On July 10, 2025, federal immigration agents backed by National Guard troops executed warrants at two Glass House Farms cannabis cultivation sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo, California. Roughly 100 agricultural workers were reportedly detained, according to Newsweek, before protests erupted and tear gas was deployed.
Glass House, one of California’s largest licensed cannabis producers, acknowledged the enforcement action on its official X account (formerly Twitter), stating:
“Yesterday, Glass House Brands received immigration and naturalization warrants. As per the law, we verified that the warrants were valid and we complied. Workers were detained and we are assisting to provide them legal representation. Glass House has never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors. We do not expect this to affect operations moving forward.”
Graham Farrar, Glass House co-founder, added on X:
“Know there are lots of questions, we have a lot of them too, as we get more information we will update. Our team has been continually on site and we are focused on taking care of our people and our plants.”
At the time of publication, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had not issued a formal statement detailing the scope of the raid, the number of individuals detained, or the nature of the warrants served.
A Legacy Industry, A Federal Fault Line
The raid reignited long-standing tensions around cannabis legality, labor, and immigration enforcement in the U.S. While cannabis is legal in California, it remains federally prohibited, creating a legal paradox that leaves licensed businesses vulnerable to federal action.
Dr. Chanda Macias, a longtime advocate, reacted to the news in an exclusive comment to High Times:
“ICE raids targeting Latino communities cultivating alternative medicine are not just attacks on individuals, it is an attack on our community and healthcare. Our lives are not …
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Author: Javier Hasse / High Times
