The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is accusing a California marijuana business of employing minors at a grow facility that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided on Thursday—an allegation the state-licensed operator is denying following the enforcement action.
White House dismisses criticism over the ICE raid and downplays its consequences because it involved workers in “product” of cannabis, as opposed legitimate “produce.”
Following media reports of the raid at two farms operated by Glass House Brands Inc.—and criticism from Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) of broader immigration enforcement actions across the state—DHS and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) responded on social media, leveling accusations of child labor.
Why are children employed at a marijuana plant, Gavin? DHS was quoted on X.
Department also published a meme saying that unaccompanied migrants children shouldn’t have to be forced into work at California marijuana factories.
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said that “10 juveniles were found at this marijuana facility—all illegal aliens, 8 of them unaccompanied.
According to him, the case is currently being investigated for possible child labor violations.
MEDCAN24 contacted Glass House regarding the federal claims. A representative had not responded by the publication date.
In response to the claim of a Democratic Congressman that the Administration is “targeting immigrant workers in the farm industries who feed America,” the White House shared an unfavorable post on the raids. It compared marijuana “product” and “produce” for justification.
On Friday, the White House posted a message on its official X page entitled: “ICE raids marijuana fields filled with illegal immigrants.”
“Cryin’ Jimmy: “ThEy’Re JuSt StRaWbErRy PiCkErS 😭,” it said, referencing criticism of the raids by Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA). “That ain’t produce, holmes. THAT’S PRODUCT. 🌿”
Glass House responded to DHS’s allegations, saying that “we received immigration and naturalization orders” and in compliance with the law “we checked the validity of the orders and complied.”
The company reported that workers were arrested and they are being assisted to obtain legal representation. Glass House never violated hiring policies and never hired minors.
It said: “We don’t expect that this will affect future operations.” The company said that it would provide more details as needed.
Graham Farrar added that “there are lots of questions,” and that “we also have many of them.”
He said, “Our team is constantly on the ground and focused on caring for our people and plants.”
White House Rapid Response Team, on the other hand, provided their perspective.
It’s a marijuana plant. How will we survive without the illegals picking our marijuana? It said calling a journalist for an advocacy group who had posted a video about the raid “a fool.”
Alex Pfeiffer was the deputy assistant to President Donald Trump. He did not explicitly target state-legal marijuana businesses. However, he seemed to indicate the administration’s view that cannabis farms are less legal in terms of the agricultural economy.
“This facility is for marijuana,” said he. “The growth OG Kush, is not our backbone.”
Tricia McClaughlin, assistant secretary at DHS, stated that DHS law enforcement was executing criminal search orders on a marijuana plant. She added the “brave officers” of the Department would continue to enforce laws.
Bill Essayli (U.S. Attorney) echoed this point and said that federal agents had “executed a search warrant on this marijuana farm” and they “have already made multiple arrests for impeding the operation, and will continue with these arrests”.
“Don’t interfere. He said that you would be arrested, and charged for a federal offence.
Nicole Elliot, the Director of California Department of Cannabis Control at MEDCAN24 said that she “understood today’s raid was described as an immigration enforcement action.”
The statement read: “We would like to remind all licensees not to let intimidation or fear divide or destabilize either your workplace or community.” California remains dedicated to a thoughtful and lawful government, as well as to the protection of its regulated cannabis industry.
Morgan Fox of NORML’s political department told MEDCAN24 Friday that despite the Administration’s claim that its Immigration Policy prioritizes criminal entities, they are “really going after agricultural licensees,” something that should “seem like a lower priority.”
Many Democratic members of Congress have now spoken more generally about the actions taken by the government to enforce immigration laws. They condemned them, saying that the action was an example of how the administration chose to focus on a whole class of individuals, instead of targeting those who are undocumented and committed serious crimes.
Some Republican lawmakers, however, maintain that an operation at a cannabis farm was justified because it is a drug illegal under federal law.
“They’re not ‘picking our food,'” Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) said, for example. This is a weed-farm.
Rep. Addison McDowell (R-NC) claimed that “Gavin Newsom wants illegal immigrants working in marijuana fields – many of them minors, likely forced into child labor.”
He said, “Get the children out of those weedy fields.” Get the illegals out of this country. “LAW AND ORDER.”
The number of immigration raids in California, and other jurisdictions, has increased. Protestors are pointing to cases where ICE detained, arrested, and in some instances, deported immigrants who came to the U.S. with no proper documents.
At the same time, involvement with cannabis—including via employment in the state-legal industry—can have immigration consequences for noncitizens.
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Meanwhile, on Monday, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) again notified an agency judge that the marijuana rescheduling process remains stalled under the Trump administration.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the United States. He has been vocal before about his support of cannabis legalization and psychedelics as therapy. But during his Senate confirmation process in February, he said that he would defer to DEA on marijuana rescheduling in his new role.
Separately, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) was reportedly photographed reviewing a document that appears to be a draft contract to provide services—including “administration-related guidance”—to a firm affiliated with the major marijuana company Trulieve. The visible portion of the document describes a lucrative bonus if a certain “matter resolves,” with an “additional ‘Super Success Fee'” for other “exclusive policy remedies.”
Last month, the former congressman reiterated his own support for rescheduling cannabis—suggesting in an interview with a Florida Republican lawmaker that the GOP could win more of the youth vote by embracing marijuana reform.
Gaetz also said last month that Trump’s endorsement of a Schedule III reclassification was essentially an attempt to shore up support among young voters rather than a sincere reflection of his personal views about cannabis.
A survey conducted by a GOP pollster affiliated with Trump that was released in April found that a majority of Republicans back a variety of cannabis reforms, including rescheduling. Notably, Republicans are even more supportive than the average voter of allowing state governments to legalize pot without federal interference.
Trump chose former Florida Attorney-General Pam Bondi to lead the DOJ and Senate approved this choice. During her confirmation hearings, Bondi declined to say how she planned to navigate key marijuana policy issues. As attorney general of Florida, Bondi opposed the legalization of medical marijuana.
Amid the stalled marijuana rescheduling process that’s carried over from the last presidential administration, congressional researchers recently reiterated that lawmakers could enact the reform themselves with “greater speed and flexibility” if they so choose, while potentially avoiding judicial challenges.
Meanwhile, a newly formed coalition of professional athletes and entertainers, led by retired boxer Mike Tyson, sent a letter to Trump on Friday—thanking him for past clemency actions while emphasizing the opportunity he has to best former President Joe Biden by rescheduling marijuana, expanding pardons and freeing up banking services for licensed cannabis businesses.
California State Fair Photo.
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