A large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid at Glass House Farms, a prominent cannabis facility in Camarillo, Ventura County, escalated into a volatile standoff on Thursday, as federal agents clashed with protesters and detained multiple undocumented farmworkers.
The operation, which appears to have been supported by National Guard troops, drew widespread condemnation from local Democrats and activists, many of whom joined a large crowd of protestors that threatened to turn the situation hostile for ICE agents.
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The raid began around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday morning at the facility, which is located on Laguna Road and Las Posas Road. It was conducted alongside a simultaneous operation at another Glass House Farms location in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County. ICE agents, backed by military-style vehicles, sealed off the Camarillo site with U.S. Border Patrol-branded crime scene tape.
🧵HAPPENING NOW: Unhinged leftists in Ventura County (the ones I’ve been sharing iG posts from) are in a standoff with ICE at a farm near Camarillo. VCBOS’ Yianey Lopez goes oh KTLA to tell people who might need help to contact 805Undocufund and 805 Immigrant Coalition- the very… pic.twitter.com/nCghAEpnaw
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) July 10, 2025
Videos captured agents chasing workers through fields, with reports of at least one individual held at gunpoint and several U.S. citizens detained. An estimated 12 to 15 workers were detained at the Camarillo facility, though some sources suggest up to 100 detentions across both sites.
What initially appeared to be a peaceful demonstration turned chaotic when ICE agents deployed tear gas, smoke canisters, and rubber bullets to disperse the increasingly agitated crowd. Video taken at the scene shows anything but a peaceful protest, despite the declarations of some on social media.
By 12:35 p.m., tear gas forced some protesters to flee, with others using milk to counter its effects. The Ventura County Fire Department declared a mass casualty incident, transporting three individuals to hospitals by 2:00 p.m. due to tear gas exposure.
Anarchists out there proudly posting video telling ICE agents “f**k you” over and over pic.twitter.com/WixOljneYx
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) July 11, 2025
The raid follows a series of ICE operations in Ventura County, including June sweeps that arrested over 30 farmworkers, causing labor shortages. A recent $75 billion funding boost to ICE, part of a $175 billion immigration enforcement package, has fueled such large-scale operations, despite earlier pledges to protect farmworkers.
The Ventura County Democratic Party and local Catholic dioceses denounced the raids, while Los Angeles County and eight cities announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration, calling ICE’s tactics unconstitutional. Glass House Farms confirmed compliance with ICE search warrants in a statement on X, but neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security has commented.
