A video widely circulated on social media shows two uniformed men, presumed to be federal immigration agents, chasing a man through a field in Oxnard, California. The worker stumbles and falls as a white van speeds toward him across the crops. The incident, first reported by KTLA, unfolded Tuesday amid ongoing immigration raids across Southern California by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
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The footage triggered immediate backlash from local officials. Oxnard Mayor Luis McArthur condemned the raids in a video posted to Facebook, calling them โcompletely unjustified and harmful.โ He said, โThey create chaos and distress in our community without contributing much to public safety.โ In the same video, the cityโs police chief emphasized that local officers are not involved in federal immigration enforcement.
The raids, part of President Donald Trumpโs mass deportation plan, have extended to multiple communities including Los Angeles, Santa Ana, Paramount, and Pomona in recent days. Agents have been operating without coordination from local law enforcement, according to officials.
In Ventura County, where agriculture is a leading industry, the impact is particularly significant. According to the Ventura County Agricultural Commissionerโs Office, fruit and nursery stock fields generated more than $2.17 billion in 2023, with much of the labor provided by immigrant workers.
โThe individuals affected by the operations โ theyโre not criminals,โ Mayor McArthur said. โThey are hardworking families who make meaningful contributions to our local economy and to our greater community.โ
