The weed farm raid—which some Democratic politicians have lashed out against as a case of ICE performing raids on "families that have been here for years picking our food"—included the apprehension of 361 illegal immigrants. In addition, there were 14 children on the farm, 10 of whom were unaccompanied minors from crossing the border, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin said of the raid, "In those California raids, particularly disturbing is the number of politicians that came out and continue to villainize and attack and demonize our ICE law enforcement officers. At that particular operation, at those marijuana facilities, our ICE enforcement officers found 14 children, 10 who were unaccompanied. They were likely being exploited, potential slave or forced labor, potential child and human trafficking. So this is something that is incredibly disturbing and goes far beyond politics."
"And not only were there 10 unaccompanied children at that marijuana facility, but we also apprehended 361 illegal aliens with heinous rap sheets that included kidnapping, child molestation, rape, serial burglary, hit and runs. These are not people who should not be in our communities illegally, much less around innocent children," she added.
The FBI is also investigating a man who apparently shot at federal agents during the raid. Democratic politicians, however, when the raid took place, condemned the operation as agitators from an anti-ICE demonstration threw rocks at federal vehicles.
At one point, ICE agents used tear gas to disperse the crowd, and California Governor Gavin Newsom responded that there were "kids running from tear gas" and one child was "crying on the phone, their mother was just taken from the fields.
