Federal agents executed a large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on Thursday at Glass House Farms, a major cannabis facility in Camarillo, Ventura County. What was supposed to be a targeted operation against illegal workers spiraled into chaos as protesters used milk in a desperate, viral tactic to bypass the effects of tear gas, turning the scene into a chaotic showdown between activists and law enforcement.

The raid began around 9:30 a.m. as ICE, supported by National Guard troops and armored vehicles, sealed off the facility with Border Patrol-branded crime scene tape, helicopters circling above. Simultaneously, agents launched another operation at a Glass House Farms facility in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County. At the Camarillo site alone, 12 to 15 workers were detained, with reports indicating up to 100 detentions across both locations as agents chased suspects through cannabis fields.

Tensions escalated quickly when protesters—encouraged by local activist groups and Democrat politicians—surrounded the facility, chanting and blocking ICE vehicles attempting to leave with detainees. As the crowd grew, ICE agents deployed tear gas, smoke canisters, and rubber bullets to control the increasingly aggressive protesters.

That’s when the milk tactic began.

Protesters, desperate to counter the tear gas, began dumping gallons of milk over their faces and into their eyes in an attempt to neutralize the burning chemicals. Videos showed activists screaming while pouring milk onto one another as clouds of tear gas billowed around them. By 12:35 p.m., the Ventura County Fire Department declared a mass casualty incident, with at least three individuals hospitalized for tear gas exposure by mid-afternoon.

Glass House Farms confirmed it complied with ICE search warrants while adding that it would continue to cooperate with federal authorities during ongoing investigations. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have yet to issue an official statement on the raid, though the agency has indicated such large-scale enforcement actions will continue across California’s agricultural sector.

This latest ICE operation follows a series of aggressive immigration enforcement actions in Ventura County, including sweeps in June that resulted in the arrests of over 30 illegal farmworkers. These crackdowns are part of the Trump administration’s border and immigration agenda, powered by a $75 billion funding boost for ICE within a $175 billion national enforcement package.

Local Democrat politicians and activists swiftly condemned the raid and the federal response, with the Ventura County Democratic Party and Catholic dioceses calling the actions “inhumane.” Meanwhile, Los Angeles County and eight California cities announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming ICE’s raids violate constitutional protections and undermine sanctuary policies.

President Trump and Border Czar Tom Homan have defended the ramped-up enforcement, framing it as a necessary correction after years of lax border security. “We will enforce the law, protect American jobs, and hold sanctuary jurisdictions accountable,” Homan said, indicating that ICE would not back down despite opposition from left-wing activists.

Meanwhile, the milk tactic by protesters has gained traction on social media, with progressive accounts celebrating it as a “creative form of resistance.” Others see it as further evidence of the lawlessness encouraged by sanctuary policies, arguing that these chaotic scenes are the inevitable result of ignoring immigration laws while placing federal officers in danger.

As the administration ramps up its enforcement efforts, scenes like those at Glass House Farms may become more common. The spectacle of milk-soaked protesters defying tear gas while ICE agents enforce federal law underscores the deep divides in America’s immigration debate.

Whether viewed as resistance or recklessness, the milk tactic is a reminder of the extremes some activists will go to in resisting the rule of law—just as ICE, under President Trump, is prepared to keep enforcing it.