California farmworker dies after 30-foot fall during ICE raid: Report
A farmworker has died after falling off a roof during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid in California, according to ABC Los Angeles station KABC.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between communities, protesters and the federal government, which is conducting a mass deportation campaign. The government has stepped up its enforcement actions in recent months, leading to protests and an increase in clashes with law enforcement.
On Saturday, the man, Jaime Garcia, succumbed to his injures after falling 30 feet off a building, KABC reported.
An update on the family's GoFundMe page says, "With heavy hearts my uncle has passed away."
"Jaime was not just a farmworker, he was a provider, and a human being who deserved dignity. His death is not an isolated tragedy. It is the result of a targeted raid at Glass House Farms. Workers were met not with protection, but with chaos and fear. Some were detained. Others were traumatized. Jaime lost his life," the family posted on social media.
The news of Garcia's death comes after an initial statement from the United Farm Workers union on Friday said Garcia had passed away, but shortly after the Ventura County Medical Center had said he was alive in critical condition.
Federal agents clashed with protesters during an immigration raid at a farm in Ventura, one of at least two large-scale raids in Southern California on Thursday.
KABC reported that a family member who said Garcia fell about 30 feet off a building while he was possibly trying to run from federal agents. Garcia suffered a broken neck and skull, according to KABC. The hospital did not confirm Garcia's injuries.
The Department of Homeland Security said he was not being pursued by law enforcement.
"This man was not in and has not been in CBP or ICE custody. Although he was not being pursued by law enforcement, this individual climbed up to the roof of a green house and fell 30 feet," said DHS Public Affairs Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. "CBP immediately called a medivac to the scene to get him care as quickly as possible."
Garcia was his family's only provider, the GoFundMe page says.
Editor's Note: The story has been updated to clarify when Garcia passed away.
