By Aldgra Fredly
Contributing Writer
Two firefighters from a 44-member crew battling the Bear Gulch Fire on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula were arrested for unlawful presence in the country, Customs and Border Protection said on Thursday.
The CBP said that the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service requested assistance from Border Patrol to help verify the identities of all personnel working at a remote area of the fire scene.
“Several discrepancies were identified, and two individuals were found to be present in the United States illegally, one with a previous order of removal,” the CBP said in a statement.
The two individuals, whose identities were not disclosed, were taken into custody and transported to the Bellingham Station on charges of illegal entry into the United States, according to the agency.
“U.S. Border Patrol steadfastly enforces the laws of the United States and unapologetically addresses violations of immigration law wherever they are encountered,” Border Patrol Blaine Sector Chief Patrol Agent Rosario Vasquez said in the statement.
According to the CBP, federal authorities have terminated contracts with a forestry company and a wildfire management service company after a criminal probe by BLM, but offered no further details.
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson stated on social media that he is “deeply concerned” over the arrests of the two firefighters helping to battle the state’s ongoing wildfires.
“I’ve directed my team to get more information about what happened,” the governor said on X.
The Bear Gulch Fire has been burning since July 6. The blaze has scorched nearly 9,000 acres in Washington’s Olympic National Forest and was about 13% contained as of Thursday, according to local authorities.
Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove, whose agency oversees Washington’s wildland firefighting efforts, said that he was aware of the enforcement actions at the Bear Gulch Fire.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., stated that one of the detained firefighters is from Oregon, adding that his office has contacted the individual’s lawyer, who had reported being unable to locate the detainee.
“My office is working to get more information on his whereabouts ASAP,” Wyden said on X.
The senator denounced the arrests in a separate post, calling the move an “evil stunt” by the Trump administration.
Under the Biden administration, the Department of Homeland Security stated on Jan. 8 that its agencies would not conduct immigration enforcement activities at “sites that provide emergency response and relief.”
DHS has not issued new guidance on immigration enforcement during emergency events since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
