Migrant worker dies after falling nine metres from roof during chaotic California pot farm raid

A migrant worker has died after sustaining “catastrophic” injuries from a nine-metre fall during a chaotic immigration raid at a US marijuana farm.

A migrant farm worker died after sustaining “catastrophic” injuries from a nine-metre fall during Thursday’s chaotic immigration raid at a southern California marijuana farm, according to family and officials.

The worker, identified by family as Jaime Alanís, suffered a broken neck and skull, along with a severed artery, after immigration agents descended on Glass House Farms in Camarillo during a large-scale operation that erupted into a violent scene as authorities clashed with dozens of demonstrators.

“We tragically can confirm that a farm worker has died of injuries they sustained as a result of yesterday’s immigration enforcement action,” the United Farm Workers union announced on X.

Jaime Alanís died after suffering a broken neck and skull from a fall. Picture: ABC 7

A family member told NBCLA that they initially believed Mr Alanís — who was sending his earnings to his wife and daughter in Mexico — had been detained before later learning he was hospitalised.

“We assumed they caught him,” the loved one told the outlet.

“But we got a call from the hospital that he’s in critical condition, catastrophic injuries,” she added, noting that Friday morning she learned he wasn’t “going to make it”.

Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the worker wasn’t being pursued by federal authorities when he climbed onto the roof of a green house and fell.

The migrant farm worker was not in custody prior to his fall. Picture: ABC 7

“This man was not in and has not been in CBP or ICE custody,” she told The Post in a statement.

“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.”

Several other farm workers were also critically injured during the raid, which resulted in the arrest of about 200 migrants suspected of being in the country illegally.

US citizens were also detained, with some still unaccounted for, farm union officials said.

Ten migrant youths, most of them who crossed the border unaccompanied, were also found at the Ventura County pot farm, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said.

People protesting an ICE immigration raid at a nearby cannabis farm. Picture: Mario Tama/Getty Images/AFP

The facility is now under investigation for child labour violations.

“Law enforcement rescued eight unaccompanied migrant children from what looks like exploitation, violation of child labour laws and potentially human trafficking or smuggling,” Ms McLaughlin revealed on Friday.

Glass House Farms has since denied claims that it violated hiring regulations or employed minors.

The farm, which uses half of its space for cannabis while the other is dedicated to tomatoes and cucumbers, said it “fully complied with agent search warrants” ahead of the immigration operation.

“These violent and cruel federal actions terrorise American communities, disrupt the American food supply chain, threaten lives and separate families,” UFW President Teresa Romero said in a statement.

Thursday’s raid is believed to be the largest carried out under the Trump administration.

This article originally appeared on NY Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Migrant worker dies after falling nine metres from roof during chaotic California pot farm raid