The Trump administration went on the defensive against barbs from California Democratic governor and likely 2028 presidential contender Gavin Newsom after he criticized ICE raids of a pair of marijuana farms in his state last week.

In an X post, Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin brought receipts, pointing out that Newsom is defending illegal aliens who are wanted for having committed violent crimes.

“Kids running from tear gas, crying on the phone because their mother was just taken from the fields. Trump calls me ‘Newscum’ — but he’s the real scum,” Newsom initially wrote on the platform in a post that included a video of several people appearing to run from ICE and border agents who deployed tear gas to dispel protesters.

McLauglin clapped back: “These are the violent monsters @GavinNewsom is defending: this criminal illegal alien was apprehended at the California marijuana facility. He was sentenced to 7 years for KIDNAPPING & attempted RAPE. He also had a prior conviction for attempted child molestation. He was working at the same farm as the 9 unaccompanied children. This is depraved.”

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The operation sparked violent clashes with officers and drew several hundred protesters who somehow showed up after immigration agents arrived, KTLA reported.

The immigration sweeps took place simultaneously at around 8:30 a.m., targeting Glass House Farms in Camarillo and another facility about 35 miles north in Carpinteria.

Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott posted on X that 10 undocumented minors were discovered at the Camarillo farm, including eight unaccompanied children. He added that Glass House is now under investigation for potential child labor violations.

He also took a verbal potshot at Newsom, writing on X: “This is Newsom’s California.”

After the raid, when Newsom took to social media to criticize the Trump administration and the immigration enforcement action itself, the Department of Homeland Security’s X account simply replied: “Why are there children working at a marijuana facility, Gavin?”

“The Biden administration lost ~300,000 unaccompanied children—many of these innocent children were trafficked and exploited,” DHS also posted on X. “At the Ventura, California marijuana facility, [ICE] and [CBP] law enforcement rescued 8 unaccompanied migrant children from what looks like exploitation, violation of child labor laws and potentially human trafficking or smuggling.”

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“Unaccompanied migrant children shouldn’t be forced into labor at California marijuana facilities,” the DHS account added, along with a historic sketch of a man stepping up in a town hall meeting to voice his opinion.

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed the operation in a post on X. “Federal agents are executing a search warrant at this marijuana farm,” he wrote. “Agents have already arrested multiple individuals for impeding this operation and will continue to make arrests. Don’t interfere. You will be arrested and charged with a federal offense.”

The situation intensified around 12:35 p.m. when authorities deployed tear gas and less-lethal rounds into crowds of protesters who had blocked both the northbound and southbound lanes of Laguna Road.

Later, Essayli posted a video to X showing what looks like a man firing at federal agents.

“[The] FBI has issued a $50,000 award for information leading to the conviction of an Unknown Subject who appeared to fire a pistol at Federal Law Enforcement Officers near Camarillo,” he wrote. “The shooting occurred on 7/10/25 at approximately 2:26 p.m. on Laguna Rd between Wood Rd and Las Posas Rd.”