A major immigration enforcement operation targeting two cannabis farms in Southern California ended in violence, mass arrests, and the death of a longtime farmworker.
Federal agents stormed farms in Camarillo and Carpinteria on July 10, detaining around 200 individuals suspected of being in the U.S. without legal status.
During the raids, agents encountered strong resistance from protesters.
About 500 people gathered outside the farms in opposition, leading to tense confrontations. Authorities reported that four U.S. citizens were arrested for physically confronting officers.
One individual allegedly fired a gun at agents and remains at large.
A $50,000 reward is being offered for information leading to that person’s arrest. Emergency services confirmed that at least 12 people were injured during the clashes.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that the raids also uncovered at least 10 minors who may have been victims of forced labor or human trafficking.
Among those caught in the chaos was Jaime Alanis, a farmworker who had been picking tomatoes at one of the farms, Glass House Farms, for the past decade.
During the operation, Alanis reportedly tried to hide and fell from a height of 30 feet. He was later found with multiple injuries, including broken hands, ribs, and a fractured neck.
Alanis was taken to Ventura County Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.
His family said he managed to call them from his hiding place before the accident. The United Farm Workers confirmed his death and called attention to the risks faced by laborers during such enforcement actions.
Glass House Farms issued a statement saying federal agents had valid warrants and that the company is cooperating with authorities.
It denied knowingly hiring minors and said it is helping provide legal support to its detained workers.
Several U.S. citizen employees remain unaccounted for. The raid is part of the Trump administration’s ongoing crackdown on undocumented immigration across the country.