Feds Accuse State-Licensed Marijuana Farm Of Employing Minors, As White House Dismisses Criticism Of Raid
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is accusing a California marijuana business of employing minors at a grow facility that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided on Thursday—an allegation the state-licensed operator is denying following the enforcement action.
And the White House is now dismissing criticism of the ICE raid, downplaying the consequence of the action because workers were involved in cannabis “product” as opposed to legitimate “produce.”
Following media reports of the raid at two farms operated by Glass House Brands Inc.—and criticism from Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) of broader immigration enforcement actions across the state—DHS and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) responded on social media, leveling accusations of child labor.
“Why are there children working at a marijuana facility, Gavin?” DHS said on X.
The department also posted a meme, saying, “Unaccompanied migrant children shouldn’t be forced into labor at California marijuana facilities.”
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said that “10 juveniles were found at this marijuana facility—all illegal aliens, 8 of them unaccompanied.
The matter is “now under investigation for child labor violations,” he said.
Marijuana Moment reached out to Glass House for comment about the federal claims, but a representative did not respond by the time of publication.
The White House, meanwhile, shared a dismissive post about the raids, contrasting marijuana “product” with “produce” as justification for the enforcement operations in response to a Democratic congressman’s claim that the administration is “targeting the immigrant farm workers who feed America.”
“ICE: Raids marijuana farms filled with illegal aliens,” the White House’s official X account posted on Friday.
“Cryin’ Jimmy: “ThEy’Re JuSt StRaWbErRy PiCkErS 😭,” it said, referencing criticism of the raids by Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA). “That ain’t produce, holmes. THAT’S PRODUCT. 🌿”
Glass House, for its part, reacted to the DHS allegations by saying it “received immigration and naturalization warrants,” and consistent with law, “we verified that the warrants were valid and we complied.”
“Workers were detained and we are assisting to provide them legal representation,” the company said. “Glass House has never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors.”
“We do not expect this to affect operations moving forward,” it said. “We will provide additional details when applicable.”
Graham Farrar, president of Glass House, added that he acknowledges that there are “lots of questions” and “we have a lot of them too.”
“Our team has been continually on site and we are focused on taking care of our people and our plants,” he said.
The White House’s rapid response team, meanwhile, offered their own perspective.
“It’s a marijuana facility. What will we do without illegals to pick our weed?” it said, calling an advocacy journalist who posted a video of the raid a “moron.”
While ICE has been conducting raids in jurisdictions across the state and country, without explicitly targeting state-legal cannabis businesses, President Donald Trump’s deputy assistant, Alex Pfeiffer, did seem to indicate that the administration views marijuana farms are less legitimate as far as the agriculture economy is concerned.
“This is a marijuana facility,” he said. “The growth of OG Kush is not the backbone of our food chain.”
The assistant secretary of DHS, Tricia McLaughlin, said DHS “law enforcement is executing criminal search warrants at a marijuana facility,” adding that the department’s “brave officers will continue to enforce the law.”
Echoing that point, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said federal agents were “executing a search warrant at this marijuana farm,” and agents “have already arrested multiple individuals for impeding this operation and will continue to make arrests.”
“Don’t interfere. You will be arrested and charged with a federal offense,” he said.
Prior to DHS’s allegations about the reasoning behind the raid, California Department of Cannabis Control Director Nicole Elliot told Marijuana Moment that the division “understands today’s action has been described as focused on immigration enforcement.”
“We want to remind our licensees: do not let fear and intimidation divide or destabilize your workplace or your community,” she said. “California remains committed to thoughtful, lawful governance and to protecting the integrity of our regulated cannabis market.”
Morgan Fox, political director of NORML, told Marijuana Moment on Friday that, despite the administration’s insistence that it’s prioritizing criminal entities with its immigration policy, it’s evidently “going after licensed agricultural entities,” which “seems like it should be a low priority.”
Several Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill weighed in more broadly on the immigration enforcement actions, condemning them as examples of the administration choosing to go after an entire class of people, rather than targeting undocumented individuals who’ve committed serious crimes.
Certain Republican members, meanwhile, have maintained the narrative that a raid at a marijuana farm is distinct because of its status as a federally illegal drug and, therefore, justified.
“They’re not ‘picking our food,’” Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) said, for example. “This is a weed farm.”
Rep. Addison McDowell (R-NC) claimed that “Gavin Newsom wants illegal immigrants working in marijuana fields – many of them minors, likely forced into child labor.”
“Get the kids out of the weed fields,” he said. “Get the illegal immigrants out of the country. LAW AND ORDER.”
Immigration raids have become commonplace in California and jurisdictions across the country, drawing large masses of protestors who have pointed to examples where ICE has detained, arrested and, in some cases, deported people who’ve come to the U.S. without proper documentation.
At the same time, involvement with cannabis—including via employment in the state-legal industry—can have immigration consequences for noncitizens.
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Meanwhile, on Monday, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) again notified an agency judge that the marijuana rescheduling process remains stalled under the Trump administration.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was previously vocal about his support for legalizing cannabis, as well as psychedelics therapy. But during his Senate confirmation process in February, he said that he would defer to DEA on marijuana rescheduling in his new role.
Separately, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) was reportedly photographed reviewing a document that appears to be a draft contract to provide services—including “administration-related guidance”—to a firm affiliated with the major marijuana company Trulieve. The visible portion of the document describes a lucrative bonus if a certain “matter resolves,” with an “additional ‘Super Success Fee’” for other “exclusive policy remedies.”
Last month, the former congressman reiterated his own support for rescheduling cannabis—suggesting in an interview with a Florida Republican lawmaker that the GOP could win more of the youth vote by embracing marijuana reform.
Gaetz also said last month that Trump’s endorsement of a Schedule III reclassification was essentially an attempt to shore up support among young voters rather than a sincere reflection of his personal views about cannabis.
A survey conducted by a GOP pollster affiliated with Trump that was released in April found that a majority of Republicans back a variety of cannabis reforms, including rescheduling. And, notably, they’re even more supportive of allowing states to legalize marijuana without federal interference compared to the average voter.
Meanwhile, Trump picked former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (R) to run DOJ, and the Senate confirmed that choice. During her confirmation hearings, Bondi declined to say how she planned to navigate key marijuana policy issues. And as state attorney general, she opposed efforts to legalize medical cannabis.
Amid the stalled marijuana rescheduling process that’s carried over from the last presidential administration, congressional researchers recently reiterated that lawmakers could enact the reform themselves with “greater speed and flexibility” if they so choose, while potentially avoiding judicial challenges.
Meanwhile, a newly formed coalition of professional athletes and entertainers, led by retired boxer Mike Tyson, sent a letter to Trump on Friday—thanking him for past clemency actions while emphasizing the opportunity he has to best former President Joe Biden by rescheduling marijuana, expanding pardons and freeing up banking services for licensed cannabis businesses.
Photo courtesy of California State Fair.
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