A farm worker has succumbed to injuries he suffered while trying to elude officers during Thursday’s federal immigration raid on a sprawling cannabis farm in Ventura County, family members said.
“We tragically can confirm that a farm worker has died of injuries they sustained as a result of yesterday’s immigration enforcement action,” the United Farm Workers announced on X on Friday.
The worker was later identified as Jaime Alanís. His family says he fell 30 feet from a building during the raid and was hospitalized with a brain injury.
His niece, who did not want to be identified, told KTLA that Alanís was texting the family up until the time of the accident.
“He was hiding, and moments later he doesn’t respond, and we knew something happened…we’re hoping for God to save him, but the doctors keeping telling me, no,” his niece said. Alanís’ family later made the decision to take him off life support.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a statement, stating Alanís was not in custody at the time of the fall, and insists he was not being chased.
“Although he was not being pursued by law enforcement, this individual climbed up to the roof of a green house and fell 30 feet. CBP immediately called a medivac to the scene to get him care as quickly as possible,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
Thursday’s raids at the Glass House cannabis farm and another farm in Carpinteria is believed to be the largest single-day immigration crackdown in California history. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said federal officers arrested approximately 200 “illegal aliens” and “rescued” at least 10 migrant children.
Hundreds of demonstrators converged on the Camarillo raid site, blocking roads and hurling objects at law enforcement, who responded with tear gas.
During the unrest, at least one person was seen on live news video appearing to fire a gun at officers. The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.
Paramedics responded to the scene and set up a triage system for people injured by tear gas at a safe distance from the ongoing operation.
United Farm Workers also issued a statement on Friday, confirming that workers were critically injured during what they described as “chaotic raids,” and noted that “other workers, including U.S. citizens, remain totally unaccounted for.”
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