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Worker in critical condition after US immigration raid on California farm

Worker in critical condition after US immigration raid on California farm

Yahoo12 hours ago
A farm worker was in critical condition on Friday, his family said, after being injured during a raid by US immigration agents on a legal cannabis farm in California that resulted in the arrests of 200 undocumented migrants and clashes with protesters.
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, called demonstrators involved in attacks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents "slimeballs" and said they should be arrested.
In another development, a district judge ordered a halt to "roving patrols" in Los Angeles by federal agents who were detaining suspected undocumented migrants without probable cause and denying them due process.
District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong ordered an end to the arrests, which she said were being made "based upon race alone," on whether a person was speaking Spanish or English with an accent or because of their place of work.
Trump's remarks and the court order come a day after a chaotic raid on a cannabis plantation in Ventura County some 56 miles (90 kilometers) from Los Angeles left one farm worker critically injured.
The United Farm Workers labor union had said in an X post on Friday that the worker had "died of injuries they sustained as a result of yesterday's immigration enforcement action." But the family on a GoFundMe page said he was in critical condition and unlikely to survive.
"He was chased by ICE agents, and we were told he fell 30ft (9 meters). My uncle's life is in critical condition; doctors have told us he won't make it. His injuries are catastrophic. His heart is still beating."
The Ventura County Medical Center, which told ABC News that he was in critical condition, did not respond to AFP calls for more details.
Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokeswoman, said he was never in 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," McLaughlin said. "(Customs and Border Patrol) immediately called a medivac to the scene to get him care as quickly as possible."
The DHS said 200 undocumented migrants were arrested during raids on marijuana growing sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo on Thursday and 10 children were rescued "from potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking."
Glass House Brands, which owns the farms, said in a statement that it has "never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors."
DHS said more than 500 "rioters" had attempted to disrupt the operation and four US citizens are facing charges for assaulting or resisting officers.
Tear gas was used against the protesters, some of whom were seen in television footage throwing projectiles at law enforcement vehicles.
The department said immigration agency vehicles were damaged and a $50,000 reward was being offered for the arrest of an individual who allegedly fired a gun at law enforcement officers.
- Showdown -
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he had watched footage of "thugs" throwing rocks and bricks at ICE vehicles, causing "tremendous damage."
Trump said he was authorizing law enforcement officers who are "on the receiving end of thrown rocks, bricks, or any other form of assault, to stop their car, and arrest these SLIMEBALLS, using whatever means is necessary to do so."
"I am giving Total Authorization for ICE to protect itself, just like they protect the Public," he said.
Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to deport millions of migrants, has been involved in a showdown over immigration enforcement with Democratic-ruled California for weeks.
The Republican president sent thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles last month to quell protests against roundups of undocumented migrants by federal agents.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has said the troops were not necessary to address the mostly peaceful protests, but his legal efforts to have them removed have failed so far.
The cannabis farm in Camarillo was calm during a visit by an AFP reporter on Friday as workers waited in line to collect their belongings and paychecks.
"We've been here since six this morning asking questions but they're not giving us any information," said Saul Munoz, a 43-year-old Colombian whose son was detained on Thursday.
"I just want to know how he's doing," Munoz said. "Bring him back to me and if it's time for us to leave, we'll leave.
"The truth is the American dream is no longer really the American dream."
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Before Butler, Secret Service denied requests to bolster Trump's security, report says
Before Butler, Secret Service denied requests to bolster Trump's security, report says

Yahoo

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  • Yahoo

Before Butler, Secret Service denied requests to bolster Trump's security, report says

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What is CREC? The Christian nationalist group has a vision for America − and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's support
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Yahoo

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What is CREC? The Christian nationalist group has a vision for America − and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's support

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's affiliation with the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches – commonly called the CREC – drew attention even before his confirmation hearings in January 2025. More recently, media reports highlighted a Pentagon prayer led by Hegseth and his pastor, Brooks Potteiger, in which they praised President Donald Trump, who they said was divinely appointed. As a scholar of the Christian right, I have studied the CREC. Hegseth's membership in a church that belongs to the CREC drew attention because prominent members of the church identify as Christian nationalists, and because of its positions on issues concerning gender, sexuality and the separation of church and state. The CREC is most easily understood through three main parts: churches, schools and media. The CREC church is a network of churches. It is associated with the congregation of Doug Wilson, the pastor who founded Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. Wilson grew up in the town, where his father was an evangelical minister. Wilson co-founded the CREC in 1993 and is the public figure most associated with the network of churches. Christ Church operates as the hub for Logos Schools, Canon Press and New Saint Andrews College, all located in Moscow. Logos is a set of private schools and homeschooling curriculum, Canon Press is a publishing house and media company, and New Saint Andrews College is a university, all of which were founded by Wilson and associated with Christ Church. All espouse the view that Christians are at odds with – or at war with – secular society. While he is not Hegseth's pastor, Wilson is the most influential voice in the CREC, and the two men have spoken approvingly of one another. As Wilson steadily grew Christ Church in Moscow, he and its members sought to spread their message by making Moscow a conservative town and establishing churches beyond it. Of his hometown, Wilson plainly states, 'Our desire is to make Moscow a Christian town.' The CREC doctrine is opposed to religious pluralism or political points of view that diverge from CREC theology. On its website, the CREC says that it is 'committed to maintaining its Reformed faith, avoiding the pitfalls of cultural relevance and political compromise that destroys our doctrinal integrity.' CREC churches adhere to a highly patriarchal and conservative interpretation of Scripture. Wilson has said that in a sexual relationship, 'A woman receives, surrenders, accepts.' In a broader political sense, CREC theology includes the belief that the establishment clause of the Constitution does not require a separation of church and state. The most common reading of the establishment clause is that freedom of religion precludes the installation of a state religion or religious tests to hold state office. The CREC broadly asserts that the government and anyone serving in it should be Christian. For Wilson and members of CREC churches, this means Christians and only Christians are qualified to hold political office in the United States. Researcher Matthew Taylor explained in an interview with the Nashville Tennessean, 'They believe the church is supposed to be militant in the world, is supposed to be reforming the world, and in some ways conquering the world.' While the CREC may not have the name recognition of some large evangelical denominations or the visibility of some megachurches, it boasts churches across the United States and internationally. The CREC website claims to have over 130 churches and parishes spread across North America, Europe, Asia and South America. Like some other evangelical denominations, the CREC uses 'church planting' to grow its network. Plant churches do not require a centralized governing body to ordain their founding. Instead, those interested in starting a CREC congregation contact the CREC. The CREC then provides materials and literature for people to use in their church. The CREC's expansion also owes a debt to Wilson's entrepreneurship. As the church expanded, Wilson founded an associated K-12 school called 'Logos' in September 1981, which since then has grown into a network of many schools. In conjunction with its growth, Logos develops and sells 'classical Christian' curriculum to private schools and home-school families through Logos Press. Classical Christian Schools aim to develop what they consider a biblical worldview. In addition to religious studies, they focus on classic texts from Greece and Rome. They have grown in popularity in recent years, especially among conservatives. Logos' classical Christian curriculum is designed to help parents 'raise faithful, dangerous Christian kids who impact the world for Christ and leave craters in the world of secularism.' Logos press regularly asserts, 'education is warfare.' According to the website, Logos schools enroll more than 2,000 students across 16 countries. Logos also has its own press that supplies the curriculum to all of these schools. On the heels of Logos' success, Wilson founded the Association of Classical Christian Schools in 1993 as an accrediting body for like-minded schools. The ACCS now boast 500 schools and more than 50,000 students across the United States and around the world. Additionally, Wilson founded New Saint Andrews College in Moscow, Idaho. New Saint Andrews is a Christian university that takes the classical Christian approach to education championed by Wilson into higher education. The New Saint Andrews College is consistent with other CREC institutions. It considers secularism a weakness of other universities and society more generally. Its website explains: 'New Saint Andrews has long held a principled and clear voice, championing the truth of God's word and ways, while so many other colleges veer into softness and secularism.' The school is governed by the elders of Christ Church and does not accept federal funding. In addition to the Logos Press, which produces the CREC school curriculum, Wilson founded Canon Press. Canon Press produces books, podcasts, a YouTube channel and assorted merchandise including apparel and weapons, such as a flamethrower. The YouTube channel has over 100,000 followers. Books published by Canon include children's picture books to manuals on masculinity. A number of books continue the theme of warfare. The politics page of the press contains many books on Christian nationalism. Christian political theorist Stephen Wolfe's book 'The Case for Christian Nationalism' is one of the most popular among books on Christian nationalism. The website has dozens of books on Christian nationalism and media dedicated to the construction of a Christian government. Author Joe Rigney, a fellow of theology at New Saint Andrews College and an associate pastor at Christ Church, warns of the 'Sin of Empathy.' Rigney claims that empathizing with others is sinful because it requires compromise and makes one vulnerable in the fight against evil. As the church network has grown, it has drawn attention and scrutiny. Wilson's 1996 publication of a book positively depicting slavery and claiming slavery cultivated 'affection among the races' drew national attention. Accusations of sexual abuse and the church's handling of it have also brought national news coverage. Vice's Sarah Stankorb interviewed many women who talked about a culture, especially in marriage, where sexual abuse and assault is common. The Vice reporting led to a podcast that details the accounts of survivors. In interviews, Wilson has denied any wrongdoing and said that claims of sexual abuse will be directed to the proper authorities. Hegseth's actions as secretary of defense concerning gender identity and banning trans people from serving in the military, in addition to stripping gay activist and politician Harvey Milk's name from a Navy ship, have brought more attention to the CREC. I believe that given Hegseth's role as secretary of defense, his affiliation with the CREC will likely remain a topic of conversation throughout the Trump presidency. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Samuel Perry, Baylor University Read more: The term 'lone gunman' ignores the structures that enable violence How Christian nationalism played a role in incorporating the phrase 'so help me God' in the presidential oath of office Talk of 'Christian nationalism' is getting a lot louder – but what does the term really mean? Samuel Perry does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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