He Labored in the Fields for a Decade — Then ICE Came: Community Grieves Jaime Alanís

Jaime Alanís, an immigrant farm worker who picked tomatoes for 10 years, fell from a building during an ICE raid in Camarillo, CA yesterday. He reportedly suffered a broken neck & skull & was placed on life support, but did not survive. He died because of the trade on Friday.

“My uncle Jaime was just a hard-working, innocent farmer. He has his wife and daughter waiting for him. ICE agents chased him, and we were told he fell 30ft. My uncle’s life is in critical condition; doctors have told us he won’t make it. His injuries are catastrophic. His heart is still beating. God will make His decision.”, wrote his relative moments before.

“We are seeking assistance to cover his medical expenses and have sent the request to his wife (my aunt) in Mexico. And his burial service that will be held in Mexico. He was his family’s provider. They took one of our family members. We need justice.”

The Associated Press reported that a farmworker, identified as Jaime Alanís, phoned his wife in Mexico and told her about the raid in progress, saying he was hiding with other workers. Alanís fell from his hiding place and suffered broken neck, fractured skull, and a rupture in an artery that pumps blood to the brain, his niece Yesenia—who did not want to give her full name—told the AP.

“They told us he won’t make it and to say goodbye,” she said.

Federal authorities including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, many clad in military-style gear, stormed farms in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties on Thursday to execute search warrants for undocumented people. At Glass House Farms in Camarillo—which grows state-legal cannabis as well as tomatoes and cucumbers—the invading agents were met with spirited resistance from hundreds of community members who rushed to the site in support of targeted workers. Federal officers responded by firing tear gas and less-lethal projectiles at crowds of protesters who were blocking area roadways in a bid to prevent arrests.

Federal agents clashed with protesters during an immigration raid at a farm in Ventura, one of at least two large-scale raids in Southern California on Thursday.

The incident occurred outside of an agricultural farm along Laguna Road in the Camarillo area of Ventura County.

The union, in a series of posts on Friday, confirmed some farmworkers were critically injured during the enforcement operation.

“Others, including US citizens remain unaccounted for,” UFW said in a post.

“This 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 green house and fell 30 feet. CBP immediately called a medivac to the scene to get him care as quickly as possible,” said Department of Homeland Security Public Affairs Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

“His family has organized a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses in Mexico: https://www.gofundme.com/f/jaime-alanis-farm-worker-glasshousefarms“