Army veteran and US citizen arrested in California immigration raid
warns it could happen to anyone
[July 17, 2025]
By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ
A U.S. Army veteran who was arrested during an immigration raid at a
Southern California marijuana farm last week said Wednesday he was
sprayed with tear gas and pepper spray before being dragged from his
vehicle and pinned down by federal agents who arrested him.
George Retes, 25, who works as a security guard at Glass House Farms in
Camarillo, said he was arriving at work on July 10 when several federal
agents surrounded his car and — despite him identifying himself as a
U.S. citizen — broke his window, peppered sprayed him and dragged him
out.
“It took two officers to nail my back and then one on my neck to arrest
me even though my hands were already behind my back,” Retes said.
Massive farm raids led to hundreds being detained
The Ventura City native was detained during chaotic raids at two
Southern California farms where federal authorities arrested more than
360 people, one of the largest operations since President Donald Trump
took office in January. Protesters faced off against federal agents in
military-style gear, and one farmworker died after falling from a
greenhouse roof.
The raids came more than a month into an extended immigration crackdown
by the Trump administration across Southern California that was
originally centered in Los Angeles, where local officials say the
federal actions are spreading fear in immigrant communities.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke on the raids at a news conference
Wednesday, calling Trump a “chaos agent” who has incited violence and
spread fear in communities.
“You got someone who dropped 30 feet because they were scared to death
and lost their life,” he said, referring to the farmworker who died in
the raids. “People are quite literally disappearing with no due process,
no rights.”
Retes was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los
Angeles, where he said he was put in a special cell on suicide watch and
checked on each day after he became emotionally distraught over his
ordeal and missing his 3-year-old daughter's birthday party Saturday.
He said federal agents never told him why he was arrested or allowed him
to contact a lawyer or his family during his three-day detention.
Authorities never let him shower or change clothes despite being covered
in tear gas and pepper spray, Retes said, adding that his hands burned
throughout the first night he spent in custody.
On Sunday, an officer had him sign a paper and walked him out of the
detention center. He said he was told he faced no charges.
Retes met with silence when seeking explanation
“They gave me nothing I could wrap my head around," Retes said,
explaining that he was met with silence on his way out when he asked
about being "locked up for three days with no reason and no charges.”
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland
Security, confirmed Retes' arrest but didn't say on what charges.
“George Retes was arrested and has been released," she said. "He has not
been charged. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is reviewing his case, along
with dozens of others, for potential federal charges related to the
execution of the federal search warrant in Camarillo.”
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In this image taken from video provided by United Farm Workers,
George Retes speaks about being arrested at an immigration raid at a
Southern California marijuana farm during a press conference held
over Zoom in Oxnard, Calif., Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (United Farm
Workers via AP)
A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to halt
indiscriminate immigration stops and arrests without warrants in seven
California counties, including Los Angeles. Immigrant advocates accused
federal agents of detaining people because they looked Latino. The
Justice Department appealed on Monday and asked for the order to be
stayed.
The Pentagon also said Tuesday it was ending the deployment of 2,000
National Guard troops in Los Angeles. That's roughly half the number the
administration sent to the city following protests over the immigration
actions. Some of those troops have been accompanying federal agents
during their immigration enforcement operations.
Retes said he joined the Army at 18 and served four years, including
deploying to Iraq in 2019.
“I joined the service to help better myself,” he said. “I did it because
I love this (expletive) country. We are one nation and no matter what,
we should be together. All this separation and stuff between everyone is
just the way it shouldn’t be.”
Veteran pledges to sue federal authorities for his ordeal
Retes said he plans to sue for wrongful detention.
“The way they’re going about this entire deportation process is
completely wrong, chasing people who are just working, especially trying
to feed everyone here in the U.S.,” he said. “No one deserves to be
treated the way they treat people.”
Retes was detained along with California State University Channel
Islands professor Jonathan Caravello, also a U.S. citizen, who was
arrested for throwing a tear gas canister at law enforcement, U.S.
Attorney Bill Essayli posted on X.
The California Faculty Association said Caravello was taken away by
agents who did not identify themselves nor inform him of why he was
being taken into custody. Like Retes, the association said the professor
was then held without being allowed to contact his family or an
attorney.
Caravello was attempting to dislodge a tear gas canister that was stuck
underneath someone’s wheelchair, witnesses told KABC-TV, the ABC
affiliate in Los Angeles.
A federal judge on Monday ordered Caravello to be released on $15,000
bond. He’s scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 1.
“I want everyone to know what happened. This doesn’t just affect one
person,” Retes said. “It doesn’t matter if your skin is brown. It
doesn’t matter if you’re white. It doesn’t matter if you’re a veteran or
you serve this country. They don’t care. They’re just there to fill a
quota.”
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Associated Press writer Jamie Ding contributed from Los Angeles.
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