Two Firefighters Held At Washington ICE Detention Center Amid Wildfire, U.S. Representative Says
Two firefighters responding to a wildfire in Washington were detained by U.S. border agents and are currently held at an ICE detention center in Tacoma, according to U.S. Rep. Emily Randall.
Representing the district where the detention center is located, Randall stated that she visited the facility on Saturday but was not allowed inside. Officials confirmed that the detained individuals were working for companies contracted to fight the Bear Gulch fire in the Olympic National Forest.
One of the arrested firefighters, an Oregon resident, was unlawfully detained, according to lawyer Stephen Manning. The man had come to the U.S. as a child and was awaiting a visa response after being a victim of a crime.
The Bureau of Land Management terminated contracts with the firefighting companies after a criminal investigation. Border Patrol assisted in verifying the identities of the crew members, resulting in two arrests for being in the U.S. illegally.
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BLM and Border Patrol’s coordination in the arrest operation at the fire site has raised concerns. The fire, currently 13% contained, has been managed by dedicated fire crews working to prevent further damage.
Detained individuals were in support roles and not actively fighting the fire during the identity check, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The arrests did not impact firefighting efforts.
Details of the criminal investigation involving the contractors remain unclear, as stated by Washington State Department of Resources Commissioner Dave Upthegrove.
The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics have been criticized for causing fear and mistrust, affecting even those risking their lives as firefighters, according to officials.
ICE officials have denounced the administration’s arrest quotas, which have led to the detention of individuals without criminal records, legal visa holders, and even U.S. citizens.
(Reporting by Matt McKnight in Tacoma; Additional reporting by Ted Hesson and Valerie Volcovici in Washington. Editing by Donna Bryson and Richard Chang)
