California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom — widely seen as a leading contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination — is facing criticism over a social media post targeting Vice President J.D. Vance’s family during their Disneyland vacation in California.
According to the Orange County Register, as Vice President Vance, his wife Usha, and their young children arrived at the theme park, roughly 100 communist protesters gathered outside to jeer the family. Additional demonstrations, mostly by older women, took place in Anaheim while the family toured the area.
On Saturday, a smaller group assembled outside the Grand Californian Hotel, near the park and where Vance is believed to be staying, local broadcaster KTLA reported. During the anti-Trump rallies, a handful of demonstrators waved Mexican flags.
Although the trip was not political, some local Democratic officials reportedly encouraged supporters to confront the Vance family.
“I’m offended by the visit,” Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento told KTLA. “So many families are being terrorized by the federal government’s policies.”
Gov. Newsom joined the criticism online, tweeting to his 2.3 million followers:
“Hope you enjoy your family time, @JDVance. The families you’re tearing apart certainly won’t.”
Hope you enjoy your family time, @JDVance. The families you’re tearing apart certainly won’t. https://t.co/GjvIUg8I2B
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) July 12, 2025
The claim about “families being torn apart” appears linked to a recent immigration enforcement raid in Ventura County. Federal agents conducted an operation at a cannabis farm, rescuing several juveniles who had been forced to harvest marijuana crops.
Among the 300 undocumented immigrants seized at Glass House Farms was a man with a violent criminal history, including attempted child exploitation.
“This illegal alien was apprehended at the California marijuana facility,” Border Patrol Commissioner Rodney Scott wrote on X, sharing a photo of the individual.
“Turns out he had been sentenced to seven years for kidnapping and attempted rape, with a prior conviction for attempted child molestation. He was working at the same farm as 10 children, one of them 14 years old.”
Newsom’s post drew praise from the far-left but provoked significant backlash on social media.
Conservative attorney Will Chamberlain commented, “He’s not returning your underage illegal alien indentured servants to work on your donor’s pot farm, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Independent legal analyst Viva Frei added, “You have been facilitating child trafficking for forced labor, Newscum. You’ve got some nerve trying to shame JD Vance for being a father.”
Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin also responded, noting that Newsom appeared to be defending immigrants wanted for violent crimes.
“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,” Newsom wrote in an X post that included video of people fleeing ICE agents using tear gas.
McLaughlin countered: “These are the violent monsters @GavinNewsom is defending: this criminal illegal alien was apprehended at the California marijuana facility. He was sentenced to seven years for kidnapping and attempted rape and had a prior conviction for attempted child molestation. He was working with nine unaccompanied children. This is depraved.”
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
These are the violent monsters @GavinNewsom is defending: this criminal illegal alien was apprehended at the California marijuana facility.
He was sentenced to 7 years for KIDNAPPING & attempted RAPE. He also had a prior conviction for attempted child molestation.
He was… https://t.co/2rVnYTyELr pic.twitter.com/SmcgLHQtm8— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) July 13, 2025
The enforcement operation sparked violent clashes with officers and drew several hundred protesters who arrived after the immigration agents, KTLA reported.
The raids occurred simultaneously around 8:30 a.m., targeting Glass House Farms in Camarillo and another facility approximately 35 miles north in Carpinteria.
Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott confirmed on X that 10 undocumented minors were found at the Camarillo farm, including eight unaccompanied children. Glass House Farms is now under investigation for potential child labor violations.
