A U.S. Army veteran arrested during an immigration raid at a California marijuana farm says he was sprayed with tear gas and pepper spray before being dragged from his vehicle on his way to work.

Mr Alanis's death, and the violent clashes that ensued at those cannabis farms, are the latest examples of the kind of chaos that has swept across Southern California since the beginning of June, when immigration raids began to intensify in the region.

George Retes told reporters he was manhandled by federal agents who broke his car window, damaged his vehicle and sprayed him with tear gas.