California Governor Gavin Newsom is facing mounting backlash after publicly condemning an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on a marijuana farm in his state that federal officials say was employing illegal immigrants and children.
Newsom reposted video footage of the operation on social media, using the opportunity to attack President Donald Trump, calling him “the real scum” for enforcing immigration laws and targeting farms suspected of labor violations.
Kids running from tear gas, crying on the phone because their mother was just taken from the fields.
Trump calls me “Newscum” — but he’s the real scum. pic.twitter.com/fj0l25mRBN
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 11, 2025
The comments came despite an official statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, who confirmed that the ICE-led raid uncovered juveniles working in the fields, alongside adults unlawfully present in the country. An investigation into federal child labor law violations is now reportedly underway.
Newsom’s response, widely viewed as an attempt to score political points ahead of a likely 2028 presidential run, drew criticism from law enforcement advocates and parental rights groups, who accused the governor of defending illegal activity and turning a blind eye to child exploitation.
“This isn’t about immigration — this is about children being exploited for labor,” one federal official told media outlets under condition of anonymity. “If the governor can’t condemn that, what exactly does he stand for?”
Newsom’s controversial remarks came just after he returned from a two-day political tour in South Carolina, where he visited rural counties as part of what many believe is a soft launch of his 2028 presidential ambitions.
Back home in California, Newsom left behind 13 active wildfires — a recurring crisis that continues to plague the state. Rather than address his own administration’s wildfire response, Newsom attempted to shift blame to the Trump administration, reviving old criticisms about federal forest management and sarcastically referencing Trump’s infamous comment about “raking the forest.”
But the timing of Newsom’s out-of-state campaigning while wildfires raged — and his choice to defend a farm allegedly using child labor — has fueled accusations of political opportunism and dereliction of duty.
Here’s some breaking news: 10 juveniles were found at this marijuana facility – all illegal aliens, 8 of them unaccompanied. It’s now under investigation for child labor violations.
This is Newsom’s California. https://t.co/Z1XoRMtBSN
— CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott (@CBPCommissioner) July 11, 2025
The ICE raid in question is part of a broader Trump administration push to crack down on illegal labor practices in agriculture and cannabis production, particularly as investigations have uncovered links to human trafficking, child labor, and labor law violations. California, with its expansive cannabis industry and large migrant workforce, has become a focal point.
Newsom’s defense of the farm — even indirectly — stands in stark contrast to federal enforcement priorities, and critics say it raises serious ethical concerns.
“Protecting children should not be a partisan issue,” said one law enforcement advocacy group in a statement. “Yet the governor of California chose to attack the men and women enforcing child labor laws while ignoring the exploitation happening right in his own backyard.”
As the political landscape shifts and 2028 contenders begin to maneuver, Newsom’s comments may have energized his base — but they’ve also handed his opponents a potent example of ideology overriding public safety and basic human rights.
