Federal officials raided marijuana farms in California operated by an important state-licensed company on Thursday.
Glass House Brands Inc. reported that officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement visited its facility today. Other media outlets reported the involvement of the National Guard in these raids.
It does not seem to be a specific effort of the federal government, since other reports indicated that ICE had been involved in multiple enforcement actions.
After ICE’s presence in the area was made public by advocacy groups, protests erupted.
MEDCAN24’s request for comment was not answered by ICE. Glass House Brands declined to make a comment for the record.
The Santa Barbara Independent reported that 805 UndocuFund and the 805 Immigrants Coalition, two advocacy groups focused on immigration, had conducted raids at Glass House’s locations.
In the alert, the organization said “both locations have multiple ICE cars and agents on ground.” Residents were urged to “showup to the scene for workers’ protection.”
While the immigration enforcement action doesn’t appear directly connected to the marijuana industry—and information about potential arrests of cannabis workers is unclear—the news is certain to add to the anxiety among immigrants working in the marijuana industry in California and elsewhere.
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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The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), however, informed a judge on Monday that marijuana rescheduling remains stalled in 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 has chosen Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, to be his nominee for DOJ. The Senate has confirmed this decision. During her confirmation hearings, Bondi declined to say how she planned to navigate key marijuana policy issues. She also opposed medical cannabis legalization as the state’s attorney general.
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.
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