"They took one of our own" - The death of Jaime Alanís and the brutal ICE raid on a legal California cannabis farm

It was a hot, glaring day in Southern California when Jaime Alanís died – not of a natural illness, not in peace, but in a fall. He plunged more than nine meters from the roof of a greenhouse as federal agents in protective gear stormed the cannabis farm in Camarillo where he worked. On Friday, he succumbed to his severe injuries: fractures to his spine, injuries to his skull, internal bleeding – no chance. The incident occurred during a large-scale raid by the Department of Homeland Security – part of Donald Trump’s campaign for mass deportation of migrants. Around 200 people were arrested during the operation at the facilities of "Glass House Farms," including ten minors. According to authorities, the farm is under ongoing investigation for suspected child labor violations. What many overlook: the farm was fully legal. "Glass House Farms" is a state-licensed cannabis farm – approved under California law, regularly inspected, not an illegal operation. And yet it became the target of a massive raid, as if it were a criminal enterprise. “During the chaos, he fell 30 feet,” said Elizabeth Strater, Vice President of the farmworkers’ union United Farm Workers. Jaime Alanís had climbed onto the roof in panic – and fell. He wasn’t being chased, according to the Department of Homeland Security. And yet he was dead. On a verified GoFundMe page, his family is now asking for help – for the repatriation of his body to Mexico and the burial. “He was the pillar of our family. They took one of our own. We need justice,” the page reads. In just a short amount of time, nearly $80,000 was raised – the case has shocked the United States.

The raid was martial. Photos and videos show federal agents equipped with helmets and masks deploying tear gas and smoke grenades against protesters. Among them: migrant rights activists, farmworkers, local residents. People who knew this day would bring not just arrests – but fractures, wounds, losses. And it didn’t stop at one. Several workers were injured. Some disappeared. Others didn’t reappear until days later – after being pressured in custody to sign so-called voluntary deportation forms. They were threatened with life imprisonment for working on a cannabis farm. So reports Angelica Preciado from the California Rural Legal Assistance organization, which is now also collecting paychecks for the detained. Others – including U.S. citizens – report they were only released after deleting photos and videos of the raid from their phones. “These violent and cruel actions by the federal government terrorize American communities, disrupt the food supply chain, endanger lives, and tear families apart,” said UFW President Teresa Romero.

The raid was martial. Photos and videos show federal agents equipped with helmets and masks deploying tear gas and smoke grenades against protesters. Among them: migrant rights activists, farmworkers, local residents. People who knew this day would bring not just arrests – but fractures, wounds, losses. And it didn’t stop at one. Several workers were injured. Some disappeared. Others didn’t reappear until days later – after being pressured in custody to sign so-called voluntary deportation forms. They were threatened with life imprisonment for working on a cannabis farm. So reports Angelica Preciado from the California Rural Legal Assistance organization, which is now also collecting paychecks for the detained. Others – including U.S. citizens – report they were only released after deleting photos and videos of the raid from their phones. “These violent and cruel actions by the federal government terrorize American communities, disrupt the food supply chain, endanger lives, and tear families apart,” said UFW President Teresa Romero.