Support George Retes: Stand Against Injustice

My name is George Retes. I’m a 25-year-old U.S. Army veteran, a U.S. citizen, and I work as a security guard at Glass House Farms in Camarillo, California.

On July 10th, I was wrongfully detained by ICE agents while simply trying to report to work. I was pepper-sprayed, tear-gassed, had my car window smashed, and was dragged out of my vehicle at gunpoint — all while I was nonviolent, and doing nothing wrong.

I clearly identified myself as a U.S. citizen and an employee of the farm, yet federal agents ignored me, yelled conflicting orders, and then violently detained me. I was held in custody for three days without any charges, without a phone call, and without access to legal help. I was never told why I was arrested. I never received care to clean myself despite being covered in tear gas and OC spray for days.

This is not how any person should be treated — especially not a veteran who served this country with honor. I didn’t break any law. I was just trying to go to work.

What happened to me wasn’t just a mistake — it was a violation of my civil rights. It was excessive force. And it was a failure of justice. I’m speaking out not just for myself, but for every person who could’ve ended up in my place that day.

I’m calling for a full investigation into the actions of ICE and other agencies involved in this operation. I want the agents who ignored protocol and used force against me to be held accountable. And I want the public to know the truth: this raid didn’t just target immigrants. It hurt Americans too.

I will not stay silent.

I served this country, and now I’m demanding it do right by me