Firefighters combating a wildfire arrested by Border Patrol
Firefighters Arrested during Bear Gulch Fire Investigation
Two firefighters working for Table Rock Forestry Inc. and ASI Arden Solutions Inc. were taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol agents during a multi-agency investigation at the Bear Gulch Fire in Washington. According to their lawyers, one of the arrested firefighters has been unlawfully detained.
The Border Patrol operation, which also involved the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, is not interfering with firefighting activities. The Bear Gulch firefighters continue to make progress on the fire, which has burned approximately 13% of 14 square miles (36 square kilometers) by Thursday afternoon.
The arrested firefighters were taken to the Bellingham station on charges of illegal entry and reentry. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden denounced the arrest of one of the firefighters, stating it makes communities less safe. Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson expressed concern about the news and questioned why the Trump administration's immigration policies are now affecting firefighters.
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray criticized the detentions, stating that the Trump administration has undercut wildland firefighting and has a fundamentally sick immigration policy. Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove is aware of the enforcement actions at the Bear Gulch Fire.
The BLM terminated the contracts with Table Rock Forestry Inc. and ASI Arden Solutions Inc., and escorted the 42 workers off federal land. Dennis Lawson, president of the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters, expressed concern about losing a firefighter member, as it hurts their ability to serve their communities.
The U.S. Forest Service's Incident Management Team overseeing the firefighting efforts acknowledged the Border Patrol activities at the fire site but offered no information about what happened. U.S. Border Patrol Blaine Sector Chief Patrol Agent Rosario Vasquez said the detentions highlight the coordination between federal agencies to ensure the integrity of government operations.
Border Patrol agents found two workers who were in the U.S. illegally and detained them. The arrested firefighter's lawyers have been unable to locate him and have demanded that he be allowed to access counsel. Ferguson's team has reached out to federal agencies for more information regarding the detentions.
During the first Trump administration, DHS issued a statement during the 2020 wildfire season stating that there would be no immigration enforcement initiatives associated with evacuations or sheltering related to the wildfires, except in the event of a serious public safety threat.
This incident has raised concerns within the firefighting community and among political leaders, with some questioning the timing and impact of the detentions on firefighting efforts. The situation remains under investigation.
