First fatal victim of immigration raids falls: a farm worker
Failed to overcome the severity of the injuries sustained while running to escape from federal immigration agents
An agricultural worker who was seriously injured when he fell from a building while escaping from the immigration raid at the Glass House Farms ranch in the city of Camarillo in Ventura County, died this Friday, July 11, one day after the military operation.
This is Jaime Alanis Garcia, who was unable to overcome the fractures suffered in the neck and skull after falling from a 30-foot-high building, and died in the hospital when his family decided to disconnect him from the machines that kept him on artificial life.
The United Farm Workers (UFW) confirmed the heartbreaking news on its social networks:
"We can confirm that unfortunately a farm worker has passed away from injuries sustained as a result of immigration control actions."
The family opened an account to raise funds on the GoFundMe site, when the fatal outcome was not yet known but was considered inevitable.
“My uncle Jaime was just an innocent farm worker, a very hard worker. He had a daughter and a wife waiting for him. He was chased by ICE agents, and we were told he fell 30 feet,” the family wrote.
“My uncle is in critical condition; doctors have told us he’s not going to make it. His injuries are catastrophic. His heart is still beating. God will have the final say.”
They explained that they opened the GoFundMe account to help with medical expenses, send money to his wife, and for his funeral in Mexico.
“He was the provider for his family. They took one of our family members. We need justice. We are still investigating what happened. More details to come.”
To help Jaime’s family, visit the Jaime Alanis page (farm workers @glasshousefarms)
The deceased worker’s niece, who asked not to be identified, said in an interview with the KTLA that his uncle had been texting his family up until the time of his accident.
“He was hiding, and moments later when he didn’t respond, we knew something had happened. We were hoping God would save him, but the doctors kept saying no.”
In a separate statement, the UFW reported that during the raid on Thursday, July 10, farm workers were seriously injured, and others, including U.S. citizens, remain missing.
But that’s not all, they indicate that many workers and citizens were detained by federal authorities on the ranch for eight hours or more.
U.S. citizen workers reported that they were only released after being forced to delete photos and videos of the raids from their phones.
“The UFW is also aware of reports that minors were working on site. We demand that independent legal representation be immediately provided for underage farmworkers to protect them from further harm.”
They emphasized that it is unfortunately not common to find teenagers working in the fields.
“Let us be clear: detaining and deporting children is not the solution to child labor.”
The UFW maintains that these cruel and violent actions terrorize American communities, disrupt the American food chain, threaten lives, and separate families.”
And they emphasized: “There is no city, state, or federal district where it is legal to terrorize and detain people for being brown and working in agriculture. These raids must stop immediately.”
They do not accept responsibility
The Department of Homeland Security disclaimed any responsibility for the farmworker’s death through a statement, in which they affirmed that he was not in their custody and they were not pursuing him.
“Although he was not While being pursued by federal agents, this individual climbed onto the roof of a greenhouse and fell 30 feet. CBP immediately called an air ambulance to the scene to provide him with rapid treatment,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
The immigration raid at the Glass House marijuana farms in Camarillo and Carpinteria in Santa Barbara County is considered the largest in California history in a single day.
The largest raid
The Department of Homeland Security reported that they arrested approximately 200 undocumented immigrants and seven migrant minors.
During the massive operation, federal agents clashed with hundreds of protesters in Camarillo. Some of them threw rocks, tried to block their paths, and even threw themselves on top of their vehicles to prevent them from taking the immigrants into custody.
In response, The officers fired tear gas canisters, prompting calls to emergency services. Camarillo and Ventura County firefighters provided aid to some of the injured protesters, and at least four were transported to nearby hospitals.
The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person who apparently fired at immigration officers.
Detention of Professor Denounced
Arnulfo De La Cruz, president of SEIU Local 2015, denounced the assault and kidnapping by ICE of California Teachers Association member Jonathan Caravello yesterday in Camarillo:
“The members of SEIU California demand the immediate release of our colleague Jonathan Caravello, PhD, a U.S. citizen and union member, who was brutally assaulted and detained by federal agents while peacefully observing ICE’s militarized invasion of the Ventura County farming community yesterday.
“We denounce the unacceptable and escalating use of Violence, kidnapping, and intimidation against farmworkers who labor to feed their families.
“The murder of a farmworker during yesterday’s raids in Camarillo is further proof that it’s Trump’s ruthless deportation army that is endangering the safety of our communities, not the workers performing backbreaking labor to put food on our tables.”
She added that Dr. Caravello, a professor at CSU Channel Islands, should be home with his loved ones.
However, De la Cruz said the professor was brutally attacked, dragged away, and his whereabouts are unknown.

