A tense confrontation was witnessed when ICE officers raided a cannabis farm in Camarillo, California, as an operation mounted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents soon brought protesters to the scene. Footage of aerial views showed protesters encircling a federal car and documenting the events.
As the raid entered its fourth hour, officials said they deployed canisters of smoke in all directions. The unexpected billows of smoke sent people running wildly.
In the meantime, National Guard troops and local police had shut down surrounding streets to corral the area, but tensions continued to escalate, with neither group seeming willing to back down.
Protester Accused of Pulling Gun on ICE Agents
Things turned serious when, as has been reported, one of the anti-ICE protesters whipped out a gun and pointed it at ICE officers. A clip of this incident was posted on X (formerly Twitter) with the following caption: “Will @GavinNewsom condemn this?? ICE agents are experiencing a 700% surge in assaults! This is crazy! More individuals need to begin getting arrested for obstructing ICE!”
BREAKING: Anti-ICE protester just PULLED A GUN on ICE agents in California
Will @GavinNewsom condemn this??
ICE agents are facing a 700% increase in assaults!
This is insane! More people need to start getting arrested for impeding ICE! pic.twitter.com/iiCexOd5Av
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 11, 2025
Retaliation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles responded with a search warrant. They tweeted on X: “On 7/10/25 during a search warrant by federal law enforcement, an unknown subject seemed to shoot a pistol at Federal Law Enforcement Officers. Shooting took place around 2:26pm on Laguna Rd between Wood Rd and Las Posas Rd. Reward: $50,000/ Call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).”
FBI has issued a $50,000 award for information leading to the conviction of an Unknown Subject who appeared to fire a pistol at Federal Law Enforcement Officers near Camarillo. The shooting occurred on 7/10/25 at approximately 2:26pm on Laguna Rd between Wood Rd and Las Posas Rd.… pic.twitter.com/XG94sTQEVR
— U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) July 11, 2025
Increase in Attacks on IC
As reported by ICE, attacks on its agents have risen 700% over the past year. In a statement released Thursday, ICE commented, “This is NOT protesting. It’s assaulting federal workers on the job. It’s interfering with federal officers. It’s ILLEGAL. It’s DANGEROUS. And it won’t stop us from enforcing immigration law.”
ICE deportation raids have been less confrontational and less frequent during the past year, indicating a change in priorities under the Biden administration. But such confrontations underscore continuing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement.
Demands for Transparency and Fresh Laws
Numerous activists have criticised ICE for years as not transparent enough, calling for the agents to don unobscured identification and dispense with unmarked cars for operations.
In response to previous demonstrations in Los Angeles, California enacted legislation that forced immigration officials to maintain visible faces, not covering their faces to hide behind.
At the state level, Senators Cory Booker (New Jersey) and Alex Padilla (California) introduced the VISIBLE Act, short for Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement.
The legislation would impose a nationwide standard for clearer identification of immigration officials, following the lead of California. Comparable legislation has started to emerge in other Democrat-governed states.
