President Donald Trump has instructed federal law enforcement to utilize ‘whatever means necessary’ to detain anyone who hurls rocks or other objects at ICE agents during immigration operations.
Trump seemed to be referencing video clips of demonstrators aggressively confronting ICE agents during Thursday’s raid at a cannabis farm in Camarillo, located in Southern California.
Despite the turmoil, the raid led to the detainment of 200 migrant workers, among them several minors who officials claim were unlawfully employed at the farm.
‘I am on my way back from Texas, and watched in disbelief as THUGS were violently throwing rocks and bricks at ICE Officers while they were moving down a roadway in their car,’ Trump posted Friday evening on Truth Social.
‘Therefore, I am directing Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, and Border Czar, Tom Homan, to instruct all ICE, Homeland Security, or any other Law Enforcement Officer who is on the receiving end of thrown rocks, bricks, or any other form of assault, to stop their car, and arrest these SLIMEBALLS, using whatever means is necessary to do so,’ he continued.
‘I am giving Total Authorization for ICE to protect itself, just like they protect the Public. I never want to see a car (sic) carrying a Law Enforcement Officer attacked again!’
President Donald Trump was furious about people throwing rocks at ICE agents during the Thursday raid of a cannabis farm in Camarillo, a city in Southern California
The raid itself was on Glass House Farms, which employs hundreds of people and bills itself as the largest cannabis operation in the world. Protestors showed up to impede federal agents, which led to clashes
Smoke, flash bangs and tear gas were deployed to control the crowds. Most people ran away, but others decided to throw rocks at agents
The raid was on Glass House Farms, which employs hundreds of people and bills itself as the largest cannabis operation in the world.
CBP said it served a warrant on the farm, accusing it of employing illegal migrant workers. ICE and the National Guard reportedly executed that warrant on Thursday.
Protestors showed up to impede federal agents, some of whom threw smoke canisters and flash bangs to control the growing crowd.
Once the smoke and tear gas was deployed, most of the protestors ran in the opposite direction, though some were seen throwing rocks at the agents.
The demonstration lasted past 11pm on Thursday, with federal agents remaining on the scene as well.
Video and photos from the scene showed ICE agents clashing with a crowd of more than 100 people – many of them farmworkers or their family members – who had initially formed a human blockade along the road.Â
It was a scene of absolute chaos, with protesters, farmworkers, and family members scattering throughout the fields.
One Mexican farm worker, Jaime AlanÃs, died in the hospital Friday after he fell 30 feet off a building and broke his neck and skull.
Pictured: Protestors with signs confront federal immigration officers at the weed farm
National Guard members and federal agents are seen standing on the weed farm as protestors shout at them
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott revealed that 10 illegal juveniles were found working at the cannabis farm, which he said is now being investigated for child labor violations
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott revealed that 10 illegal juveniles were found working at the cannabis farm, which he said is now being investigated for child labor violations.
He then shared a photo of the kids they discovered, who were all sitting in front of five federal agents.
‘These are the juveniles found in the marijuana facility – almost all unaccompanied, one as young as 14,’ Scott said. ‘California are you ready to partner with us to stop child exploitation?’
Governor Gavin Newsom did not address what Scott said, but instead attacked the Trump administration for its mass deportation policy.
‘California prosecutes child exploiters and traffickers. Trump tear-gasses children, rips them from their parents, and deports farmworkers. Priorities,’ Newsom wrote in a post on X.
Earlier, when the raid and subsequent confrontation first went down, Newsom’s reaction was to suggest that kids were running from tear gas ‘because their mother was just taken from the fields.’
Newsom was widely criticized for this, with Vice President JD Vance saying: ‘Democrats are having a fit because we’re enforcing our laws against people working at a weed farm.’
