A volatile immigration raid at a cannabis farm in Camarillo, California, turned dangerous when a protester allegedly pulled a gun on ICE agents. The incident, which unfolded on July 10, has triggered a manhunt and raised new concerns about the rising number of assaults on federal officers.
Tensions flared as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), supported by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), conducted a raid at the cannabis operation. Protesters quickly gathered, surrounding federal vehicles and recording the confrontation. Aerial footage showed agents using smoke canisters to disperse the crowd as the standoff entered its fourth hour.
At the height of the chaos, a protester reportedly brandished a firearm and fired at federal agents. The moment was captured on video and circulated on social media platform X, with one post demanding, “Will @GavinNewsom condemn this?? ICE agents are facing a 700% increase in assaults! This is insane!”
Search Warrant and $50,000 Reward Announced
HSI Los Angeles has issued a search warrant for the unidentified gunman and offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. According to the agency, the shooting occurred at approximately 2:26 p.m. on Laguna Road between Wood Road and Las Posas Road.
“An unknown subject appeared to fire a pistol at federal law enforcement officers,” HSI stated in a post on X. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
ICE Reports 700% Spike in Assaults on Agents
ICE says physical assaults on its agents have surged by 700% compared to the previous year. While deportation operations have become less visible under the Biden administration, enforcement actions are still underway—and increasingly contentious.
“This behavior is NOT protesting,” ICE posted on Thursday. “It’s assaulting federal employees while they’re on duty. It’s impeding federal officers. It’s ILLEGAL. It’s DANGEROUS. And it will NOT stop us from enforcing immigration law.”
Push for Transparency in Immigration Enforcement
Protesters and civil rights advocates continue to demand more accountability from ICE. They’ve criticized the agency’s use of unmarked vehicles and plainclothes officers during raids, arguing that it fuels public distrust and endangers bystanders.
In response to similar concerns during previous demonstrations, California passed legislation banning immigration officers from concealing their identities during operations. Lawmakers in other Democratic-led states are considering similar measures.
At the federal level, Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) recently introduced the VISIBLE Act—short for Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement—which would establish nationwide standards requiring ICE agents to wear clearly identifiable uniforms and badges during enforcement actions.
