Farmworkers in Ventura County, California flee fields as ICE agents conduct latest raid

ICE conducted a raid on produce farms in Ventura County, Southern California, targeting workers on Tuesday morning. The raids are part of a series of enforcement actions in the region.

Farm workers told our sister station KABC that ICE agents arrived at the farm at around 6 a.m. Tuesday.

“We saw a car when we were on the side, the car was coming and ICE was following the car,” said one of the workers who asked to remain anonymous.

Video posted online showed ICE agents chasing after some of the workers as they fled the fields.

Workers said they had anxiety about going to work because they feared ICE would show up while they worked.

One farmworker expressed concerns about the need to work despite the risks involved. The current situation has made it challenging for them to carry out their jobs without fear.

It is unclear how many people were detained during the operation.

Daniel Larios from the UFW Foundation criticized the raids, stating that they target innocent people striving to achieve the American Dream. He described the enforcement actions as instilling fear in individuals who have committed no serious crimes other than living and working in the United States.

The mayor of Oxnard, Luis McArthur, said “We have received reports of ICE agents attempting to enter agricultural fields in our city and also stopping vehicles.”

“These actions are completely unjustified and harmful. They create chaos and distress in our community without contributing much to public safety,” McArthur added.

FBI Los Angeles confirmed in a post on X that they conducted immigration enforcement operations in Ventura County in support of Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Agriculture is a $2 Billion industry in the county and local farms rely on migrants to pick the crops year-round. Raids like Tuesday’s could have a significant impact on what’s planted and picked at these produce farms.

“The individuals affected by these operations, they’re not criminals. They are hardworking families who make meaningful contributions to our local economy and to our greater community.,” said McArthur.

The Oxnard Police Department Chief Jason Benites said the department does not participate or assist federal immigration enforcement.