Introduction to the Incident
George Retes Jr. grew up in Southern California, and when he turned 18, he decided to serve in the U.S. Army, he said, because he wanted to be part of something bigger than himself. After a tour of duty in Iraq, Retes moved back to Ventura County this year to find a job and spend more time with his wife and two young children. In February, he began working as a contracted security guard for Glass House Farms at its cannabis greenhouses in Camarillo. Then, on July 10, everything changed as ICE raided Glass House — one of its largest immigration raids ever — while he was trying to get to work.
The Arrest and Detention
Federal officers surrounded Retes and pushed him to the ground. He could hardly breathe, he said, as officers knelt on his back and neck. He was arrested, jailed for three days and was not allowed to make a phone call or see an attorney, according to the Institute for Justice, a public-interest law firm that is representing him. President Trump’s Department of Homeland Security never charged Retes with a crime. But after he wrote an op-ed about his experience this month, DHS started issuing new accusations against him — saying he was arrested for assault during the raid, which the 25-year-old veteran has denied.
The Events Leading to the Arrest
On July 10, Retes was headed to work around 2 p.m., and the narrow road leading to the farm was logjammed, he said. He weaved his compact white Hyundai forward, past parked cars and protesters, determined to make it to his shift. He stopped short when he came upon a line of federal officers who blocked his path to the farm. Retes, 25, wearing shorts and a hoodie, got out of his car and tried to tell the federal agents that he worked at the farm. Agents ignored him, he said, and instead told him to get out of the way.
The Confrontation and Arrest
So he got back in his car, and as he tried to back up, agents began lobbing tear gas canisters toward the crowd to disperse them. Retes began hacking and coughing as the gas seeped into his car and federal officers began pounding on his car door. He said they gave him instructions to move that were contradictory. The agents smashed his car window, pepper sprayed him, pulled him out of the car and arrested him, he said. He was handcuffed, and after his three days in jail, he was released without any explanation.
The Op-Ed and DHS Response
In his Sept. 16 opinion piece for the San Francisco Chronicle — entitled “I’m a U.S. citizen who was wrongly arrested and held by ICE. Here’s why you could be next” — Retes detailed his ordeal. He has begun to take legal action to sue the U.S. government under the Federal Tort Claims Act. More than 360 people were arrested in the raid, including numerous undocumented immigrants, and one person died. Homeland Security officials did not respond to a request for comment or answer questions about their claim of assault. A day after Retes’ opinion piece was published, the agency said Retes “became violent and refused to comply with law enforcement. He challenged agents and blocked their route by refusing to move his vehicle out of the road. CBP arrested Retes for assault.”
The Video Evidence
An aerial video that captured the initial confrontation shows Retes driving up to the line of agents. He steps outside of his car and remains by the driver side as he tries to reason with the agents. About 20 seconds later, he gets back in his car as the agents press forward. Within seconds they surround his car, at the same time pressing protesters back as they begin to lob tear gas canisters. Inside his car, Retes starts to record on his phone. He’s backing up slowly, at an angle, until tear gas makes it difficult to see where he’s going, he said.
Aftermath and Legal Action
Retes said he was astounded to learn the agency’s latest claims about July 10 — moments that were captured on video. He says DHS officials are lying. Anya Bidwell, his attorney and senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, said it is significant that the government chose to respond only after his piece was published. Retes said he was suspended from his job without pay for two weeks because of the arrest, and when he came back, his regular shifts were no longer available. Staying on would make it difficult to see his family, so he had to leave, he said. He also had to spend about $1,200 getting his car window fixed and detailed from the tear gas, he said.
Conclusion
Despite the Trump administration’s actions, Retes said his faith in the government and accountability for justice remains steady. Just like when he joined the Army, he said, he still hangs on to a sense of unity to stand up for the country’s values. Retes’ story highlights the importance of holding those in power accountable and the need for transparency in government actions. It also underscores the challenges faced by individuals who speak out against injustices and the potential for retaliation.
FAQs
- What happened to George Retes Jr. on July 10?
George Retes Jr. was arrested by federal officers while trying to get to work at Glass House Farms in Camarillo, which was being raided by ICE. - What were the circumstances of his arrest?
Retes was stopped by federal agents, who ignored his attempts to explain that he worked at the farm. He was then subjected to tear gas, pepper spray, and physical force before being arrested and detained for three days. - What did DHS claim about Retes after he wrote an op-ed about his experience?
DHS claimed that Retes was arrested for assault during the raid, which he denies. - What evidence supports Retes’ account of the incident?
Aerial video footage shows Retes driving up to the line of agents and attempting to reason with them before being surrounded and arrested. - What legal action is Retes taking?
Retes is suing the U.S. government under the Federal Tort Claims Act and is being represented by the Institute for Justice.
