowing smoke. Glass House Brands is a major cannabis company in California that started a decade ago with a greenhouse in the Santa Barbara County community of Carpinteria. The company said it later expanded, buying another facility in the Ventura County community of Camarillo that included six tomato and cucumber-growing greenhouses. Glass House converted two of them to grow cannabis, according to the company's website. Relatives of workers at the Camarillo site said tomatoes are still also grown at the location. The federal government initially reported that some 200 people suspected of being in the country illegally were arrested. Then on Saturday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said 319 people were arrested and said on X it was quickly becoming one of the largest operations since President Trump took office. A day later, the arrest numbers according to the Department of Homeland Security were up to 361 from the two locations. The government said four of the 361 arrested had prior criminal records, including convictions for rape and kidnapping. A farmworker who fell from a greenhouse roof during the raid at the farm in Camarillo died Saturday of his injuries. Jaime Alanis, 57, is the first known fatality during one of the Trump administration's ongoing immigration enforcement operations. Yesenia Duran, Alanis' niece, confirmed his death to The Associated Press. She posted on the fundraising site GoFundMe that her uncle was his family's only provider, and he had been sending his earnings back to a wife and daughter in Mexico. Alanis worked at the farm for 10 years, his family said. He called his wife in Mexico and told her he was hiding from federal agents during the raid Thursday. A doctor told his relatives the ambulance crew who took him to a hospital said he fell about 30 feet (9 meters), Duran said. Why was the business raided? The government says it is investigating potential child labor, human trafficking, and other abuse. Initially, DHS said 10 immigrant children were on the property. They later increased that number to 14. Authorities declined to share the warrant for the operation. The administration has released no additional information about the children, including their ages and what they were doing on the property when authorities arrived. DHS has not provided details to back up its claim of possible trafficking or other abuse, and the company has not been charged with anything. It was unclear if any of the minors were the children of farm workers at the sites or if they came to the US without an adult. Federal and state laws allow children as young as 12 to work in agriculture under certain conditions, according to the US Department of Labor. In California, children as young as 12 can work on farms outside of school hours, while those as young as 16 can work during school hours if they are not required to attend school, the agency said on its website. No one under the age of 21 is allowed to work in the cannabis industry. The California Department of Cannabis Control conducted a site visit in May 2025 and observed no minors on the premises, a spokesman said. After receiving a subsequent complaint, the state opened an investigation to ensure full compliance with state law. Four US citizens were arrested during the raids for allegedly assaulting or resisting officers, according to DHS, and authorities were offering a 50000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a person suspected of firing a gun at federal agents. Among those arrested was California State University Channel Islands professor Jonathan Caravello, US Attorney Bill Essayli posted on X. Essayli said Caravello was arrested for throwing a tear gas canister at law enforcement and was to appear in court Tuesday. The California Faculty Association said Caravello was taken away by agents who did not identify themselves nor inform him of why he was being arrested. The association said he was then held without being able to contact his family. Caravello was attempting to dislodge a tear gas canister that was stuck underneath someone's wheelchair, witnesses told KABC-TV, the ABC affiliate in Los Angeles. Separately, the federal Bureau of Prisons said George Retes, 25, was in their custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles from Thursday to Sunday. Retes' family told KABC-TV on Sunday that he is a US citizen, works as a security guard at the farm in Camarillo, and is a disabled US Army veteran. They said Retes was trying to drive away during the clashes between protesters and agents when an officer stopped him, broke his car window, and shot pepper spray before dragging him out of his car and arresting him. Retes' sister, Destinee Magaña, told the television station on Sunday that the family had been trying to get in touch with her brother. Federal agents thought he was probably part of the protest, but he wasn't; he was trying to reverse his car, Magaña said. Neither Retes nor Magaña responded to emails Monday from The Associated Press seeking comment.


The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
California farm raids shape up to be the biggest since January, Trump administration says
Federal authorities now say they arrested more than 360 people at two Southern California marijuana farms last week, characterizing the raids as one of the largest operations since President Donald Trump took office in January. One farmworker died after falling from a greenhouse roof during the chaotic raids on Thursday after the Department of Homeland Security executed criminal search warrants at Glass House Farms facilities in Camarillo and Carpinteria, northwest of Los Angeles. What happened? During the raid on the Camarillo site, crowds gathered seeking information about their relatives and to protest immigration enforcement. Authorities clad in military-style helmets and uniforms faced off with the demonstrators, and people ultimately retreated amid acrid green and white billowing smoke. Glass House Brands is a major cannabis company in California that started a decade ago with a greenhouse in the Santa Barbara County community of Carpinteria. The company said it later expanded, buying another facility in the Ventura County community of Camarillo that included six tomato and cucumber-growing greenhouses. Glass House converted two of them to grow cannabis, according to the company's website. Relatives of workers at the Camarillo site said tomatoes are still also grown at the location. Arrest numbers keep rising The federal government initially reported that some 200 people suspected of being in the country illegally were arrested. Then on Saturday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said 319 people were arrested and said on X it was 'quickly becoming one of the largest operations since President Trump took office.' A day later, the arrest numbers according to the Department of Homeland Security, were up to 361 from the two locations. The government said four of the 361 arrested had prior criminal records, including convictions for rape and kidnapping. One death reported from the raids A farmworker who fell from a greenhouse roof during the raid at the farm in Camarillo died Saturday of his injuries. Jaime Alanis, 57, is the first known fatality during one of the Trump administration's ongoing immigration enforcement operations. Yesenia Duran, Alanis' niece, confirmed his death to The Associated Press. She posted on the fundraising site GoFundMe that her uncle was his family's only provider and he had been sending his earnings back to a wife and daughter in Mexico. Alanis worked at the farm for 10 years, his family said. He called his wife in Mexico and told her he was hiding from federal agents during the raid Thursday. A doctor told his relatives the ambulance crew who took him to a hospital said he fell about 30 feet (9 meters), Duran said. Why was the business raided? The government says it is investigating potential child labor, human trafficking and other abuse. Initially, DHS said 10 immigrant children were on the property. They later increased that number to 14. Authorities declined to share the warrant for the operation. The administration has released no additional information about the children, including their ages and what they were doing on the property when authorities arrived. DHS has not provided details to back up its claim of possible trafficking or other abuse, and the company has not been charged with anything. It was unclear if any of the minors were the children of farm workers at the sites or if they came to the U.S. without an adult. Federal and state laws allow children as young as 12 to work in agriculture under certain conditions, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. In California, children as young as 12 can work on farms outside of school hours, while those as young as 16 can work during school hours if they are not required to attend school, the agency said on its website. No one under the age of 21 is allowed to work in the cannabis industry. The California Department of Cannabis Control conducted a site visit in May 2025 and observed no minors on the premises, a spokesman said. After receiving a subsequent complaint, the state opened an investigation to ensure full compliance with state law. U.S. citizens were among those arrested Four U.S. citizens were arrested during the raids for allegedly 'assaulting or resisting officers,' according to DHS, and authorities were offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a person suspected of firing a gun at federal agents. Among those arrested was California State University Channel Islands professor Jonathan Caravello, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli posted on X. Essayli said Caravello was arrested for throwing a tear gas canister at law enforcement and was to appear in court Tuesday. The California Faculty Association said Caravello was taken away by agents who did not identify themselves nor inform him of why he was being arrested. The association said he was then held without being able to contact his family. Caravello was attempting to dislodge a tear gas canister that was stuck underneath someone's wheelchair, witnesses told KABC-TV, the ABC affiliate in Los Angeles. Separately, the federal Bureau of Prisons said George Retes, 25, was in their custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles from Thursday to Sunday. Retes' family told KABC-TV on Sunday that he is a U.S. citizen, works as a security guard at the farm in Camarillo and is a disabled U.S. Army veteran. They said Retes was trying to drive away during the clashes between protesters and agents when an officer stopped him, broke his car window and shot pepper spray before dragging him out of his car and arresting him. Retes' sister, Destinee Magaña, told the television station on Sunday that the family had been trying to get in touch with her brother. Federal agents 'thought he was probably part of the protest, but he wasn't, he was trying to reverse his car,' Magaña said.

Associated Press
a day ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
California farm raids shape up to be the biggest since January, Trump administration says
Federal authorities now say they arrested more than 360 people at two Southern California marijuana farms last week, characterizing the raids as one of the largest operations since President Donald Trump took office in January. One farmworker died after falling from a greenhouse roof during the chaotic raids on Thursday after the Department of Homeland Security executed criminal search warrants at Glass House Farms facilities in Camarillo and Carpinteria, northwest of Los Angeles. What happened? During the raid on the Camarillo site, crowds gathered seeking information about their relatives and to protest immigration enforcement. Authorities clad in military-style helmets and uniforms faced off with the demonstrators, and people ultimately retreated amid acrid green and white billowing smoke. Glass House Brands is a major cannabis company in California that started a decade ago with a greenhouse in the Santa Barbara County community of Carpinteria. The company said it later expanded, buying another facility in the Ventura County community of Camarillo that included six tomato and cucumber-growing greenhouses. Glass House converted two of them to grow cannabis, according to the company's website. Relatives of workers at the Camarillo site said tomatoes are still also grown at the location. Arrest numbers keep rising The federal government initially reported that some 200 people suspected of being in the country illegally were arrested. Then on Saturday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said 319 people were arrested and said on X it was 'quickly becoming one of the largest operations since President Trump took office.' A day later, the arrest numbers according to the Department of Homeland Security, were up to 361 from the two locations. The government said four of the 361 arrested had prior criminal records, including convictions for rape and kidnapping. One death reported from the raids A farmworker who fell from a greenhouse roof during the raid at the farm in Camarillo died Saturday of his injuries. Jaime Alanis, 57, is the first known fatality during one of the Trump administration's ongoing immigration enforcement operations. Yesenia Duran, Alanis' niece, confirmed his death to The Associated Press. She posted on the fundraising site GoFundMe that her uncle was his family's only provider and he had been sending his earnings back to a wife and daughter in Mexico. Alanis worked at the farm for 10 years, his family said. He called his wife in Mexico and told her he was hiding from federal agents during the raid Thursday. A doctor told his relatives the ambulance crew who took him to a hospital said he fell about 30 feet (9 meters), Duran said. Why was the business raided? The government says it is investigating potential child labor, human trafficking and other abuse. Initially, DHS said 10 immigrant children were on the property. They later increased that number to 14. Authorities declined to share the warrant for the operation. The administration has released no additional information about the children, including their ages and what they were doing on the property when authorities arrived. DHS has not provided details to back up its claim of possible trafficking or other abuse, and the company has not been charged with anything. It was unclear if any of the minors were the children of farm workers at the sites or if they came to the U.S. without an adult. Federal and state laws allow children as young as 12 to work in agriculture under certain conditions, according to the U.S. Department of Labor . In California, children as young as 12 can work on farms outside of school hours, while those as young as 16 can work during school hours if they are not required to attend school, the agency said on its website. No one under the age of 21 is allowed to work in the cannabis industry. The California Department of Cannabis Control conducted a site visit in May 2025 and observed no minors on the premises, a spokesman said. After receiving a subsequent complaint, the state opened an investigation to ensure full compliance with state law. U.S. citizens were among those arrested Four U.S. citizens were arrested during the raids for allegedly 'assaulting or resisting officers,' according to DHS, and authorities were offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a person suspected of firing a gun at federal agents. Among those arrested was California State University Channel Islands professor Jonathan Caravello, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli posted on X. Essayli said Caravello was arrested for throwing a tear gas canister at law enforcement and was to appear in court Tuesday. The California Faculty Association said Caravello was taken away by agents who did not identify themselves nor inform him of why he was being arrested. The association said he was then held without being able to contact his family. Caravello was attempting to dislodge a tear gas canister that was stuck underneath someone's wheelchair, witnesses told KABC-TV, the ABC affiliate in Los Angeles. Separately, the federal Bureau of Prisons said George Retes, 25, was in their custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles from Thursday to Sunday. Retes' family told KABC-TV on Sunday that he is a U.S. citizen, works as a security guard at the farm in Camarillo and is a disabled U.S. Army veteran. They said Retes was trying to drive away during the clashes between protesters and agents when an officer stopped him, broke his car window and shot pepper spray before dragging him out of his car and arresting him. Retes' sister, Destinee Magaña, told the television station on Sunday that the family had been trying to get in touch with her brother. Federal agents 'thought he was probably part of the protest, but he wasn't, he was trying to reverse his car,' Magaña said. Neither Retes nor Magaña responded to emails Monday from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
361 arrested in immigration sweeps at 2 Southern California cannabis farms, feds say
After an immigrant enforcement operation at two cannabis farms last week included violent clashes between protesters and federal agents, officials with the Department of Homeland Security said more than 350 undocumented workers were arrested and that 'at least 14 migrant children were rescued.' The immigration sweeps, one at Glass House Farms in Camarillo and another about 35 miles up the coast at another Glass House facility in Carpinteria, unfolded simultaneously at around 8:30 a.m. on July 10. One man who worked at Glass House Farms Camarillo operation, who was reportedly attempting to evade immigration agents, fell some 30 off a building and was hospitalized with critical injuries. The man, later identified as Jamie Alanís, died Saturday after being taken off life support his family confirmed to KTLA. During violent clashes between an estimated 500 demonstrators who gathered to protest the raid in Camarillo, and federal immigration agents, assisted by federalized members of the California National Guard, law enforcement deployed less-than-lethal rounds and tear gas into the crowds. Investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a man who appears in video to open fire on federal authorities during the day's unrest. A California State University Channel Islands professor, identified as Jonathan Anthony Caravello, was among those detained during the raids. Federal officials claim the math and philosophy lecturer lobbed a tear gas cannister at law enforcement and is now facing federal charges. Three other protesters were also arrested, according to DHS, though they have yet to be identified. In a news release, DHS gave an update on the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations at the farms. Teddy bear purportedly wrapped in human skin found in Southern California likely prank 'On July 10, 2025, federal law enforcement officers executed criminal warrant operations at marijuana grow sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo,' the release stated. 'As of July 13, at least 14 migrant children have been rescued from potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking. Federal officers also arrested at least 361 illegal aliens from both sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo.' Officials said that 'violent and dangerous criminals' were arrested during the operation, but only provided information on four individuals, identified as: Roman Izquierdo, of Mexico, who has been convicted of kidnapping, attempted rape and attempted child molestation. He was previously deported in 2006, DHS said Juan Duarte-Velasquez, also from Mexico, who DHS said has been convicted of rape and driving while under the influence Jose Orellana, from El Salvador, who has three convictions for burglary and one for a DUI, federal officials said Adriana Gonzalez-Gonzalez, from Mexico, who, according to DHS, has three convictions for burglary No information was provided on the remaining 357 people taken into custody. As for the minors located during the immigration sweep, DHS said the children were rescued 'from what looks like exploitation, forced child labor, and potentially human trafficking or smuggling.' In an X post on the day of the raids, CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said that Glass House Farms would be investigated for child labor violations. A day after the raids, dozens of children were spotted in handcuffs at the Los Angeles Federal Building, The Orange County Register reported, though it's unclear if those were the children reportedly rescued during a sweep of cannabis farms. 'This is quickly becoming one of the largest operations since President Trump took office, and we're only getting started,' DHS said in a post to X. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


Fox News
a day ago
- Politics
- Fox News
ICE employee brought to emergency room after alleged doxxing in California
FIRST ON FOX: The Immigration and Customs Enforcement employee DHS says was doxxed by Rep. Salud Carbajal was taken to the emergency room on Thursday for stitches after a rock was thrown at him, causing his hand to bleed, according to new pictures from the department. The ICE Public Affairs specialist, who DHS said had his business card shown to the mob protesting the raid by the congressman, had a rock thrown at him, which caused injury to his left hand. Images show the bloodied hand before and after the incident. The farm was the subject of a criminal search warrant by federal immigration authorities. "The actions by Representative Carbajal are downright un-American. He dares to claim that his actions were simply congressional oversight, but doxxing ICE personnel and inciting a mob of rioters to attack law enforcement is NOT oversight—it's abominable," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. "His actions sent an ICE employee to the emergency room. It's no wonder that ICE agents are facing a 700% increase in assaults when radical members of Congress like Salud Carbajal and Monica McIver are openly encouraging and leading their supporters in assaulting law enforcement," McLaughlin continued. The incident took place at a massive riot that broke out as ICE conducted operations at a California marijuana farm in Carpinteria, which resulted in 361 arrests of those in the country illegally. DHS said it rescued 14 migrant children who may have been victims of trafficking, forced labor and exploitation. A child labor investigation is ongoing at the federal level. DHS said there were 500 rioters at the incident, as operations in the Golden State have been subject to major protests and riots in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Carbajal slammed the doxxing allegations in an X post on Sunday. "This is a blatant attempt to distort what occurred in Carpinteria. DHS and ICE conducted their raid using a disturbing and disproportionate level of force, both on the farm workers they were targeting and the peaceful protesters who gathered to defend their neighbors," he posted to X. "I witnessed agents, in full military gear, fire smoke canisters and other projectiles into a crowd of peaceful civilians. Just before I arrived at the scene, witnesses told me the agents threw a stun grenade into the crowd. Several civilians were injured, including a child," the congressman continued. "This aggressive behavior in a normally quiet part of the Central Coast sparked alarm across our community, prompting a flood of calls and messages to my office from concerned citizens. I went to the scene to seek answers and represent my constituents. ICE's claims of 'doxxing' and 'violent mobs' are familiar deflection tactics designed to distort public perception and to evade accountability for their aggressive actions in our community," he added. The company that operates the facility, Glass House Farms, said they "never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors." Two of the company's leaders, Kyle Kazan and Graham Farrar, previously donated to Carbajal's congressional campaign, as recently as 2022 in Farrar's case, according to Federal Election Commission records.