U.S. Army Veteran Detained During Immigration Raid Despite Citizenship

George Retes, a 25-year-old U.S. Army veteran and U.S. citizen, was arrested during an immigration raid at a marijuana farm in Camarillo, Southern California. Retes, who works as a security guard at Glass House Farms, was arriving at work on July 10 when federal agents surrounded his car. Despite identifying himself as a U.S. citizen, agents broke his window, sprayed him with tear gas and pepper spray, and dragged him out of his vehicle. Two officers pinned him down, with one officer restraining his neck, even though his hands were already behind his back.

Retes was detained during chaotic raids at two Southern California farms, where federal authorities arrested more than 360 people. One farmworker died after falling from a greenhouse roof during the raids. The operations were part of an extended immigration crackdown by the Trump administration, which has spread fear in immigrant communities across Southern California.

Retes was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, where he was placed on suicide watch due to emotional distress. He was not informed of the reasons for his arrest, allowed to contact a lawyer or his family, or permitted to shower or change clothes despite being covered in tear gas and pepper spray. His hands burned throughout the first night in custody. On Sunday, he was released without charges and told he faced no charges.

Retes, who served in the Army for four years, including a deployment to Iraq in 2019, expressed his love for the country and his belief in unity. He plans to sue federal authorities for wrongful detention, stating that the deportation process is flawed and that no one deserves to be treated the way immigrants are being treated.

Retes was detained along with Jonathan Caravello, a U.S. citizen and professor at California State University Channel Islands. Caravello was arrested for throwing a tear gas canister at law enforcement and was held without being allowed to contact his family or an attorney. A federal judge ordered his release on $15,000 bond, and he is scheduled to be arraigned on August 1.

Retes warned that the immigration raids could happen to anyone, regardless of their skin color, veteran status, or citizenship. He emphasized that federal agents are indiscriminately detaining people to fill quotas, spreading fear and chaos in communities.