Family members are expressing deep concern and desperation for answers after a disabled U.S. veteran was reportedly detained during a federal immigration raid at a cannabis farm in Camarillo, California. George Retes, 25, who works as a security guard at Glass House Farms, was caught in the chaos when tensions flared between federal agents and protesters.
According to his family, Retes was attempting to leave the area when he was wrongfully identified by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as part of the protest. His sister, Destinee Majana, shared that they witnessed the incident through aerial footage and saw his vehicle being targeted by agents. “They broke his window, they pepper-sprayed him, they grabbed him, threw him on the floor. They detained him,” she recounted.
As the situation unfolded, the FBI announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information on an individual who supposedly fired a weapon toward several agents amid the protest. Meanwhile, Retes’ family members, including his wife Guadalupe Torres, have faced challenges in determining his whereabouts. Despite numerous attempts to contact local law enforcement agencies, they have received no information regarding his detention.
“We are just asking to let my brother go. He’s a U.S. citizen. He didn’t do anything wrong. He’s a veteran, disabled citizen,” Majana implored. The urgency of the situation has been heightened by the fact that Retes’ daughter’s birthday party is scheduled for Saturday, further intensifying the family’s search efforts.
As the community rallies together, several families have returned to the cannabis farm seeking out missing loved ones who may have been affected by the raid. This distressing incident has raised significant concerns about the treatment of U.S. citizens during immigration enforcement operations and the potential for misunderstandings in high-tension scenarios.
As the situation develops, families and advocates are hopeful for Retes’ swift release, emphasizing the need for clarity and justice for those wrongfully caught in the crossfire of immigration enforcement actions.