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 “completely unjustified and harmful.” He said, “They create chaos and distress in our community without contributing much to public safety.” In the same video, the city’s police chief emphasized that local officers are not involved in federal immigration enforcement.
The raids, part of President Donald Trump’s 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 Commissioner’s Office, fruit and nursery stock fields generated more than $2.17 billion in 2023, with much of the labor provided by immigrant workers.
“The individuals affected by the operations – they’re not criminals,” Mayor McArthur said. “They are hardworking families who make meaningful contributions to our local economy and to our greater community.”
