California, cannabis and marijuana farm
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The manager of one farm, Edgar Rodriguez, a U.S. citizen, said he was handcuffed, thrown to the ground and had his arm twisted behind his back after he asked to see a warrant.
A U.S. citizen and Army veteran who works as a security guard at a California cannabis farm said on Wednesday that U.S. officials arrested him during an immigration raid last week and held him for three days without explanation.
Federal agents raided Glass House Farms cannabis sites near Los Angeles, detaining several people and using tear gas when confronted by protesters at the marijuana operations.
A California professor was arrested for allegedly chucking a tear gas canister at ICE agents during a raid on a marijuana farm being investigated for child labor violations.
George Retes, 25, said federal agents never told him why he was arrested or allowed him to contact a lawyer or his family during his three-day detention.
Siskiyou County has declared a local emergency over the use of dangerous pesticides at illegal cannabis grows.
But the celebration comes amid new financial strain. California’s excise tax on legal cannabis recently increased from 15% to 19%. The excise tax is applied before standard sales taxes. "The 4-percent is huge. I think it affects the consumer, the consumers the most," Chu said.
Patricia Ortiz, directing attorney, at the California Rural Legal Assistance, gives insight on common fears among undocumented farmworkers when working in hostile environments. State officials say a Ventura County cannabis farm raided by immigration agents has open child labor complaint.
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