Veteran Behind Bars: ICE Detains Army Vet George Retes

Veteran Behind Bars: ICE Detains Army Vet George Retes

In July 2025, during a chaotic federal raid on a cannabis farm in California, U.S. Army veteran George Retes found himself handcuffed, pepper-sprayed, and locked in a cell — all because ICE agents assumed he didn’t belong.

He did.

He’s an American citizen. A veteran. And by his account, he did everything right.

So why was he behind bars?

A Routine Job Turns into a Nightmare

George Retes, 25, had just finished a shift as a licensed security guard at a legal cannabis grow site in rural Ventura County. As he returned to the facility to check on things, he drove directly into a large-scale federal raid. ICE, DEA, and local police were clearing the site of undocumented workers, helicopters overhead, armored vehicles in the field, and agents in riot gear swarming the area.

Retes was quickly caught in the confusion. Despite identifying himself as a U.S. citizen and presenting his VA ID, agents dragged him from his car at gunpoint, smashed his window, pepper-sprayed him, and threw him face down on the ground.

He was taken into custody with no explanation, no Miranda warning, and — as he later learned — no criminal charges.

Three Days of Silence

Once detained, Retes was held for nearly 72 hours without access to a phone call, lawyer, or his family. For days, his family didn’t even know where he was. His mother later told reporters that they had “no idea if he was alive.”

During his detention, Retes says he was placed on suicide watch, isolated, and denied medical treatment for the injuries he sustained during the arrest.

ICE finally released him on a Saturday evening, without filing a single charge and without apology.

A System That Didn’t Care He Served

Retes served in the U.S. Army with distinction. He’s a citizen by birth. His car was marked with “Disabled Veteran” plates.

And yet, none of that stopped federal agents from treating him like an enemy.

“They didn’t care who I was,” Retes told local media after his release. “They saw a brown man near a raid and assumed I was illegal. That’s all it took.”

The raid itself has since been scrutinized for excessive force. Multiple witnesses claim that the scene was “like a military operation” — and that several other individuals were detained despite having no immigration violations.

ICE Denies Wrongdoing

In a brief statement, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that George Retes was released without charges, but declined to explain why he was detained in the first place.

An ICE spokesperson emphasized that “no U.S. citizens are targeted in immigration enforcement operations”, but did not directly address Retes’ detention. There has been no indication that any agents involved faced consequences.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has stated they are “reviewing the circumstances” surrounding the raid.

Veterans Left Vulnerable

Retes is not the first veteran to be wrongfully detained by ICE. Over the years, there have been documented cases of deported veterans — some of whom served in combat, others honorably discharged but lacking paperwork due to bureaucratic gaps or outdated systems.

But this case cuts even deeper. Retes wasn’t on the margins. He had all the paperwork. He told them who he was. And they still threw him into a cage.

“I served this country,” Retes said. “And this is what it does to its own.”

Civil Rights Lawsuit Incoming

Retes and his attorney are preparing a federal civil rights lawsuit against ICE and other involved agencies. Their goal is simple: accountability.

“We’re going to sue them for violating his Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights,” his lawyer said. “This was an unlawful arrest, an unlawful detention, and possibly assault under color of law.”

Retes has also called on members of Congress to hold hearings into ICE abuses against U.S. citizens, including veterans, and to demand changes in how federal raids are conducted.

Even Citizenship Isn’t Enough

If a U.S. Army veteran with clear ID can be thrown in a van, locked away for three days, and tossed out without a word, what chance does an ordinary citizen have?

What if he hadn’t had a family ready to fight for him?

What if he hadn’t survived the arrest?

George Retes got out. But the question remains: how many others haven’t?