Federal Raids at Glass House Farms Spark Chaos in Carpinteria and Ventura County
Andrew Gillies
EDITOR NOTE: This article has been updated to include details about juveniles found at the marijuana facility in Camarillo, the Carpinteria City Council’s decision to allocate funding to nonprofits supporting those affected by recent immigration enforcement actions, and a statement from Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch.
CENTRAL COAST REGION, Calif. — Two raids shook the Central Coast on Thursday as heavily armed federal agents stormed cannabis farms in Carpinteria and Camarillo, deploying tear gas, flashbangs and rubber bullets on crowds that included stunned farmworkers, residents and local officials.
Farm workers were critically injured in the raids according to the United Farm Workers, and it has been confirmed that one farm worker has died as a result.
Federal authorities are now revealing more details about Thursday’s immigration raid at a Glass House cannabis facility in Camarillo. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said 10 juveniles were found inside the facility, all of whom he claims are undocumented, with eight identified as unaccompanied minors.
A photo shared by Scott on social media has raised further questions, and a child labor violation investigation is now underway.
Glass House Brands confirms it received valid immigration and naturalization warrants and, in accordance with the law, complied with all federal requests. The company shared on X that several workers were detained during the enforcement action, and the company is actively working to ensure they have access to legal representation. Glass House maintains that it has never knowingly violated any hiring regulations and does not, and has never, employed minors. At this time, the company does not anticipate any impact on its operations and will share additional information as it becomes available.
In Carpinteria, tensions erupted when a crowd of outraged residents and workers confronted federal agents, some clad in military-style gear. Smoke bombs filled the air as the scene turned chaotic. Witnesses say the confrontation escalated when authorities attempted to clear a path for a school bus, prompting officers to fire pepper balls and additional rounds of tear gas to disperse the growing crowd.
“The national immigration debate exploded without warning in Carpinteria,” said one witness. Traffic backed up for blocks as hundreds gathered near the intersection of Foothill Road and Casitas Pass Road.
VIEWER WARNING: Videos below from the scene contain profanity as well as the use of crowd controls devices and measures that some viewers may find offensive or stressful.
Among those at the scene was Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, a former Marine who presented his congressional ID and demanded to speak with officials. He was physically pushed back and denied access.
“This is just ridiculous. It’s tragic and uncalled for,” Carbajal said. “This is overkill. Military personnel on our streets — Homeland Security dressed like soldiers — this is political theater by the Trump administration.”
Holding up part of a spent flashbang grenade, Carbajal added, “They threw this into a crowd near children. This is not how you keep people safe.”
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Carpinteria City Councilmember Mónica Solórzano was also injured in the clash.
“We were just standing there. We weren’t even saying anything… and now I’m bleeding,” she said after being knocked to the ground.
Thomas Elmore, a Carpinteria student, described the chaos.
“They started throwing pepper balls, tear gas, smoke — everything. They knew we were going to push back against it,” Elmore said.
A worker at Glass House Farms, the site of the raid, said he witnessed at least 10 people being detained.
“They put everyone on the ground. They did what they wanted. I don’t think this was targeted — it felt random,” he said.
Army veteran John Linebarger urged the crowd to blame the system, not the officers.
“These soldiers were just following orders. If they refused, they’d face court-martial,” he said.
Alvaro Rico, a local construction worker, expressed fear despite his citizenship status.
“I’m a citizen — and I’m still scared. Really scared. For all these people,” he said.
As the operation ended, tear gas lingered in the air, and the crowd slowly dispersed.
At the same time, a second raid unfolded at another Glass House Farms property in Camarillo, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents again deployed tear gas and crowd-control devices. Authorities labeled the incident a “multi-casualty event” due to the number of injuries reported.
Aerial footage showed agents firing tear gas and tackling individuals near agricultural fields along Laguna Road. Dozens were detained, many handcuffed and seated against a wall with paper bags at their feet. Paramedics established a triage zone to treat those affected by chemical agents.
Aerial Footage from Camarillo
Advocates at the scene estimate that at least 30 individuals were taken away in unmarked vans.
The United Farm Workers confirmed on X Friday that a farm worker has died of his injuries sustained in enforcement raids in Ventura County.
UPDATE: we tragically can confirm that a farm worker has died of injuries they sustained as a result of yesterday’s immigration enforcement action. https://t.co/Pq3rMmzZJR
— United Farm Workers (@UFWupdates) July 11, 2025
“The UFW can confirm farm workers were critically injured yesterday during chaotic raids in Ventura County, California. Others, including US citizens remain totally unaccounted for. Our staff is on the ground supporting families. Many workers-including US citizens, were held by federal authorities at the farm for 8 hours or more. US citizen workers report only being released after they were forced to delete photos and videos of the raid from their phones. The UFW is also aware of reports of child labor on site. The UFW demands the immediate facilitation of independent legal representation for the minor workers, to protect them from further harm. Farm workers are excluded from basic child labor laws. It is unfortunately not uncommon for teenagers to work in the fields.
To be clear: detaining and deporting children is not a solution for child labor. These violent and cruel federal actions terrorize American communities, disrupt the American food supply chain, threaten lives and separate families. There is no city, state or federal district where it is legal to terrorize and detain people for being brown and working in agriculture. These raids must stop immediately.”
In a statement Thursday, Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Westlake Village, voiced concern about the enforcement in Camarillo and broader actions across Southern California.
“I am aware of the recent immigration enforcement activities and large federal agent presence on Laguna Road in Camarillo and have been closely monitoring the situation,” Brownley said.“I’m deeply frustrated by the lack of transparency from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, and I will be demanding answers to find out who they detained and where the detainees are being taken.”
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it was not involved in the Carpinteria operation but had been notified in advance for “deconfliction purposes.” The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said it was similarly notified but did not participate in the Camarillo raid.
This raid comes as rumors spread about the existence of a detention facility in Camarillo.
The Department of Homeland Security declined to confirm the purpose of the federal law enforcement activity Thursday as well as the existence of a large-scale detention facility in Camarillo when contacted by Your News Channel.
The raids follow a June incident in which Juan Ramirez Diaz, a U.S. citizen from Oxnard, was detained during a separate ICE operation targeting his father. DHS later said Diaz interfered with the arrest and was taken into custody for obstruction.
Last week, President Donald Trump outlined a plan that could allow some migrants to remain in the U.S. to work in agriculture or hospitality. However, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins clarified Tuesday that the administration’s policy still includes mass deportations and no amnesty.
“There are 34 million able-bodied adults in the Medicaid program,” Rollins said. “Deportations will continue — strategically and intentionally — as we move toward more automation and a 100% American workforce.”
The Carpinteria City Council held an emergency meeting Thursday night, approving $5,000 in funding for nonprofits supporting residents impacted by recent immigration raids. The funds will aid groups providing legal support, emergency assistance, and resource navigation.
On Friday, Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch issued the following statement regarding the federal law enforcement operation Thursday that has been shared in full.
I stand with the other members of our Santa Barbara County community who are shocked and saddened that a large cadre of federal agents in paramilitary dress and equipment descended on multiple licensed Central Coast businesses. When a U.S. Congressman (our own Salud Carbajal) sought to simply inspect the situation and check on the welfare of his constituents, he was denied access to the scene by armed federal agents.
These actions should anger and scare everyone who believes in justice and the principles that this great nation was founded on. These raids were not a response to a direct threat to the safety of the citizens of the United States or the Central Coast. There is little if any debate “across the aisle” about efforts to remove individuals who enter the country illegally and commit violent and dangerous crimes – but that is not what was happening on July 10th. The actions of July 10th can rightfully be viewed as an attempt to fulfill some xenophobic quota, at the expense of disrupting the lives of hard-working immigrants who have become part of the fabric of our society.
As the District Attorney of Santa Barbara County and as a career prosecutor, I have devoted my career to protecting and supporting public safety. Any effort to promote public safety MUST be constrained by the principles and requirements set forth in statutes and the State and Federal constitutions. Concepts such as probable cause and due process must dictate the actions of government officials and agencies. Political expediency, bias, racism, and vindictiveness must never be the foundation of official government action.
I fear that the actions of July 10th will have a chilling effect on the immigrant communities that call Santa Barbara County home. Supporting victims is one of the primary functions of the District Attorney’s Office. I do not want anyone to exacerbate their suffering by failing to report victimization due to fear of immigration enforcement actions. This is a concern shared by other County officials who want to make certain that fear does not prevent individuals from seeking necessary medical or mental health services. I will not disrespect the legitimacy of the fear that is being felt, but I can ensure the people of this great county that we County officials operate under California law and do not participate in immigration enforcement actions.
History is a great teacher and the world has seen the disastrous consequences of leaders who incite a population by wrongfully vilifying an entire class of people (my very existence is dependent on the fact that federal enforcement agencies did not mobilize in support of antiCatholic/anti-Eastern European sentiment in the early 20th century). In the United States, we have a tool that has allowed us to retain our constitutional democracy – the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The First Amendment allows people to peacefully assemble and let their views be known. This is important because it is when we fail to exercise our First Amendment rights that we are in danger of losing them.
I encourage everyone to utilize another tool available to those of us in Santa Barbara County-the collective compassion and concern of this great County. I will never know a place that has concern for others so embedded in its collective DNA as Santa Barbara County. By supporting those who are currently living in fear as well as each other, we will be able to muster the hope and resolve to get through these turbulent times together.