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12/16 08:26
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Incident Overview: Two firefighters responding to a wildfire in Washington state are currently detained at an ICE facility in Tacoma. This occurred during a routine identity verification at the Bear Gulch fire site, where a 9,000-acre wildfire has been burning since July 6 and is only 13% contained as of the latest report.
Criminal Investigation and Contract Termination: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has terminated contracts with firefighting companies amid an unspecified criminal investigation. Following this, Border Patrol was called to verify the identities of 44 crew members, resulting in the arrest of two individuals found to be in the U.S. illegally, while the other 42 were escorted off federal land.
Legal Representation: An attorney representing one of the detained firefighters described his client as unlawfully detained, having arrived in the U.S. as a child and currently awaiting a visa application response after being a crime victim.
Political Response: U.S. Rep. Emily Randall attempted to visit the ICE detention center but was denied entry. The detentions have raised concerns among local officials, including Washington State Department of Resources Commissioner Dave Upthegrove, who criticized the timing and nature of the immigration enforcement actions.
Enforcement Campaign: The detentions are part of a broader immigration enforcement campaign by the Trump administration, which is targeting $6.1 billion in fines from immigrants defying deportation orders. The Department of Homeland Security has imposed 21,500 fines, with penalties reaching up to $998 daily and retroactive for five years.
Criticism of Enforcement Practices: ICE officials have faced criticism for high daily arrest quotas, which have led to the detention of individuals without criminal records, including green card and visa holders.
