The death of Mexican day laborer Jaime Alanís, 57, following an immigration raid in California, has generated outrage among pro-immigrant organizations and agricultural workers. However, the government of Donald Trump defended the action carried out by federal agents.
Tom Homan, a presidential advisor known as the “border czar,” called the death “unfortunate,” but maintained that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents acted within the law.
A deadly escape attempt
“It’s sad. It’s unfortunate. Nobody wants to see a person die,” Homan said in an interview Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union.
He added that Alanis “was not in ICE custody” when the accident occurred and stressed that the officers “were just doing their job.”
According to media reports such as USA TODAY and official statements, Jaime Alanis suffered a fatal fall while trying to flee the immigration raid.
On July 10, federal agents raided two cannabis cultivation facilities north of Los Angeles: one in Camarillo and another in Carpinteria, known as one of the largest in the state.
Alanís allegedly climbed onto the roof of a greenhouse to avoid arrest, but fell from a height of about 30 feet (approximately 9 meters), breaking his neck.
He died the following day in a local hospital.
The operation left close to 200 people arrested, most of them undocumented farm workers.
In addition, at least two other employees were seriously injured, according to United Farm Workers (UFW) President Teresa Romero.
Chaotic scene and protests
The operation caused tense moments.
Federal agents blocked the main access road and clashed with protesters trying to stop the arrests.
The protests went on until late into the night.
The agricultural community in Southern California, where thousands of immigrants, many of them undocumented, work, has expressed fear and frustration.
“These types of raids not only destroy families, they also put lives at risk,” said Romero, who also demanded an independent investigation.
ICE responds and justifies the operation
Buzzy
The Department of Homeland Security(DHS) defended the operation by noting that in addition to arresting undocumented workers, “they rescued at least 10 migrant minors who were possibly being exploited for labor or victims of human trafficking.”
The statement suggests that authorities are also investigating indications of human trafficking and forced child labor at the facility.
The raid is part of the immigration offensive pushed by President Trump since he returned to the White House in January 2025.
Since the beginning of the year, operations have increased considerably in states such as Texas, Florida and California, especially in agricultural areas and work centers with a high concentration of immigrant labor.
For the Hispanic community in the U.S., this incident brings back to the table the debate about workplace safety, the rights of migrant day laborers and the responsibility of authorities during large-scale operations.
Civil organizations call for transparency, reparations for victims, and an urgent review of ICE protocols to prevent further tragedies
