Donald Trump has given “total authorization” to federal immigration agents to protect themselves after a series of clashes with protesters, including during a enforcement raid on a California cannabis farm.
“I am giving Total Authorization for ICE to protect itself, just like they protect the Public,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday, adding that he was directing the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, and border czar, Tom Homan, to arrest anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) protesters who impede immigration enforcement operations.
Trump said he’s told the administrators to “instruct all ICE, Homeland Security, or any other Law Enforcement Officer who is on the receiving end of thrown rocks, bricks, or any other form of assault, to stop their car, and arrest these SLIMEBALLS, using whatever means is necessary to do so”.
The president appeared to be referring to an incident on Thursday when federal agents clashed with protesters during immigration raids on two farms in California’s Ventura county, north of Los Angeles.
At one site, Glass House Farms in Camarillo, masked federal agents appeared to use crowd-control measures including teargas to curb a protest, which was responded to by thrown bricks. About 200 suspected undocumented immigrants were arrested, according to the Los Angeles Times, and a farmworker was critically injured after falling from a roof.
In a second raid 35 miles up the coast in Carpinteria, federal agents entered another Glass House Farms site. The United Farm Workers union said one worker fell at the Camarillo location and was later reported to be critically injured.
Homeland security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin later told Fox News Digital that the injured man was “not in and has not been in CBP or Ice custody, although he was not being pursued by law enforcement, this individual climbed up to the roof of a greenhouse and fell 30ft. CBP immediately called a medivac to the scene to get him care as quickly as possible.”
California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, said the administration’s actions were “inhumane” and it’s tactics “evoke chaos, fear and terror within our communities at every turn”.
Newsom’s office later posted in response to a tweet from Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser: “This fascist cuck in DC continues his assault on democracy and the Constitution, and his attempt to replace the sovereignty of the people with autocracy.”
The twin raids in California come despite guidance from Tatum King, a senior official with Ice, to regional department leaders at Homeland Security Investigations directing them to stop workplace immigration enforcement actions unless related to criminal investigations.
“Effective today, please hold on all work site enforcement investigations/operations on agriculture (including aquaculture and meat packing plants), restaurants and operating hotels,” King wrote in the guidance last month.
But the raids are continuing, along with clashes between protesters and federal agents.
Last week, 10 people were arrested on attempted murder charges in connection with a shooting outside the Prairieland detention center in Alvarado, Texas. A police officer was shot in the neck during what US prosecutors say was a “planned ambush” by assailants dressed in black, military-style clothing.
An 11th suspect, Daniel Rolando-Sanchez Estrada, is the husband of one of the charged attackers, and was arrested on charges of conspiracy to tamper with evidence while attempting to execute a search warrant, according to Ice’s account on X. He allegedly had “insurrectionist propaganda”.
The FBI said on Friday it is searching for a 12th person involved in the 4 July ambush, naming the suspect as Benjamin Hanil Song, a former Marine Corps reservist. Police say he should be considered armed and dangerous.
Three days later, on 7 July, a man with a rifle and tactical gear was shot dead by police after he opened fire at a border patrol facility in McAllen, Texas, near the US-Mexico border.
Two officers and a border patrol employee were injured in the attack, including one who was shot in the knee, according to a statement by the Department of Homeland Security. Police identified the suspect as 27-year-old Ryan Lewis Mosqueda.
In his statement, Trump said he had watched the California raids “in disbelief as THUGS were violently throwing rocks and bricks at ICE Officers while they were moving down a roadway in their car and/or official vehicle.
“Tremendous damage was done to these brand new vehicles. I know for a fact that these Officers are having a hard time with allowing this to happen in that it shows such total disrespect for LAW AND ORDER.”
