The cannabis giant Glass House Farms is under federal investigation after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided its facilities in Ventura County last Thursday. 361 undocumented workers were rounded up.

This includes 14 minors, eight of whom were unaccompanied children. The raid turned violent after protestors clashed with law enforcement, and one worker tragically died after falling from a greenhouse.

Glass House Farms official site

Glass House Farms Political Ties and Donations

The raid has also sparked political backlash due to the farm’s deep ties to California Democrats. Graham Farrar, co-founder and president of Glass House, has donated thousands of dollars to Democratic politicians, including $10,000 to Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2018.

He’s also contributed to Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA) and the Santa Barbara County Democratic Central Committee.

According to the LA Times, Farrar was even pictured presenting a giant check to local schools in 2019 for scholarship funding. Yet this public philanthropy contrasts starkly with the federal findings of possible forced labor, human trafficking, and unsafe working conditions.

“Glass House has never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors,” the company posted to X (formerly Twitter).

Farrar had also posted, “We are focused on taking care of our people and our plants,” before the message was deleted, according to FOX News.

“Exploitation” and “Forced Child Labor”

Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin described the scene at the farm as potentially involving “exploitation, forced child labor, and human trafficking.” Reports from federal agents say some workers may have been assaulted or faced gunfire during enforcement.

Among those arrested was Juan Duarte-Velasquez, a Mexican national with rape and DUI convictions.

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A Divided Response from California Leadership

Gov. Gavin Newsom has not directly commented on the Farrar donation but did take to social media to blast FOX News, pointing out that co-founder Kyle Kazan is a Trump supporter and had donated to Newsom’s recall effort.

“Sure, is rich for Fox News and the Trump Admin to point to campaign donations to Democrats, when in fact, the CEO is a Trump supporter,” Newsom wrote on X.

A Brand Built on “Ethics” Now in Question

Glass House Brands, co-founded by Farrar and Kazan, boasted a $300 million market cap last year, according to entrepreneur Alejandro Cremades. The company has built its reputation on sustainable, ethical farming, but the ICE investigation now threatens to undercut that image.

“It’s a saga of passion, perseverance, and a profound belief in the positive impact of cannabis,” Cremades once wrote. But now, that saga is facing a serious federal reckoning.