Southern California ICE Raids Targeting Cannabis Nurseries Trigger Protests

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United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents recently caused havoc on July 10, 2025, at state-licensed cannabis nurseries in Southern California through raids (1). Upon arriving, ICE federal agents and accompanying National Guard troops were met by protestors.

Reuters (1) reported that other news organizations, such as the Santa Barbara Independent and Los Angeles Times were mentioning that news of the raids were sparking migrant-rights activists to “faceoffs with federal agents in the middle of rural roadways.”

ICE federal agents showed up at two locations, one in Carpinteria, California and Camarillo, California, both locations are operated by Glass House Farms (1,2). The cannabis nurseries were reportedly visited by ICE in June 2025, according to an attorney that is representing individuals working at Glass House Farms.

“DHS law enforcement is executing a warrant at a marijuana facility. Our brave officers will continue to enforce the law,” a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, the parent agency of ICE, replied by email to Reuters (1).

The Sacramento Bee reported that the agents had “deployed smoke grenades near the crowd, estimated at 100 to 200 people,” (2). US Representative Salud Carbajal was in attendance of the protests. Protesters were shouting “Let him through!” (2). ICE federal agents did not let Carbajal get through. “This is ridiculous. This is military theater,” Carbajal said to Noozhawk (2). “Look at this, militarized agents on domestic soil acting like military.”

The US representative felt that the situation was “overkill and ridiculous,” (2).

“Look, If they want to deport criminals that’s one thing. This is not deporting criminals,” Carbajal expressed (2). “This is going after every day, hardworking immigrants.”

As a member of congress, Carbajal was attempting to “exercise his oversight authority as a member of Congress, and that company officials later told him 10 workers were taken into custody at that location,” (1).

Over the course of the current administration, President Donald Trump has consistently changed his stance on immigration. On June 14, 2025, the president stopped ICE from enforcing on farms, but that policy didn’t stay in effect for long. Recently, Trump mentioned that (1) “He was willing to let migrant workers stay in the country if farmers can ‘vouch’ for them.” Not long after though, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins commented that there’d be “no amnesty” from deportation for farmworkers (1).

The US government anticipates that around half of farmworkers are illegally in the country and it has been expressed within the farm sector that enforcing these mass deportations could “cripple the nation’s food supply chain,” (1).

Earlier this year, Glass House Brands Inc. announced it was partnering with the University of California, Berkely to collaborate on hemp research and regulation.

The partnership has been working to facilitate hemp genetics research, market analysis, and new medicinal product development targeting coronaviruses, pain, sleep, inflammation, and cirrhosis (3). It is interested in providing more information on supply chain sustainability and AI automation in hemp cultivation and production. The regulation research is hoping to reduce uncertainty for hemp growers in California, using data-driven approaches.

References

1. Gorman, S.; Douglas, L. Immigration raids on California cannabis nurseries spark protests https://www.reuters.com/world/us/immigration-raids-california-cannabis-nurseries-spark-protests-2025-07-11/ (accessed Jul 11, 2025).
2. Magnoli, G.; Caraway, R. Crowd confronts federal agents in raid at Central Coast cannabis farm https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article310421215.html (accessed Jul 11, 2025).
3. McEvoy, E. Glass House Brands and UC Berkeley announce Hemp Research Partnership https://www.cannabissciencetech.com/view/glass-house-brands-and-uc-berkeley-announce-hemp-research-partnership (accessed Jul 11, 2025).