2025 Camarillo ICE raid
In 2025, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agents raided a cannabis farm in Oxnard Plain near Camarillo, California. Agents detained at least 319 undocumented migrants, and one farm worker died while trying to escape. At least 12 workers were injured, 8 of whom were hospitalized for their injuries.
Protestors quickly gathered at the farm with DHS stating that four U.S. citizens were arrested for "resisting or assaulting officers." Tear gas was deployed against the protestors. A professor from the nearby university coming to the aid of a protestor and the security guard for the farm were detained. Amidst the chaos, the security guard, a disabled veteran and U.S. citizen, was pepper sprayed and had his car window smashed by an agent.
Raid
On July 10, 2025, a raid at greenhouses on the Oxnard Plain near Camarillo, California, led to 319 people being detained and the death of one farmworker, Jaime Alanis Garcia. ICE agents allegedly chased Garcia, who then fell roughly 30 feet from the top of a building. Garcia was hospitalized and placed on life support for one day before dying from his injuries on July 11. NBC News described the raid as "chaotic". The detainees were held by ICE for over eight hours, and those among them who were U.S. citizens were allegedly only permitted to leave after deleting video footage of the raid from their phones. United Farm Workers stated that several workers were "totally unaccounted for" in the immediate aftermath of the raid, including at least one U.S. citizen.U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated that 14 undocumented minors were found at the farm, 8 of whom were unaccompanied. DHS stated that these minors were "victims of 'exploitation' and 'potentially human trafficking or smuggling.'"
During the day, about 500 protestors gathered at the farm, but by 6:30 that evening, their numbers had dwindled to around 200. DHS stated that four U.S. citizens were arrested for "resisting or assaulting officers". ICE agents deployed tear gas against the protestors, and claimed that a protestor shot at them with a handgun during the raid. There were no reports of gunshot wounds from the incident. Jonathan Caravello, a professor at nearby California State University, Channel Islands, was detained after aiding a protestor, and was not heard from for more than 48 hours after his arrest. The U.S. Attorney's Office stated Caravello was charged with assault on a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon after he allegedly threw a tear gas canister at federal agents. George Retes, a 25-year-old disabled veteran and U.S. citizen working as a security guard, was detained after ICE agents broke his car window and pepper sprayed him.
On the same day, ICE raided another cannabis farm owned by the same company in Carpinteria, in Santa Barbara County. Over 150 protestors soon arrived at the site, and several were injured, including a Carpinteria City Councilor. Congressman Salud Carbajal was also present at the demonstration, and attempted to mediate with the ICE agents. The ICE agents deployed less-lethal munitions at the protestors, including flash bangs, smoke grenades, and rubber bullets. Ten individuals were taken into ICE custody, out of the 12 for whom ICE reportedly had federal judicial warrants at this location.