Two firefighters, part of a 44-member crew battling a wildland fire on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula, were arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents amid a multi-agency investigation into the contractors they worked for, federal authorities announced last week’s Thursday. The arrests drew sharp criticism from Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington, who condemned U.S. immigration policy as “sick.”
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requested assistance from the Border Patrol to verify the identities of the workers while they were operating in a remote area on Wednesday. According to a statement from the Border Patrol, agents discovered that two workers were in the country illegally and subsequently arrested them.
Details regarding the investigation into the contractors were not disclosed, and federal authorities did not respond to inquiries seeking further information about the criminal case. As a result of the arrests, the BLM terminated its contracts with Table Rock Forestry Inc. and ASI Arden Solutions Inc., both based in Oregon, and escorted the remaining 42 crew members off federal land. The two arrested firefighters were taken to the Bellingham station, facing charges of illegal entry and reentry.
Attempts to reach the two companies for comment via email and phone on Thursday were unsuccessful. Initial reports of the firefighters’ arrests sparked outrage from Senator Murray, especially after several firefighters who witnessed the incident anonymously told The Seattle Times that federal agents had taken two of their colleagues into custody.
In response, Murray criticized the Trump administration for undermining wildland firefighting efforts by “decimating the Forest Service,” and asserted that their immigration policy is “fundamentally sick.” The crews were actively engaged in combating the Bear Gulch Fire, which has scorched approximately 14 square miles on the north side of Lake Cushman within the Olympic National Forest and National Park, and was reported to be only 13% contained as of Thursday afternoon.
Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, also expressed his discontent on social media, revealing that one of the arrested firefighters hailed from his state. He denounced the arrest, arguing it makes communities less secure. The firefighter is represented by attorneys from the nonprofit Innovation Law Lab, who allege he was unlawfully detained and remain unable to locate him.
“We demand that they allow him to access counsel as is his right under the U.S. Constitution,” said lawyer Rodrigo Fernandez-Ortega in an email. “It is outrageous that the U.S. Border Patrol has unlawfully detained the brave individuals who are working to protect us, especially after we have witnessed entire towns being devastated by fires.”
