Ten illegal migrant youths, most of them unaccompanied, were found at a California marijuana farm during a tense immigration raid on Thursday, prompting federal officials to launch an investigation into possible child labor violations.
The youngsters, one just 14 years old, were discovered by federal agents at Glass House Farms in Southern California during a chaotic operation in which one protester appeared to fire a gun at authorities, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said on X Thursday.
“This is Newsom’s California,” Scott said in response to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who shared a video of the raid.
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Friday the feds “rescued” nine of the children, who crossed the border “unaccompanied.”
McLaughlin said the alarming situation “looks like exploitation, violation of child labor laws and potentially human trafficking or smuggling.”
Scott announced the child labor probe into the farm in his Thursday social media post.
When immigration and border agents descended on the cannabis farm they were met by dozens of rioters who tried to block a road between fields.
The screaming mob eventually scattered when agents deployed an unknown substance to control the crowd. Several protestors appeared to lodge rocks at the officers, according to ABC 7.
A masked man also was seen allegedly firing a few shots as he and other protestors scampered away. The FBI is now offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the alleged shooter’s arrest.
The feds set up a blockade with military-style vehicles as they clashed with protesters for four hours.
Several workers were taken into custody, sources told The Post. However, it’s unclear how many were detained.
One source noted that the ICE building “smelled like weed heavily” as the individuals were taken in for processing.
Glass House Farms said on social media that it “fully complied with agent search warrants” visited by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials Thursday.
The farm has a permit to grow cannabis in Ventura County, and as of last year used half of the space for cannabis while half was dedicated to tomatoes and cucumbers, the Ventura County Star reported.
The Biden administration has lost track of roughly 320,000 unaccompanied migrant kids, many of whom are believed to be at risk of sex trafficking, forced labor and other forms of exploitation, according to a government watchdog.
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