Federal immigration authorities arrested illegal migrants previously convicted of rape, kidnapping, attempted child molestation and other heinous crimes during weed farm raids in California that were immediately condemned by Democrats.
A joint Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operation executed search warrants at two marijuana grow sites in the California towns of Camarillo and Carpinteria on Thursday, resulting in the arrest of hundreds of illegal migrants and the rescue of more than a dozen minors believed to be victims of child labor. Appearing to believe agents targeted a regular farm, a number of Democrats, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, quickly issued public statements condemning the operation.
The immigration raids attracted more than 500 rioters who attempted to obstruct agents, resulting in four American citizens being criminally processed for allegedly assaulting or resisting officers, according to DHS. The Federal Bureau of Investigations is currently offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of one individual who fired a gun at law enforcement agents during the mayhem.
Among those arrested during the raids was Roman Izquierdo, a Mexican national deported in 2006 who returned sometime later, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Izquierdo was previously convicted of kidnapping, attempted rape and attempted child molestation.
Juan Duarte-Velasquez, another Mexican national living unlawfully in the U.S., had been convicted of rape and driving under the influence before his arrest at the weed farm, according to DHS. Salvadoran illegal migrant Jose Orellana had previously been convicted of a DUI and a hit-and-run with property damage prior to his arrest at the raid.
Adriana Gonzalez-Gonzalez, an illegal migrant from Mexico, was also among those nabbed by ICE agents, according to DHS. The Mexican national was previously convicted three different times for burglary and also driving under the influence.
Federal immigration agents arrested 361 illegal migrants altogether, according to DHS.
“Kids running from tear gas, crying on the phone because their mother was just taken from the fields,” Newsom posted Friday on social media about the raid. “Trump calls me ‘Newscum’ — but he’s the real scum.”
Newsom was among several Democrats who issued statements immediately condemning the raids, including Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, California Rep. Jimmy Gomez and California Rep. Julia Brownley. Their initial public comments suggested they were under the impression the farms were growing regular produce, with Gomez even mentioning strawberries.
Graham Farrar, president of Glass House of Farms, the company that owns the raided marijuana farms, has been a prolific donor for Democrats, campaign finance records show. Farrar previously donated $10,000 to Newsom’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign, $1,000 to California Democratic Assemblymember Gregg Hart and gave thousands in donations to the Santa Barbara County Democratic Central Committee’s federal political action committee.
“At the California marijuana facilities, ICE and CBP law enforcement rescued at least 14 migrant children from what looks like exploitation, forced child labor, and potentially human trafficking or smuggling while facing assault and even gunfire,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a public statement.
“As [Homeland Security Secretary Kristi] Noem stated, this is quickly becoming one of the largest operations since President Trump took office,” McLaughlin continued.
Spokespeople for the Democrats did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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