It was supposed to be another long day in the California sun for Jaime Alanís, a hardworking father from Mexico doing what many immigrants do — working tirelessly to support his family back home.
But on Thursday, during a chaotic immigration raid at a cannabis farm in Ventura County, his life came to a devastating end.
A Deadly Fall During a Desperate Escape
Jaime had been working at Glass House Farms in Camarillo when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents suddenly stormed the site.
Witnesses say the agents arrived armed, triggering panic among workers — many of whom began fleeing in fear of arrest or deportation.
In the midst of that chaos, Jaime fell from a 30-foot-high building while trying to escape.
According to a family member who spoke to ABC 7, the fall caused severe trauma, including a broken neck and skull.
He was rushed to the hospital and placed on life support but sadly passed away the following day, Friday.
A Provider for His Family in Mexico
Jaime wasn’t just another worker. To his family, he was everything.
He had come to the U.S. to earn money for his wife and daughter back in Mexico, putting in long days on the farm.
His niece, Yesenia Duran, created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses, calling him “a hard-working, innocent farmer” who lived to support his loved ones.
At one point before his death, his family had shared that if he didn’t survive, they wished to bury him in Mexico.
Donations poured in rapidly — over $20,000 in just four hours. By Friday evening, more than $37,000 had been raised.
A Raid That Spiraled Into Violence
The raid was part of a sweeping federal crackdown on undocumented labor in Southern California. ICE was joined by members of the National Guard as they moved in on the facility.
What followed, according to witnesses, was swift and aggressive.
Video footage from the scene showed agents facing off against a crowd of over 100 people — farmworkers and their families — who tried to block the road in protest.
Tensions escalated quickly. Smoke canisters and tear gas were deployed by ICE officers, and protesters began to scatter. Some even threw rocks in response.
Shots Fired and a Fugitive on the Run
The situation became even more alarming when one person was spotted allegedly pulling out a firearm and appearing to shoot in the direction of federal agents.
The FBI has since offered a $50,000 reward to identify and arrest the shooter.
Meanwhile, roads were sealed off and agents poured into the facility, turning the entire area into a scene of confusion, fear, and outrage.
Emergency Response and Growing Concerns
With smoke and tear gas filling the air, the Ventura County Fire Department was called in just after noon to provide medical aid.
Their teams treated several people for smoke inhalation and gas exposure.
The department later clarified it had no role in the immigration enforcement itself — their only involvement was to offer emergency care.
At least three individuals were hospitalized, and nearly 200 others were reportedly detained during the operation.
Shocking Discovery of Child Labor
As the dust began to settle, officials made another troubling discovery: ten undocumented minors had been working at the farm.
Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott confirmed that the children, all underage, were found on site and are now part of a child labor investigation.
A photo released by the agency showed the children seated in front of five federal agents, further intensifying the public scrutiny facing the farm.
A Farm Now Under a Harsh Spotlight
Glass House Farms, one of the largest cannabis operations in California, has now been sealed off.
Yellow crime scene tape reading “U.S. Border Patrol” surrounds the facility, symbolizing the dramatic turn of events that unfolded there.
DailyMail.com reached out to the farm and the family of Jaime Alanís for further comment, but at the time of publishing, no new statements had been released.