319 people were arrested in the farms raids in California and 14 children were rescued
The DHS said 14 children were rescued from potential forced labor, exploitation, and trafficking. Glass House Farms denied those claims, saying it has never knowingly employed minors.
According to the Department of Labor, the minimum age for agricultural employment is 14 outside of school hours and 12 with written parental consent. In California, you must be at least 12 years old to be hired as a farmworker.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced that 319 people were arrested during dual immigration raids at cannabis farms near Camarillo in Ventura County and the coastal city of Carpinteria on Thursday.
Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Rodney Scott previously said Glass House Farms, where the raids took place, is now under investigation for child labor violations.
“Farm workers are excluded from basic child labor laws, and it is unfortunately not uncommon for teenagers to work in the fields. To be clear: detaining and deporting children is not a solution for child labor.”
Glass House Farms denied those claims on social media, saying it has never knowingly employed minors.
Fear of more immigration operations is mounting up after tensions flared when federal agents raided the cannabis farm in Camarillo.
The Department of Homeland Security said they were serving a warrant at Glass House Farms on Thursday for allegedly hiring and harboring undocumented workers.
During the raid, federal agents faced off with protesters. Some threw rocks at their vehicles as they left.
On Friday evening, tow trucks were called in to pick up the dozens of personal vehicles left behind after Thursday’s ICE raid.
Loved ones lined up outside of the gate at Glass House Farms, waiting for answers they may never get. Some of them hoped guards would give them access to the personal items left behind by the workers detained.
One woman, who did not want to be on camera, was at the business to pick up her niece’s belongings. She said her niece was able to escape the raid by hiding on the property.
