Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new information from DHS and Border Patrol regarding the arrests. Since the article was first published, it has also generated a significant response from readers. We’ve added a selection of top comments at the end of the article, highlighting different perspectives from across the fire service. Jump to the comments and join the discussion.
UPDATE: 6:16 p.m. ET
MASON COUNTY, Wash. — Federal officials said two firefighters arrested during the Bear Gulch Fire operation were in the United States illegally.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service requested assistance from Border Patrol on Aug. 27 after contracts with Table Rock Forestry Inc. and ASI Arden Solutions Inc. were ended following a BLM criminal investigation.
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Because of the remote location of the work site, BLM asked Border Patrol agents to verify the identities of the 44 personnel on scene to confirm they matched contractor rosters. CBP said agents identified discrepancies, including two individuals determined to be in the country illegally. One of those individuals had a prior removal order. Both were arrested and transported to the Bellingham Station on charges of illegal entry and reentry of removed aliens.
The remaining 42 individuals were released and escorted off federal lands.
Officials managing the Bear Gulch Fire said the Border Patrol operation is not interfering with firefighting efforts, noting progress continues on the nearly 9,000-acre blaze.
Original story below:
By Isabella Breda and Conrad Swanson
The Seattle Times
MASON COUNTY, Wash. — Two people fighting the Bear Gulch fire on the Olympic Peninsula were arrested by federal law enforcement Wednesday, in a confrontation described by firefighters and depicted in photos and video.
Why the two firefighters were arrested is unclear. But a spokesperson for the Incident Management Team leading the firefighting response said the team was “aware of a Border Patrol operation on the fire,” that it was not interfering with the firefighting response and referred reporters to the Border Patrol station in Port Angeles.
Over three hours, federal agents demanded identification from the members of two private contractor crews. The crews were among the 400 people including firefighters deployed to fight the wildfire, the largest active blaze in Washington state.
Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday about the confrontation.
It is unusual for federal border agents to make arrests during the fighting of an active fire, especially in a remote area.
On Wednesday, the two contract fire crews were sent up to the northeast side of Lake Cushman to cut wood for the local community, according to two firefighters on one of the crews.
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The firefighters requested anonymity because they feared retaliation from federal agencies for talking to the media.
While they were waiting for their division supervisor to arrive, federal law enforcement showed up around 9:30 a.m.
Federal law enforcement asked the crews to line up to check their IDs, according to the firefighters.
One of the firefighters said members of the crew were told not to take video of the incident.
You risked your life out here to save the community,” the firefighter said. “This is how they treat us.”
In a FaceTime video call from the other firefighter to The Seattle Times, firefighters in their gear were seen sitting on logs in front of federal officers. Some firefighters were dismissed back to their vehicles.
One firefighter attempted to walk over to his company vehicle to get something to drink and appeared to have been called back by federal officers.
In images shared by firefighters from the scene, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicle is parked nearby. Officers wearing “Police” vests are seen arresting a firefighter, while another appears to be restrained.
According to one of the firefighters, they were denied the chance to say goodbye to the detained crew members.
“I asked them if his (family) can say goodbye to him because they’re family, and they’re just ripping them away,” the firefighter told the Times. “And this is what he said: ‘You need to get the (expletive) out of here. I’m gonna make you leave.’
As of Wednesday morning, there were six 20-person hand crews on the Bear Gulch fire, and five of those are private contractors. As of Wednesday morning the fire covered nearly 9,000 acres and was 13% contained.
Federal policy under President Joe Biden’s administration stated that without “exigent circumstances” agents would not conduct their operations at natural disaster or emergency sites. Whether that policy remains in place, however, remains unclear.
Federal officials have pursued aggressive immigration enforcement actions under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Should ICE or Border Patrol Agents investigate fire crews during wildfires? Tell us why you think this should or should not happen during fire operations.
FireRescue1 readers respond
- Absolutely not — this was something that was set up and likely known/approved by those in charge of this fire. These positions are highly sought after, competition is high, and any way that teams can be removed to make space for others can & has been utilized. This is just a newer tactic, utilizing federal agents who are already operating outside of the guidelines that Americans should expect policing entities to be held to. This is a(nother) horrible look on ICE, who doesn’t seem to care about PR, or basic Civil Rights here in the US.
- They should at least wait until they are back at camp, off duty and away from an active fire. And I would guess these federal agents do not possess a red card, which means they are not allowed to be in an active fire incident area. There actions could have been done in a safer manner, in a safer place.
- Detaining firefighters working at an active wildfire puts the community, other firefighters, and the federal officials at risk. I can see no reason why this should be done unless the detainees are suspected of murder, rape, arson, or human trafficking. If this were the case, the agents should have presented an arrest warrant describing the reason for the arrest.
- Whoever is hiring these crews must put a policy in place that ensures all employees are in this country legally. Turning a blind eye is not keeping with the law of the land. If needed, the contracted company must also follow the law and screen all potential employees. There is no excuse for the contractor or the hiring state entity to use such a critical task, such as firefighting, as a reason to breach or break the law. Washington state officials need to get the house in order.
- Yes, to an extent. Put an ankle monitor on them and let them carry on fighting fire.
- This is ludicrous. Not rapists, not gang members, but firemen? Do they honestly want firefighters to stop coming to work? to decimate volunteer crews? This is just insanity.
- No. Seems like an unreasonable search and unconstitutional.
- No, they are interfering in emergency services for a non-emergency issue. This is an intimidation tactic to fuel their inflated egos and those of this administration.
- It’s sad that you even have to send out a questionnaire about whether you think this is right or not. It’s complete bulls**t to be doing the whole arrest thing to begin with, and absolutely makes no sense to drag somebody out of a firefighting situation. No, I think the whole thing is stupid and asinine, and it makes me embarrassed to be associated with being an American.
- I believe that if someone is here helping to battle fires, risking their life, can read and speak English, and is contributing as a productive member of our society, then who are we, as a country, to deny them the right to stay and continue doing that? We all came from somewhere — only Native Americans were here before others invaded and took their land.
- Next up, surgeon pulled out halfway through open heart surgery and asked for proof of residence. “I’m one of three surgeons in the world that can perform this surgery!” He declared. “Well you should have waited for your visa to clear now your patient is going to die and it’s your fault. You might get out of holding in a month.”
- No! ICE and Border Control should be nowhere near wildland firefighters. It’s appalling.
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