Editor’s Note: A family member later told KTLA that Jaime Alanís is not yet deceased as the United Farm Workers union stated, but instead remains on life support with a brain injury and will be taken off life support soon.
A farm worker who was hospitalized with critical injuries he suffered while trying to elude officers during Thursday’s federal immigration raid on a sprawling cannabis farm in Ventura County remains on life support, his family said.
The worker was later identified as Jaime Alanís. His family says he fell 30 feet from a building during the raid and was hospitalized with a brain injury.
The United Farm Workers stated Alanís had died from his injuries on an X post on Friday, but family members have confirmed to KTLA that Alanís remains on life support at the Ventura County Medical Center.
Relatives said Alanís is likely to remain on life support until his wife arrives from Mexico to be by his side and say goodbye.
His niece, who did not want to be identified, told KTLA that Alanís was texting the family up until the time of the accident.
“He was hiding, and moments later, he doesn’t respond, and we knew something happened…we’re hoping for God to save him, but the doctors keep telling me, no,” his niece said.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a statement, stating Alanís was not in custody at the time of the fall, and insists he was not being chased.
“Although he was not being pursued by law enforcement, this individual climbed up to the roof of a green house and fell 30 feet. CBP immediately called a medivac to the scene to get him care as quickly as possible,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
His niece said Alanís has been working in the U.S. for 30 years to provide for his wife and daughter back in Mexico.
Thursday’s raids at the Glass House cannabis farm and another farm in Carpinteria are believed to be the largest single-day immigration crackdown in California history. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said federal officers arrested approximately 200 “illegal aliens” and “rescued” at least 10 migrant children.
Hundreds of demonstrators converged on the Camarillo raid site, blocking roads and hurling objects at law enforcement, who responded with tear gas.
During the unrest, at least one person was seen on live news video appearing to fire a gun at officers. The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.
Paramedics responded to the scene and set up a triage system for people injured by tear gas at a safe distance from the ongoing operation.
United Farm Workers also issued a statement on Friday, confirming that workers were critically injured during what they described as “chaotic raids,” and noted that “other workers, including U.S. citizens, remain totally unaccounted for.”
