Army Veteran Tear-Gassed in California Immigration Raid \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Army veteran George Retes says he was wrongfully detained, pepper-sprayed, and denied legal counsel during a federal immigration raid at a marijuana farm in California. Despite being a U.S. citizen, Retes was held for three days without charges. He now plans legal action, calling the operation inhumane and unconstitutional.
Quick Looks
- U.S. Army veteran George Retes arrested during Camarillo farm raid
- Detained for three days without charges, despite U.S. citizenship
- Tear-gassed, pepper-sprayed, denied legal contact and clean clothes
- DHS confirms arrest but says no charges filed
- Incident part of federal immigration raid at marijuana facility
- CSU professor also arrested, held without access to counsel
- Witnesses say professor tried to move tear gas canister from wheelchair
- ACLU and civil rights groups signal potential legal response
- Retes emotionally impacted, missed daughter’s birthday while in custody
- Veteran vows to sue for wrongful detention, civil rights violations
Deep Look
The harrowing account of George Retes, a 25-year-old U.S. Army veteran, being violently arrested during a federal immigration raid in Camarillo, California, has sparked growing outrage and legal scrutiny over the conduct of immigration enforcement operations under President Donald Trump’s second term. His story exposes the potential for abuse, even when the targets are American citizens, and underscores the evolving tension between national security priorities and civil rights protections.
Retes says he was simply arriving for work at Glass House Farms, a legal marijuana facility where he serves as a security guard, when several federal agents surrounded his vehicle. Despite immediately informing them that he was a U.S. citizen, he alleges that the agents smashed his car window, doused him with tear gas and pepper spray, and then dragged him out, pinning him to the ground with excessive force.
“It took two officers to nail my back and then one on my neck,” Retes said. “My hands were already behind my back. I wasn’t resisting.”
He was transported to Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, where things reportedly got worse. According to Retes, he was placed in solitary confinement on suicide watch, denied a shower or change of clothes despite being contaminated with chemical agents, and most disturbingly, was not allowed to contact a lawyer or his family during the three days he was held. “No one told me why I was arrested,” he said. “And I missed my daughter’s birthday while locked up like a criminal.”
Federal officials later confirmed Retes had not been charged, and released him after having him sign a document he didn’t fully understand. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin acknowledged his arrest, stating that his case — along with many others connected to the Camarillo raid — is still under review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for potential federal charges. However, Retes remains adamant that he did nothing illegal, and is now preparing a civil lawsuit for wrongful detention, excessive force, and violation of constitutional rights.
Retes, who joined the Army at 18 and served in Iraq in 2019, says he never imagined being treated this way in the country he defended. “I love this (expletive) country,” he said. “But the way they’re treating people? It’s not right. They don’t care if you’re brown, white, a citizen, or even a veteran. They just want to fill a quota.”
He wasn’t the only American caught in the chaos.
Also arrested during the same raid was Jonathan Caravello, a professor at California State University Channel Islands, who was taken into custody while allegedly trying to remove a tear gas canister lodged beneath a wheelchair during the confusion. Witnesses said Caravello didn’t pose a threat and was trying to prevent injury when federal agents tackled and arrested him. He is facing federal charges after allegedly throwing the canister, a claim his supporters dispute. Caravello, like Retes, was held without explanation and denied access to counsel for an extended period.
The California Faculty Association issued a public statement supporting Caravello and condemning the conduct of federal agents. “This was not law enforcement. This was chaos, intimidation, and suppression,” one member of the faculty union said. A judge has since ordered Caravello’s release on a $15,000 bond, and he is scheduled for arraignment on August 1.
The use of paramilitary-style tactics during immigration raids — including in legal workplaces — is drawing sharp criticism from civil rights organizations, immigration attorneys, and even some military veterans’ groups. The ACLU and National Immigration Law Center are reportedly reviewing both cases and preparing legal responses.
Legal scholars warn that these incidents represent a potential constitutional crisis, especially regarding due process, unlawful detention, and the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. “What happened to Mr. Retes is not just unlawful—it’s a warning sign,” said constitutional law professor Maya Zuberi. “We’re seeing citizens treated like undocumented immigrants and stripped of their rights on the assumption of guilt. That’s not how due process works.”
Civil rights advocates also fear that Trump’s second-term immigration crackdown, which emphasizes “shock-and-awe” enforcement raids, is leading to reckless policing and an erosion of public trust in federal agencies. In previous years, immigration enforcement was largely focused on individuals with deportation orders or criminal backgrounds. But recent raids have reportedly expanded to include broad sweeps of workplaces, regardless of employee status, raising the risk of false arrests, particularly of Latino and immigrant communities.
Beyond the legal and political implications, there is a powerful human story at the core of this incident — one of disillusionment and betrayal.
“I signed up to serve this country,” Retes said. “But the way I was treated, like I was disposable, like I didn’t matter… it changes how you see everything. This can’t be allowed to happen again.”
As his legal case moves forward, Retes is becoming a symbol of a deeper national debate — about the limits of law enforcement power, the consequences of militarized immigration tactics, and the fragile line between security and civil liberties. His story is not just a legal controversy. It’s a cautionary tale of what happens when citizenship and service aren’t enough to shield individuals from abuse at the hands of the very institutions they served.
With more federal raids expected as Trump’s administration expands its immigration agenda, George Retes’s case could set a precedent—not only for how veterans and U.S. citizens are treated during immigration operations, but for how far the government is willing to go in the name of enforcement.
Army Veteran Tear-Gassed Army Veteran Tear-Gassed
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