Introduction to the Immigration Protest
The crowd outside Glass House Farms in Camarillo in the wake of Thursday’s chaotic immigration sweep was a strange mix. There were vocal protesters hurling insults and sometimes water bottles at federal agents, and there were anxious friends and family of those who work at Glass House, a huge cannabis operation. Then there were curious bystanders like Mike Elliott, a Camarillo resident who voted for President Trump and stopped to see what was happening, saying he wanted to bear witness. Also on hand was Oxnard native Christina Muñoz, who said she brought her 2-year-old son, 5-month old daughter and her mom in hopes of getting a glimpse of her husband, a member of the National Guard whom she hadn’t seen in 30 days.
The Immigration Sweep
Federal agents raided two Glass House Farms sites on Thursday, said Maria Navarro, an Oxnard policy advocate for the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE). The organization was alerted at 10:20 a.m. that sweeps were happening at both California locations of the company, in Carpinteria and Camarillo. Hundreds of protesters turned out in Camarillo as an immigration sweep was carried out Thursday at a licensed cannabis farm. She hurried to the Camarillo site, where she came upon a tense scene, with protesters gathering and family members of workers trying to pick up their loved ones. But federal agents had already closed off access to the worksite. More and more people arrived, and Navarro said activists were trying to prevent trucks full of detainees from leaving.
Piled on by Multiple Agents All at Once
At the east entrance to the Camarillo facility, amid lush fields of blooming bush beans, the action started about 10 a.m. when federal agents entered the facility. Protesters and worried family began arriving soon afterward, and by 2:30 p.m., a line of about 30 agents, including National Guard members, was barricading nearby Laguna Road. The growing crowd was kept at least a quarter of a mile away from the facility. Protesters said that some people among the crowd had been detained. Jonathan Caravello, a philosophy professor at Cal State Channel Islands, was arrested, according to activist Angelmarie Taylor, who said she was one of his students and had accompanied him to the protest. Taylor claimed Caravello was arrested as he tried to help a man in a wheelchair when agents were pushing the crowd to move back. She said he and another individual “were piled on by multiple agents all at once” before being taken behind a line of agents to where several vehicles stood, “and we have no idea now where they are.”
Worksite is Run by an Ex-Cop Who Plays by the Rules
Marc Cohodes, an investor and famed short-seller who has invested in Glass House, called the raid “beyond outrageous.” He added that Glass House is “the largest cannabis cultivator in the world” and “a highly regulated business fully licensed by the state of California. It’s run by a guy named Kyle Kazan, who is an ex-cop who plays by the rules and does things by the book.” Kazan, he added, is also a supporter of Trump. Glass House Farms posted a statement on X on Thursday saying that the company had been “visited today by ICE officials” and “fully complied with agent search warrants.” The statement said nothing else, except to add that the company would “provide further updates if necessary.” Ambulances were seen going in and out of the Camarillo facility, and Cohodes said as many as 14 people were injured in the action and taken to hospitals.
Guardsman is at Raid, but His Family Needs Him
Around 4:30 p.m. Oxnard native Christina Muñoz held her 2-year-old son on her hip as she strained to catch a glimpse of her husband, Christopher, a National Guardsman who she heard had been deployed that day from Los Angeles to the factory raid. Her mother stood nearby holding Christina’s infant daughter. “I haven’t seen him for 30 days,” Muñoz said, “and I was hoping I could see him here.” She and her children have been staying with her family in Oxnard since her husband was deployed. “We thought it would be for just a few days,” she said, “but we didn’t see him for Father’s Day or the Fourth of July. We had no idea it would last this long.” “He’s needed at home,” Muñoz’s mother said, as she bounced the baby in her arms. “His family needs him.”
Trump was Going to Go After the Bad Guys
Off to the side of the protesters, David Elliott stood watching the scene with a beer in one hand and a small six-pack cooler in the other. “I’m out of beer,” he joked. The Camarillo resident said he had been heading for the beach, “but I got caught up in all the traffic and I thought, ‘You know what? I’m going to hang out here and see what happens.’” Elliott said he supports law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and he voted for Donald Trump to be president, but he doesn’t like what’s happening now with the immigration sweeps. “I voted for Trump because he said he was going to go after the bad guys, and I know they’re there, but I don’t like what they’re doing now …. going after people at Home Depot or farmworkers in the fields. These are hardworking people — my gardener and his crew started working for my parents 20 years ago and now they work for me, and they’re illegal; they’re not bad people, they’re like family, and a lot of us depend on the work they do.
Conclusion
The immigration sweep at Glass House Farms in Camarillo has sparked a chaotic protest, with hundreds of protesters gathering at the scene and clashing with federal agents. The raid has raised concerns about the treatment of immigrant workers and the use of force by law enforcement. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the incident will impact the community and the ongoing debate over immigration policy.
FAQs
Q: What happened at Glass House Farms in Camarillo?
A: Federal agents raided the facility, sparking a chaotic protest and clashing with hundreds of protesters.
Q: Who was affected by the raid?
A: The raid affected immigrant workers at the facility, as well as their families and friends who gathered at the scene to protest.
Q: What was the response of the community?
A: The community responded with outrage and concern, with many protesters gathering at the scene and clashing with federal agents.
Q: What are the implications of the raid?
A: The raid has raised concerns about the treatment of immigrant workers and the use of force by law enforcement, and has sparked a wider debate over immigration policy.
Q: What is the current status of the situation?
A: The situation is ongoing, with the incident still being investigated and the community continuing to respond to the raid.
