{"id":40929,"date":"2026-01-28T06:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T11:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/?p=40929"},"modified":"2026-01-29T01:49:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T06:49:19","slug":"a-safety-guide-for-ice-raids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/a-safety-guide-for-ice-raids\/","title":{"rendered":"A Safety Guide For ICE Raids\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (commonly known as \u201cICE\u201d) agents aren\u2019t just grabbing people off the streets \u2013 they\u2019re also showing up at places of employment. One recent raid targeted a <\/span>Hyundai plant in Georgia<\/span><\/a>, and others are invading <\/span>construction sites<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>vacation spots<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>meat production facilities<\/span><\/a>, and Home Depot locations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Their newest area of focus? <\/span>Cannabis farms<\/span><\/a>. And they\u2019re not just looking at illegal ones, either.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Glass House Farms Raid<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Glass House Farms is the largest legal cannabis grower in California and one of the largest in the country. Anyone who regularly shops at dispensaries in the state likely recognizes the Glass House Brand, which has soared past all other <\/span>California cannabis growers<\/span><\/a> and, as a result, attracted considerable scrutiny.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2023, one of their competitors, Catalyst Cannabis Co., sued Glass House, accusing the company of becoming \u201cone of the largest, if not the largest, black marketers of cannabis in the state of California.\u201d Although the court eventually dismissed the lawsuit, Glass House\u2019s rising sales have kept the company in the spotlight.<\/span><\/p>\n

ICE may have targeted Glass House for its first cannabis farm raid because of this attention, although the agency stated it was investigating reports of child labor and human trafficking. Glass House Brands released a <\/span>statement on X<\/span><\/a> shortly after, stating, \u201cGlass House has never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices.\u201d Many feel, however, that the raid had a more sinister purpose \u2013 namely, to intimidate the greater cannabis industry and scare its workers away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The July 10 raid led to over 360 arrests, including those of four American citizens. ICE didn\u2019t seize any marijuana, but the message was clear: cannabis farms are being watched.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"U.S.
Source: Human Rights Watch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How To Protect Yourself During an ICE Raid<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you work at a cannabis farm, there\u2019s now a reasonable chance that you may encounter an ICE raid at some point. Unfortunately, this means that the cannabis industry is no longer ideal for undocumented workers. The illegality of cannabis on a federal level has made it substantially more dangerous than working other jobs, like construction. The United Farm Workers union even posted a <\/span>warning<\/span><\/a> after the Glass Farms raid, writing: \u201cIf you are not a citizen, it is safest to stay away from work in cannabis, including jobs in growing, trimming, packaging, or retail.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ICE has also wrongfully arrested many U.S. citizens in its raids, making these operations feel risky for everyone. How can you ensure you aren\u2019t accidentally carted off?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While it can seem frightening, you <\/span>do <\/span><\/i>have rights \u2013 regardless of whether you are a legal or illegal citizen. So, if ICE comes knocking at your door during work, here are a few ways to protect yourself and those around you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n