Controversial Immigration Raids Stir Protests at California Marijuana Nurseries

Federal agents launched a major crackdown on state-licensed marijuana nurseries in Southern California on Thursday, inciting widespread protests. The raids were executed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, accompanied by National Guard troops, targeting Glass House Farms locations in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

Video footage and reports from media outlets like the Santa Barbara Independent and Los Angeles Times reveal that as the news of the raids spread, crowds of migrant-rights activists arrived on the scene, leading to heated encounters with law enforcement. ICE agents reportedly fired tear gas during the confrontation, while Glass House Farms stated they were fully compliant with the search warrants.

This enforcement action comes amid the Trump administration's vacillating policies on deporting undocumented farmworkers, with recent shifts creating a climate of uncertainty in the agricultural sector. The potential mass deportations threaten to destabilize the nation's food supply chain, raising concerns across the industry.

(With inputs from agencies.)