George Retes Jr. is a U.S. military veteran and American citizen. In July, he was working at Glass House Farms in Camarillo, California, when ICE agents stormed the property in an immigration raid. According to Retes, he was tackled to the ground, pepper-sprayed, and detained for three days—despite showing proof of his citizenship and having no connection to the individuals ICE was targeting.

After being released without charges, Retes did what any brave American would do: he spoke out.

In a public op-ed, he described what happened to him and questioned how a citizen and veteran could be treated this way by federal agents. Days later, DHS accused him of assaulting agents during the raid—an accusation Retes firmly denies. The timing is impossible to ignore.

This looks like retaliation. A government agency arrested a U.S. citizen, held him without charges, and is now accusing him of a crime only after he told the public his side of the story. That should concern every American, no matter your politics.

Speaking out against government misconduct is a protected right. Veterans should not be punished for demanding accountability, and ICE should not be allowed to silence critics by filing questionable charges.

We demand DHS immediately drop the retaliatory charges against George Retes Jr., commit to full transparency regarding the Camarillo raid, and implement clear policies to prevent future retaliation against whistleblowers or victims of government overreach.

No one should fear government retribution for telling the truth. Uphold our rights. Stop this abuse of power now.

Photo: LA Times