On July 10, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement executed a search warrant for Glass House Farms in Carpinteria and Camarillo, marking one of the largest raids since President Donald Trump took office. The raid resulted in over 360 arrests, primarily of individuals suspected of lacking legal status.
The U.S. government says it is investigating Glass House for potential child labor violations, and says it found 14 children at one of its sites. Glass House’s co-founders, Kyle Kazan and Graham Farrar, have faced scrutiny after claims of unlawful practices emerged from rival Catalyst Cannabis Co.’s lawsuit.
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But Glass House is a licensed grower, and critics note that thousands of unlicensed operations across the country have escaped the kind of federal scrutiny that Glass House now faces. They warn it sends a chilling message to California’s legal cannabis industry.
Nearly two weeks later, the reason for the federal raid remains unclear. Observers cite broader political tensions between the Trump administration and California as one possible reason.
The United Farm Workers union has advised non-citizen workers to avoid jobs in the cannabis sector due to its federal illegality, highlighting concerns about safety.
